'This is a very special place': The talented crafts community in the shadow of Kilkenny Castle

Eighty-two year-old silversmith Des Byrne still comes to work in Kilkenny’s Castle Yard every day - and small wonder why!

The Dubliner, who came to Kilkenny in 1968 to further hone his craft, is among a close-knit group of designers, makers and educators with workshops, studios and retail units in the history-steeped yard directly opposite Kilkenny Castle.

The bright and inviting units in the enclosed courtyard are a magnet for the 1.4 million-plus who visit Kilkenny Castle every year and ramble across the road and through the unique space. Each is a hive of enterprise and creativity and a fabulous place to meet and chat with the owner/maker, to buy local craft and services and support the local and regional economy.

As part of the 2024 #ShopKilkenny campaign in conjunction with Kilkenny County Council, the Castle Yard retailers have come together to drive footfall, tell their story and boost trade in the critical run-up to the December period. Each has a unique story to tell and offers an opportunity to meet with the designers, makers, creators and the service providers and talk about the products and services they offer.

“This is a very special place to come to work every day,” said Denise O’Connell of My Skin Integrity (www.myskin.ie).
Her skincare products are formulated with organic plant oils, butters and essential oils known for their therapeutic value.
Denise has over 20 years of clinical experience with cancer patients, through aromatherapy and reflexology. She revels in the close bond that exists between all of the retailers and service providers in The Castle Yard.
READ MORE: SHOPKILKENNY CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

Passion
“As we’re just across the road from Kilkenny Castle, we get loads of tourists rambling in, buying gifts to bring home that have a story behind them,” she added. “They can tell friends and family they’re buying for that they met the designer and craft maker, that they saw or know what went into making the gift, the passion we have for what we do.

“We’re eager to get more locals and visitors to Kilkenny who might not necessarily visit Kilkenny or the Castle Yard to come in here to see what we do, experience how special this place is and support us. It’s a fabulous place to visit and we’re all delighted to chat to people about what we do, why we do it and how unique our produce is.”

Among the other businesses dotted throughout the Castle Yard are Jennie Cantwell of Koru Fitness; Geraldine Walsh, Geraldine Walsh Art; specialist candle-makers, Tracy and Douglas Higgins of Wired Irish Craft; leather-worker, Ken Foley; upcycler and restorer, Rosemarie Ryan of Rambling Rose Eclectic; Tammi Brennan and Patrick Joseph of Patrick Joseph knife-makers; silversmith, Des Byrne; Michelle Brady of Bunting Fairy, Castle Arch Pottery and JMK Gold and Silversmiths. Jennie Cantwell’s Koru Wellness (koruwellness.ie) studio is an oasis of calm in the heart of medieval Kilkenny.

“I’m here a year now,” she said. “I run classes, workshops and retreats from here and have a small but growing online presence. Business is growing all the time, so much so I am contemplating converting some of my space into a second studio. READ MORE: Craft & Design launch exhibition titled ‘Past, Present – Future Perfect’ launched 

Energy
“You’d never really think you were in the heart of the city here,” she added. “It’s so peaceful, so tranquil, such a special place. There’s a lovely energy behind everyone here in the Castle Yard. We’re a very close community and it’s wonderful to be able to work in such an historic, unique space.”

Bunting Fairy’s Michelle Brady designs and hand-makes Irish linen bunting, customised for babies and other family occasions. She also runs classes for children interested in upcycling, crafting and developing the skills needed to sew back in a button, alter clothing etc.

“Pre-Covid, I ran afterschool classes four days a week as well as custom-making baby and other bunting,” she said. “The children who come in absolutely revel in what they do. They get to put their own finish to everything they make and they learn how to upcycle a top, put their own twist on what they do.

“They learn sewing skills, get to choose their own fabric, what little extras they want to add to what they make. It’s mostly girls who come in here but we recently had 16 boys in for a birthday party. They love it.

“Lots of grandparents wander in here when they visit Kilkenny and come back to order bunting when they have a new grandchild. It’s lovely to be part of the excitement around such a family occasion and to hear their stories. I love the richness of Irish linen, the way it falls, its neutral tones.
“There’s very little pink and blue in what is being ordered in recent times – people have gone back to more neutral shades.

Community
“Being here for the past two years has been fantastic. We’re a lovely community of retailers, designers and makers. This unit wasn’t open for 20 years before I came here and made it my own. It’s special being here and being part of the history and nostalgia of such an important place in the history and fabric of Kilkenny.”

Kilkenny Castle dates back to the 12th Century whilst the stable yard, now The Castle Yard, with its crescent-shaped buildings, circular windows and copper-domed tower, was built by the Duke of Ormonde in 1790.

In the early 1960s the units were converted to house Kilkenny Design Workshops (KDW), a state-sponsored design initiative aimed at improving the design of Irish products and increasing exports.

The buildings were acquired and converted, opening initially with just five workshops which included silver and metalwork, textile weaving, textile printing, ceramics and woodworking.

Today, the Castle Yard is owned by Kilkenny Civic Trust and is located next door to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s headquarters and is tucked just behind the Kilkenny Design Centre.