Offaly Local Development Company (OLDC) presents "Legacy - Craftmasters," a dedicated initiative celebrating the traditional skills masters.
As part of OLDC's commitment to the exceptional talents of Offaly's traditional craftspeople, a series of short documentaries have been produced to showcase some of the best of Offaly's traditional crafts, from blacksmithing and weaving to jewellery design, basket weaving, slate carving, and Mountmellick embroidery. These documentaries highlight the incredible skills of the artisans who are preserving Ireland's rich cultural heritage.
The official launch of the documentaries is scheduled to take place Friday, 26th July, during the 11th Annual Festival of That Beats Banagher. This festival has grown from OLDC's Traditional Skills programme that started in 2014. The launch will be held in conjunction with Banagher's first Fire Festival, where Forged in Ireland, led by Blacksmith James O'Connor, and the Furnace Festival will combine to showcase blacksmithing and smelting skills to the public. With up to 40 blacksmiths participating in demonstrations and competitions, the event will give attendees an insight into various aspects of the blacksmithing craft under the banner Forged in Ireland.
In addition, the weekend will also feature iron smelting workshops and demonstrations, which are being organised in collaboration with Paul Rondelez. The workshops will be delivered by renowned experts Jens Jørgen Olesen from Denmark and Kamila Brodowka from Poland. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to witness these demonstrations and even participate in the workshops themselves.
This Legacy Traditional Skills initiative aims to highlight the significance of these skills in cultural heritage and ensure their continuity for future generations. The programme acknowledges the importance of traditional crafts and the need to preserve them in our rapidly evolving society. By bridging the gap between the past and the present, the programme provided training workshops and events throughout Offaly from April 2021 to January 2024.
The primary objectives of the "Legacy" training programme were to:
Preserve Traditional Skills: Identify and safeguard traditional skills and crafts at risk of being lost in time.
Facilitate Learning and Appreciation: Provide individuals with opportunities to learn and appreciate traditional skills, fostering a sense of pride and respect for our heritage.
Revitalise Traditional Skills: Bring traditional skills into the modern era, promoting their relevance and ensuring their sustainability for future generations.
The "Legacy" Traditional Skills project was funded through the Leader Rural Development Programme by the Offaly Local Development Company.
For more information about the "Legacy" training programme or the documentary project, visit www.offalyldc.ie and www.traditionalskills.ie.
That Beats Banagher 11th Summer Festival on the 27th and 28th of July 2024. The two-day event promises to be packed with an array of exciting activities and events for people of all ages. The Banagher summer festival is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, and this year is no exception. The festival will boast a range of water-based events, traditional skills, heritage and culture, health and wellness, and family activities.
To learn more about the Banagher summer festival and plan your visit, visit the That Beats Banagher website www.thatbeatsbanagher.com
For inquiries, please contact: Caitriona Duggan, Offaly Local Development Company cduggan@offalyldc.ie
About the Craftmasters
Padraig Larkin
Meet Padraig Larkin, a skilled basket and straw weaver located in Cloghan, Co Offaly. With a rich history of basket weaving in Offaly, Padraig upholds the traditional art of basket weaving and straw weaving techniques. Committed to preserving Ireland's weaving heritage, Padraig delivers workshops and demonstrations to share his expertise and keep these traditional crafts alive for future generations.
Dolores Dempsey
Dolores Dempsey is a Master Craftsperson with 40 years’ experience teaching, designing, and creating unique pieces of Mountmellick Embroidery.
Mountmellick Embroidery is a white-on-white work that is entirely Irish in origin and design dating from the early 19th century. It consists of bold designs of local flora and fauna worked on white satin jean fabric using white cotton thread and is part of Ireland's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Dolores is passionate about keeping this craft alive for future generations to enjoy and delivers regular classes/workshops in Mountmellick Development Association Ltd., Museum of Mountmellick Embroidery. Dolores Dempsey also creates commissioned pieces to order.
Mauricio Martino
Mauricio Martino of Heartworks Handmade Gifts works almost entirely in salvaged slate to create unique clocks, mirrors, picture frames, and a variety of other handmade slate design products and handmade gifts. Each hand-crafted slate piece is designed and handmade in his Tullamore studio in the centre of Ireland. Heartwork's slate designs and handmade gifts feature etched patterns and decorative flourishes of metallic paints in earthy rusts, gold, bronze, and vibrant colours. Heartworks also works to commission, creating unique handmade pieces that offer more scope and creative freedom. It is often these one-off pieces that will inspire a new range of handmade gift products, a new use of colour, or introduce a new style or shape.
Learn more about Mauricio: www.heartworks.ie
Micheal Horan
Introducing Michael Horan, an artisan jewellery designer, and maker rooted in Co.Offaly. Michael specialises in handcrafting bespoke engagement rings and wedding bands, designing and making each exquisite piece in his workshop. Every creation is a unique reflection of his client's vision, meticulously designed and crafted to the highest standards of quality.
For more information: www.michaelhoranjewellery.com
Barbel Klee
Barbel Klee, has been living in Ireland since the late 1980s. Having spent 20 years in Co Offaly, bringing with her the wonderful craft of weaving. Working to commission, Barbel enjoys the freedom to work at her own pace, creating shawls, scarves, blankets, tea towels, and rugs, using high-grade materials such as cotton/linen mixes, pure wool, bamboo, and silk.
Blacksmithing Craftmasters
A celebration of blacksmithing organised with James O’ Connor - Blacksmith, Forged in Ireland, ‘forge in’ and iron ore smelting demonstrations with Paul Rondelez during That Beats Banagher festival in July 2023 which over 30 blacksmiths and traditional craft makers demonstrated their skills to the public. This was organised as part of the Annual That Beats Banagher Festival.
This event was held on the 15th & 16th of July 2023 and there was an overwhelming interest from locals and beyond.
The Battle of the Blacksmiths is supported by Offaly Local Development Company’s “Legacy” training program to preserve traditional skills and ensure they don’t get lost in time. This project is funded through the Leader Rural Development Programme by Offaly Local Development Company.
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/ConchobarForge/
