Crafts

Makers of The Sheep’s Head Way – Crafts Tour

September 21, 2015 by Dunmanus

Meet the Makers of the Sheep’s Head Way on a bespoke West Cork crafts tour

It’s an amazing opportunity for you to meet the makers who gain inspiration from our unspoilt landscapes, our wild seascapes, the people who live here, and the extraordinary quality of West Cork’s light.

Visit the studios and workshops where our creative community brings the very best of Irish design, traditional skills, and contemporary talent to life.

Contact us to arrange a tour (day tours or shorter visits can be catered for – max 15 people). Or take a self-guided trip around our craftiest places

Sample Craft Tour Itinerary

Choose your options using the form below, and let us know when you’d like a tour. Scheduled tours are available during the summer months. For details see our events calendar.

10:00am – 11:00am Cronin’s Forge (Followed by Visit to Carraig Abhainn Gardens)
Meet Brian Cronin, a blacksmith whose work at Cronin’s Forge on the shores of Dunmanus Bay reflects the landscape, history, and traditions of West Cork in fluid, Celtic-inspired designs.

At Carraig Abhainn gardens, you’ll find a wonderful sense of peace in Hazel and Eugene Wiseman’s beautiful Durrus idyll, bounded by a mill stream and stocked with mature trees and tender plants that thrive in their shelter.

Two slots available (10-11am, or 11:15 – 12:15pm)

11:15am – 12:15am – Dunbeacon Pottery
Watch pots being thrown and learn about the art of pottery-making as we visit Helen Ennis in her Dunbeacon studio. Helen uses a range of forms and glazes that reflect the colours of the changing sea and the coastal landscape to make the distinctive and much-loved Dunbeacon Pottery range.

Two slots available (11:15am – 12:15pm, or 10-11am)

12:30pm -1:30pm – LUNCH – Heron’s Gallery Café
Enjoy a lovely lunch of freshly-prepared local food at the Heron Gallery Café. It’s just the thing to set you up for an afternoon’s exploring!

2:00pm – 3:30pm Victor Daly – Stone Carver
Victor Daly carves letters, and create stunning sculptures using only stone and the traditional skills passed down to him from the generations of stone-carvers before him. Watch a stone-carving demonstration in Victor’s Ahakista workshop and see how local stone can be transformed into craft pieces of enduring beauty.

2:00pm – 3:30pm Christina Jasmin Roser – Feltmaker
What better art form to discover in the Chinese Year of the Sheep than feltmaking on the Sheep’s Head peninsula? Christina Jasmin Roser welcomes you into her studio, to find out how she makes felt and uses it to create tactile, vibrant objects in a range of forms.

2:00pm – 3:30pm Danny Smith – Artist
Danny Smith has travelled on his motorbike (with his easel in tow) to many locations around Ireland to find inspiration for his art, but always returns to the people and the landscapes of West Cork whose spirit is reflected in his sought-after paintings. In this demonstration, at The Old Creamery in Kilcrohane, Danny will show you the craft and techniques he uses to bring the characters of the Sheep’s Head peninsula to life.

4pm – 6pm – White House Gallery
Here in the atmospheric gallery space at the White House Gallery, you’ll find the art of Corina Thornton, inspired by Celtic mythology and the spirit of the wild West Cork landscape. Meet Corina and learn about her art and inspiration. There’ll be a little music too to round off a fantastic day.

7:30 Dinner – Arundel’s By The Pier [Optional]

Booking Options

Makers Day Visits, Inc. Lunch (Main Course & Coffee at Heron Gallery) €25 per person*
Maker’s Day Visits, Inc. Lunch (as above) & Dinner (Main Course & Dessert) at Arundels by the Pier €50 per person*

*Visitors will be responsible for their own transport between event venues, though group transport can be arranged in advance. A map and directions will be provided for everyone who registers for the event.

Contact Siobhán on 086 303 0991 or email [email protected]>to arrange your Meet the Makers Craft Tour!

Staying Overnight?
Why not make plans for the next morning on “living the Sheep’s Head Way” ?

