Two well known Donegal makers were amongst those featured at the ‘Gifted’ craft and design fair in Dublin at the weekend.
Michelle McCarroll and Marina Hamilton are two of over 60 makers from Design & Crafts Council Ireland campaign, Made Local, Made to Last, who took part in the event which attracted thousands of buyers.
The campaign highlights the originality, quality and value of Irish designed and craft-made products.
It acts as a reminder to people that buying locally produced, well-crafted products is much more meaningful.
Minister Heather Humphreys looks at sculpture by Marina Harnilton entitled Trojan Horse as part of the DCCI Made Local stand at Gifted Fair in the RDS Dublin.Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
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.
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. ”