Local Donegal makers got a unique opportunity to showcase their work at Gifted contemporary craft and design fair in the RDS at the weekend.
Michelle McCarroll and Marina Hamilton were two of over 60 makers at the Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s ‘Made Local’ stand at the major Dublin shopping event.
Made Local, Made to Last’ highlights the originality, quality and value of Irish designed and craft-made products and acts as a reminder to people that buying locally produced, well-crafted products is much more meaningful. This Christmas, Made Local, Made to Last aims to inspire consumers to think of Irish made crafts products both for themselves and as gifts this Christmas. 350 retailers and 1,393 makers nationwide are supporting the Made Local, Made to Last campaign, celebrating the skill and originality of local craft makers and the retail outlets supporting them.
Consumers are being urged to fuel the recovery of Ireland’s crafts and design sector by replacing global shopping with locally-made Christmas gifts. Design & Crafts Council Ireland says the industry, which supports 105,000 jobs, has been hit doubly hard by the pandemic and soaring energy costs.
CEO of Design and Crafts Council Ireland, Rosemary Steen, was speaking at the opening today of Gifted this week, saying: “We are urging everyone this Christmas, as part of our ‘Made Local, Made to Last’ campaign, to buy local before global. There is such a diverse range of beautiful products available from our talented makers. Further, it is like double-gifting – a gift to yourself or loved one, and to the makers. It’s the best way of directly helping the craft and design industry’s full recovery post-Covid. ”