Guided Walk on the Sheep’s Head Way with local Guide Tony Cumberpatch €10 – tel. 086 303 0991 for details.

Visit Bantry House – Adults: €11, Concessions/Groups: €8 [Pay on arrival]

Call to Bantry’s Craft Shop on Bantry’s Glengarriff Road to gather momentoes of your visit!

Accommodation

Find great places to stay on the Sheep’s Head peninsula and around the historic market town of Bantry at the head of West Cork’s Bantry Bay.

Take a Sheep’s Head Craft Tour & Be Inspired in West Cork!

July 15, 2015 by Dunmanus

A Sheep’s Head Craft Tour is a great way to explore a place that’s home to a creative community of artists and craft producers

They’re inspired by our unspoilt landscapes, our wild seascapes, the people who live here, and the extraordinary quality of West Cork’s light

Take a self-guided craft tour, or join a Meet the Makers event (bespoke and scheduled craft tours) to meet the people the Sheep’s Head inspires.

You’ll find traditional skills brought to life by contemporary talent. And, if you find your own spark of inspiration along the way, there are some wonderful craft courses on offer to bring you back for another longer stay …

1. The Craft Shop in Bantry

Begin in Bantry with a visit to The Craft Shop on Glengarriff Road, a cosy home to some truly covetable jewellery, pottery, and bags created by craftspeople in West Cork and beyond. Decorative pieces and useful objects to treasure are gathered together here.
[Open year-round]

2. Dunbeacon Pottery (near Durrus)

From Bantry, make your way to Dunbeacon Pottery, on the Mizen side of Durrus, and you’ll find Helen Ennis at work in her studio creating pottery in a range of forms and glazes that reflect the colours of the changing sea and the coastal landscape.

Helen’s Ocean Collection evolved from her connection with the ever-changing energy of the Atlantic Ocean, and you’ll discover traces of local ancient Irish woodlands in Dunbeacon Pottery’s Woodland Collection.

Watch pots being thrown, and spend some time deciding which lovely things you’re going to bring home with you as an inspiring reminder of the time you spent living the Sheep’s Head way …
[Open year-round]

3. Cronin’s Forge

Across the water from Dunbeacon Pottery, you’ll find Brian Cronin at work at Cronin’s Forge. The Cronin family have been working with iron on the shores of Dunmanus Bay for generations.

Brian reflects the landscape, history, and traditions of West Cork in fluid, Celtic-inspired designs that take the shape of beautiful lamps, fire irons, and even tiny toasting forks, as well as larger pieces.

The shop at Cronin’s Forge is also home to craftwork produced by a handful of talented West Cork artists working in a wide range of decorative forms from painting to glasswork.
[Open year-round]

4. Fiona Power

Cronin’s Forge is one of the places you’ll find the work of artist Fiona Power who is well-known internationally for her unique and emotional treatment of seas and landscapes.

Her atmospheric paintings capture the moods of West Cork’s ever-evolving skies and surroundings.

Fiona’s paintings can also be purchased from her website at http://postcardsfromwestcork.com
[By appointment]

5. Heron Gallery, Ahakista

All of this exploring is hungry work, and there’s no better place to stop for a bite to eat and more inspiration than the Heron Gallery in Ahakista. It’s a wonderful place to encounter the work of owner and artist Annabel Langrish.

Annabel’s compelling designs focus on the diversity of the wildlife that surrounds us here on the Sheep’s Head peninsula. The gallery’s gardens – designed with an artist’s eye – are a great spot to enjoy the gorgeous, wholesome local food you’ll find in the gallery’s café.

While the Ahakista gallery is closed in the winter, you can see and buy Annabel’s work online, and in her Schull and Kinsale stores.
[Open March to early September]

6. Sheep’s Head Producers’ Market and Shop

In Kilcrohane village, the producers’ shop brings together the work of over 80 local craft and food makers from across the peninsula. It’s a treasure trove of items from ceramics, jewellery and driftwood creations, to paintings, photography, knitwear and tweed hats.

