Traditional Crafts

Bob Johnston, Bangor, County Down

Bob Johnston works for the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum near Belfast, where he was trained in the art of willow-basket making by his colleagues. Over the years, he has done extensive research on Irish basket making, particularly on the wide variety of baskets used in traditional occupations. Winner of a United Kingdom National Training Award, he regularly exhibits his work throughout Europe.

Eamon Maguire, Belfast, County Antrim

In addition to being a respected maker of bodhrans—the round frame drum widely used in traditional Irish music—the Belfast-based Maguire is also known for his talents as a painter, bog-oak carver, and dance instructor. In his Ogham Gallery and workshop on Belfast’s Antrim Road, he handcrafts all facets of his bodhrans—from wooden frames to goatskin drumheads and decorative Celtic artwork.

Darren Sterritt, Markethill, County Armagh

James Roland Sterritt, Markethill, County Armagh

Richard Sterritt, Markethill, County Armagh

Richard Sterritt and his family come from the town of Markethill in County Armagh, one of the centers of Northern Ireland’s lambeg drumming traditions. Richard learned to make the large, impressive instruments from his father, who learned, in turn, from his neighbors. Starting from scratch with wood, rope, and goatskins, Richard crafts the iconic Northern Irish instrument in a small workshop behind his home and plays them with assistance from his brother and nephew.   

Robbie Hughes, Strangford, County Down

Hughes is a respected maker of the uilleann, or Irish bagpipe, one of the world’s most complex musical instruments. His firm, Hughes and McLeod, was established in 1977. Today, in addition to pipes, Hughes is also renowned for researching and producing Clanrye Pipe Chanter Reeds, the world's first synthetic bagpipe reed, which Hughes researched in collaboration with scientists as Queens College. info@bagpipers.co.uk

Lorainne Mullin, Portadown, County Armagh

Designing and making ornate dance costumes for Irish Feis and Festival dancers is a specialized skill. Seamstress and embroiderer Lorainne Mullin outfits solo dancers and dance troupes in the Portadown area. Her work is in great demand, especially as the competition season approaches. She adapts ideas from ancient sources to produce striking new designs.  

Maureen Paterson, Islandmagee, County Antrim

Hats are an important fashion accessory throughout Britain and Ireland, where hat stores and hat-hire shops abound. Originally from the Ards Peninsula on Northern Ireland’s east cost, Paterson spent many years in Scotland and studied to be a milliner in Glasgow before returning to Islandmagee to establish her home-based shop, Hats by Maureen, which specializes in couture hats and hairpieces. www.hatsbymaureen.co.uk

Mabel Bogie, Saintfield, Ballyinagh, County Down

Mabel Bogie learned traditional Irish textile techniques, such as Mountmellick work, cut work, drawnthread work, and fine white embroidery on linen, while growing up on a farm near Lough Erne in County Fermanagh. Today, she remains an active needleworker and teaches her crafts to others through classes at the Northern Ireland Women’s Institute.

Gavin Duffy, Belfast, County Antrim

Hurling sticks (also called “hurls,” “hurleys,” or camán) are used in the ancient Irish game of hurling and the women’s version, camogie. Gavin began as a player and realized that despite the popularity of the sport, there was a decreasing number of stick makers. After college, he set out to learn the trade from traditional craftspeople and establish a viable business. His initial workshop on The Falls Road did so well that he recently relocated his expanding business, Camán, to an industrial park just outside Belfast. www.camanireland.com