10 Pottery Shops To Visit In Cork

With Irish-made design in high demand both at home and abroad and items made by artisans enjoying precedence over mass-produced goods, ceramic artists from Ireland are having a moment. Here are a few places in County Cork alone to find superb pottery.

1. Mill Cove Gallery

Market

West Cork’s beautiful Beara Peninsula – situated close to the southern end of the Wild Atlantic Way driving route – seems to be something of a hotbed for Irish creativity. Mill Cove Gallery is just one of several well-known galleries and art studios in the vicinity, but it has a particularly strong reputation for ceramics. In recent years, this gallery has published the only books on the market about Irish ceramic sculpture, and it proudly represents more than 65 ceramic artists – apparently the most of any gallery in the country.

2. Adrigole Arts

Shop

Another pottery shop on the Beara Peninsula – this time in the quaint village of Adrigole, beneath a mountain known as Hungry Hill – Adrigole Arts is a well-stocked crafts shop that has been voted one of Ireland’s best. As well as textiles, jewellery, and woodwork, they keep a first-rate selection of Irish-made pottery here, including pieces made by renowned Irish potter Nicholas Mosse. Also represented is Wexford-based Paul Maloney Pottery and the work of Kilkenny’s Rosemarie Durr.

3. Dunbeacon Pottery

Shop

Having trained under the lauded East Cork artist Stephen Pearce, Helen Ennis is now a celebrated ceramicist in her own right. At her studio in Durrus, County Cork, she makes functional items – such as butter dishes, cream jugs and flatware – inspired by the calming coastal scenery around her. The country’s best design shops, such as the Irish Design Shop in her home city of Dublin, stock her pieces, and Helen’s peaceful studio is open for visits year-round. Anyone is welcome to come and watch her at work.

5. Coolavokig Pottery

Market

Set in idyllic surroundings near the market town of Macroom, Coolavokig Pottery is one of the more charming studios on this list. This workshop was first set up in the late 70s by Robb Bradstock, who soon joined forces with fellow potter Meredith Flandreau. The duo make handmade pottery in a wood-fired kiln that they claim was the first of its kind in Ireland when it was constructed in 1977, based on the design of a traditional Japanese climbing kiln. Their work comes in a variety of coloured glazes.

6. Etain Hickey Collections

Shop

Based close to the award-winning town of Clonakilty, the much-loved Etain Hickey Collections shop comprises a carefully curated assortment of the best of art and craft made locally in West Cork. As well as her own decorative ceramics – made at the Rossmore Country Pottery studio she shares with the potter Jim Turner – Hickey champions artists like Sarah Farrelly, who won the Etain Hickey Award in the 2014 Irish Ceramic Awards.

7. Bandon Pottery

Store

Seasoned potter Jane Forrester’s studio showroom just outside Bandon is filled with all of her best work, from the ovenproof stoneware Lavender range to seasonal collections. Forrester has been making pots and tableware for four decades, and her store is appropriately brimming with pieces that are both elegant and useful. Visits to her adjoining workshop are also available by appointment.

8. The Coachhouse Gallery, Kinsale

School

The Coachhouse Gallery at the Kinsale Pottery and Arts Centre is a spacious and modern exhibition space in the eaves of a converted coach house, on the grounds of the Ballinacurra House estate. The gallery is used to show the works of makers like sculptural ceramicist Adrian Wistreich, while the pottery next door in the stables runs regular courses and workshops.

9. Stephen Pearce Pottery

East Cork’s Shanagarry Pottery was originally established by Philip Pearce during the 1950s, before being taken over by his son Stephen, who also established his own unique brand. Today, Stephen Pearce designs are renowned across the world, and items are still made using clay sourced from a nearby river in Cork. Classic, perfectly made and timeless, pieces you buy here will last a lifetime.
Stephen Pearce Pottery, The Old Pottery, Shanagarry, County Cork, Ireland, +353 21 464 6807

10. The Ballymaloe Shop

Building, Shop, Store

The shop at Ballymaloe House is run by Wendy Whelan, eldest daughter of the foodie haven’s matriarch, Myrtle Allen. Calling itself ‘both a kitchen shop and a craft shop, and much more’, this farm building-turned-store sells pottery by Irish designers such as Nicholas Mosse, as well as items made at the UK’s Burleigh Pottery, dating back to 1889.

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