The shop – housed in the peninsula’s old creamery building – is staffed by the producers themselves, and gives you a wonderful chance to talk to the creative people who are inspired by living the Sheep’s Head Way.
[Open year-round]

7. Danny Smith

Call next door to The Old Creamery Café & Restaurant, and you’ll immediately be drawn in to the work of Danny Smith whose intimate paintings of rural life adorn the walls here.

Danny spent time working as a postman on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, and his close acquaintance with the rhythms of life here, as well as his artistic skill, shape a body of work that is helping to build his reputation far beyond the peninsula’s shores.
[By appointment]

8. White House Gallery

Journey down the peninsula, and you won’t be able to miss The White House Gallery outside Kilcrohane. It’s an atmospheric gallery space where you’ll find the art of Corina Thornton, inspired by Celtic mythology and the spirit of the wild West Cork landscape. The White House Gallery serves legendary coffee, scones, and conversation in a setting that often reminds people of Paris in the 1950s!
[Open year-round]

9. Sheep’s Head Yarns

The Alice West Centre at the Black Gate outside Kilcrohane was bequeathed to the community by the artist Alice West who spent many years creating and teaching traditional craft skills on the Sheep’s Head peninsula. This lovely spot is now the base for the team behind Sheep’s Head Yarns, who ran the Sheep’s Head Yarn Festival in May, and are now running a range of craft workshops across the summer.
[Shop open year-round from mid-March 2016]

10. Felt-Making

Where better to learn the art of felt-making than on the Sheep’s Head peninsula in the Chinese Year of the Sheep? Christina Jasmin Roser is an artist who works with felt to create tactile, vibrant objects in a range of forms.

Book yourself onto one of Christina’s feltmaking workshops, and she’ll share with you the skills and challenges involved in felt-making in her workshop located alongside the Sheep’s Head Way walking route.
[Open year-round]

11. Stone-Carving

Victor Daly carves letters, and create stunning sculptures using only stone and the traditional skills passed down to him from the generations of stone-carvers before him. Victor’s letter-cutting and stone-carving workshops attract visitors from across the world.
[Open year-round]

Find a great place to stay for your visit, and plan your activities here at https://livingthesheepsheadway.com!

Book a Bespoke ‘Meet the Makers’ Tour

Get in touch and we’ll help you plan a bespoke craft tour for your visit to West Cork. It’s a wonderful way to meet some of Ireland’s most creative craftspeople! Email Siobhán at [email protected] or call 086 303 0991 to find out more.

See here for a sample itinerary.

Danny Smith

June 3, 2015 by Dunmanus

Local artist Danny Smith strives to capture the play of light, tone, colour, and atmosphere the Irish landscape offers in his evocative images of West Cork

His art encompasses all aspects of Irish culture which he depict in the form of seascapes, lifescapes, people, and animals. Danny hails from Bantry where he lives and works as the town’s postman. He is an entirely self-taught artist, who has been passionately creating art since the year 2000.

Having drawn and painted from a young age, Danny has evolved his very distinctive style through many hours dedicated to painting in his home studio. To find inspiration for his work, he travels on his motorbike (with his easel in tow) to many locations around Ireland but always returns to the people and the landscapes of West Cork to discover scenes which are brought to life in his sought-after work.

Whether working on location or at his West Cork studio, Danny explores a wide range of colours and techniques, and finds the magic of transforming blank white paper and canvas into colourful semi-abstract paintings a constant source of excitement.

Danny uses mixed media including acrylic oils, crayon inks, and charcoal to express his very personal loose style.

His paintings are exhibited and sold at a number of select venues in the West Cork area, including Heron Gallery, Ahakista, and The Old Creamery Restaurant, Kilcrohane.

The annual Bantry Art Exhibition showcases Danny’s work every summer, he has his own studio gallery in Bantry, and he is available for commissions.

Tel.	+353 (0)86 398 6895
Email:	[email protected]
Website:	http://dannyvincentsmith.com
Location:	12 St Canir's Place, Bantry, Co Cork.
Facebook:

Fiona Power – Artist

January 15, 2015 by Dunmanus

Fiona Power is an artist inspired by the wonderful land and seascapes of the Sheep’s Head peninsula.

Having finished her studies in Sligo, Fiona Power was a member of The Pigeon Loft Studios in Sligo and then The Backwater Artist Group in Cork. She now paints from her home in Durrus, West Cork, where she lives with her family.

Fiona’s unique and emotional treatment of atmospheric seas and landscapes is one of the defining characteristics of her work, capturing the ever evolving skies and moods of her surroundings. She employs loose broad brush strokes, creatively using colour as a conduit to express light, atmosphere and feeling.

Her work is held in many private collections worldwide and is part of the Bank of Ireland national collection.
In her earlier years, Fiona’s unique and emotional treatment of atmospheric seas and landscapes became one of the defining characteristic of her work, capturing the ever-evolving skies and seas of the north-west in her paintings.

Her paintings can be purchased from her website at http://postcardsfromwestcork.com

Why not meet the makers of the Sheep’s Head Way on a craft tour? Self-guided and bespoke tours are available!

Tel:	+353 (0)27 62806
Email:	[email protected]
Website:	http://postcardsfromwestcork.com
Location:	Durrus, Sheep's Head peninsula, Co. Cork
Visiting Hours:	Make arrangements by phone or email to discuss possible commissions.

Dunbeacon Pottery

January 22, 2014 by Dunmanus

Dunbeacon Pottery is created by Helen Ennis on the shores of Dunmanus Bay, inspired by West Cork’s land and seascapes

Our collection of functional pottery combines quality in craftsmanship with inspirational and modern designs. After working and apprenticing in potteries around Ireland, Helen Ennis took over the running of Dunbeacon Pottery in the year 2000.

Helen’s vision is to bring well-designed, affordable, functional ceramic tableware to a wider audience. Every single piece of Dunbeacon Pottery is handmade and finished to the highest standard. Visitors are welcome to call to the studio and shop to watch individual pieces being made.

Drawing on inspiration from the surrounding landscape, Helen creates pieces that perfectly capture the essence of Ireland’s southwest coastal region. The Ocean Collection evolved from her connection with the ever-changing energy of the Atlantic Ocean. Discovering traces of ancient Irish woodlands in the immediate area inspired the Woodland Collection. Helen’s pottery is styled and decorated by hand with a range of natural forms and glazes.

“In my work I strive to make pieces that will be reached for and enjoyed every day for many many years”

Dunbeacon’s collections have evolved from simple natural shapes to a comprehensive array of shapes and patterns that fit into every home, offering a wide range of bowls, vases, jugs, mugs, butter dishes and many other unique gift items. The tabletop pottery is both practical, beautiful and dishwasher safe. Each piece is made by Helen with pride and care. The striking Water’s Edge is a new addition to the Dunbeacon Pottery collection.

Located in West Cork, 3 miles from the village of Durrus in the direction of Goleen we welcome visitors to come and browse the showroom and watch the making process. A visit to Europe’s most south-western pottery is a must when touring West Cork!

Location:	Durrus, Co. Cork
Opening Hours:	Open to visitors.
Tel.	00 353 (0)27 61036
Email:	[email protected]
Website:	http://dunbeaconpottery.com
	No
Google Maps:	Yes
Facebook:	Yes

January 15, 2014 by Dunmanus

The Sheep’s Head is home to a vibrant community of craft producers: artists, potters, sculptors, feltmakers and blacksmiths to name but a few

And there are many reasons why so many artists and craftspeople choose to make their home along the Sheep’s Head Way.

This is a landscape that changes at every turn in the road, and with every change in the light. It serves as a wonderful inspiration for our potters, blacksmiths, painters and craftspeople, and the wonderful work they create.

Visit Dunbeacon Pottery, to see Helen Ennis who produces her acclaimed work in Durrrus. Or call to Cronin’s Forge to admire examples of Celtic-inspired metalwork. Bantry’s Craft Shop is a great place to pick up a memento of your visit to West Cork.

You can even sign up for a letter-cutting or stone-carving course on the Sheep’s Head peninsula.

And at Sheep’s Head Producers Market in Kilcrohane you’ll find local jams, chutneys and seaweeds alongside the work of local craftspeople, stone carvers and jewellery makers. It’s impossible to go home empty-handed!

Makers of The Sheep’s Head Way – Crafts Tour

Meet the Makers of the Sheep’s Head Way on a bespoke West Cork crafts tour

Sample Craft Tour Itinerary

Booking Options

Meet the Makers of the Sheep's Head Way

Accommodation

Take a Sheep’s Head Craft Tour & Be Inspired in West Cork!

A Sheep’s Head Craft Tour is a great way to explore a place that’s home to a creative community of artists and craft producers

1. The Craft Shop in Bantry

2. Dunbeacon Pottery (near Durrus)

3. Cronin’s Forge

4. Fiona Power

5. Heron Gallery, Ahakista

6. Sheep’s Head Producers’ Market and Shop

7. Danny Smith

8. White House Gallery

9. Sheep’s Head Yarns

10. Felt-Making

11. Stone-Carving

Book a Bespoke ‘Meet the Makers’ Tour

Get in touch and we’ll help you plan a bespoke craft tour for your visit to West Cork. It’s a wonderful way to meet some of Ireland’s most creative craftspeople! Email Siobhán at [email protected] or call 086 303 0991 to find out more.

See here for a sample itinerary.

Danny Smith

Local artist Danny Smith strives to capture the play of light, tone, colour, and atmosphere the Irish landscape offers in his evocative images of West Cork

Fiona Power – Artist

Fiona Power is an artist inspired by the wonderful land and seascapes of the Sheep’s Head peninsula.

Dunbeacon Pottery

Dunbeacon Pottery is created by Helen Ennis on the shores of Dunmanus Bay, inspired by West Cork’s land and seascapes

Crafts

The Sheep’s Head is home to a vibrant community of craft producers: artists, potters, sculptors, feltmakers and blacksmiths to name but a few

Featured Activity

Letter-Cutting Courses

Featured Accommodation

Westlodge Hotel

Meet the Makers of the Sheep’s Head Way on a bespoke West Cork crafts tour

Sample Craft Tour Itinerary

Booking Options

Meet the Makers of the Sheep's Head Way

Accommodation

A Sheep’s Head Craft Tour is a great way to explore a place that’s home to a creative community of artists and craft producers

1. The Craft Shop in Bantry

2. Dunbeacon Pottery (near Durrus)

3. Cronin’s Forge

4. Fiona Power

5. Heron Gallery, Ahakista

6. Sheep’s Head Producers’ Market and Shop

7. Danny Smith

8. White House Gallery

9. Sheep’s Head Yarns

10. Felt-Making

11. Stone-Carving

Book a Bespoke ‘Meet the Makers’ Tour

Get in touch and we’ll help you plan a bespoke craft tour for your visit to West Cork. It’s a wonderful way to meet some of Ireland’s most creative craftspeople! Email Siobhán at [email protected] or call 086 303 0991 to find out more. See here for a sample itinerary.

Local artist Danny Smith strives to capture the play of light, tone, colour, and atmosphere the Irish landscape offers in his evocative images of West Cork

Fiona Power is an artist inspired by the wonderful land and seascapes of the Sheep’s Head peninsula.

Dunbeacon Pottery is created by Helen Ennis on the shores of Dunmanus Bay, inspired by West Cork’s land and seascapes

The Sheep’s Head is home to a vibrant community of craft producers: artists, potters, sculptors, feltmakers and blacksmiths to name but a few

Featured Activity

Featured Accommodation

Get in touch and we’ll help you plan a bespoke craft tour for your visit to West Cork. It’s a wonderful way to meet some of Ireland’s most creative craftspeople! Email Siobhán at [email protected] or call 086 303 0991 to find out more.

See here for a sample itinerary.