Tag: Showcase Ireland

Open Call: Local Area Enterprises Support for Showcase Ireland 2027

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
A woman poses with craft items, including handmade soaps, at a Local Enterprise Showcase event. The image features various products such as candles and mugs, promoting local craft and design talent in Ireland.


Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo, which takes place from the 17th to 19th of January 2027, is the foremost place for retailers to discover unique, design-led fashion and wellness, knitwear, jewellery, craft, gift, and interiors. The show attracts buyers and media from Ireland and around the world.

Makers in the following sectors are invited to apply:

  • Fashion & Knitwear
  • Jewellery
  • Home & Gift Crafts

Each Local Area Enterprise Office (LEO) has been allocated a limited number of exhibition stands for Showcase Ireland 2027.

Please note that this is a competitive application process, and places will be awarded based on specific suitability and eligibility criteria. All applications will be reviewed by the Local Enterprise Village Committee to ensure a high-quality and diverse showcase of local businesses.

Applications close on Wednesday, the 20th of May.

Mandatory In-Person Training
Selected exhibitors must attend one of the following workshops:

  • Athlone: 23rd September 2026
  • Limerick: 30th September 2026

Note: Applicants must apply via their local LEO branch – https://www.localenterprise.ie/find-your-local-enterprise-office/

For more information, visit the LEO website – https://www.localenterprise.ie/enable-enterprise-culture/showcase-2027-applications-open!/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Panel Talk on Bio Materials in Textile and Fashion – Showcase Ireland

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Event promotion for Showcase Ireland featuring a panel discussion titled 'Grown, Gathered, Made: Rethinking Irish Materials'. The image includes the logo of Showcase Ireland, names and titles of speakers Aoife McNamara, Conor O'Brien, Niamh Ni Catháin, and moderator Alison Gault.


At Showcase Ireland this Monday, there will be a panel talk, ‘Grown, Gathered, Made: Rethinking Irish Materials’. Three emerging Irish designers will share how they work with local and natural materials to create sustainable, culturally rooted products that connect with consumers.

Moderated by Alison Gault of Ulster University, the panel will consist of fashion designer Aoife McNamara, knitwear designer Conor O’Brien, and textile designer and researcher Niamh Ní Catháin.

Where: Showcase Ireland, The Inspiration Stage, RDS Dublin, Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

When: Monday, the 19th of January, at 3 PM

A recording of the talk will be available at a later date.

For more information, visit the Irish Grown Wool Council’s website – https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/irish-grown-wool-council-panel-talk-at-showcase-2026/

This panel talk is supported by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.

Instagram links – @showcase_ireland @irish_grown_wool_council_ @dccireland @aoifemcnamarax, @conorobrienstudio @niamhnicathain   @ulsteruni 

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Guild Member Emily A Thompson at Showcase Ireland – RDS

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Business card for needle felting artist Emily A Thompson, featuring a sheep design and details of her showcase stand at the Local Enterprise Office.

From the Showcase Ireland website: Each year, over 3,350 buyers from Ireland, the UK, the USA, Mainland Europe, and Asia attend the three-day to-the-trade event, which generates sales orders exceeding €25.6 million.

In previous years, several members of Feltmakers Ireland have participated in the annual trade fair.

This year, member Emily A. Thompson will be exhibiting her needle-felted work at Showcase Ireland in the Local Enterprise Office Hall. She will be at stand number L9.

“Emily Thompson is a needle felting artist whose aim is to create unique artworks that connect people to the beauty of the world around them. Using locally sourced Irish wool, washed and dyed with natural materials, Emily meticulously layers the dyed wool to create images of the beautiful Irish landscape.”

When: Showcase Ireland runs from the 18th to the 20th of January, 2026.

Where: RDS Dublin, Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

For more information, visit the Showcase Ireland website – https://showcaseireland.com/

Emily’s website – https://emilyathompsonartist.ie/

Her Instagram – @emilyathompson_artist

Other Felt-Related Businesses at Showcase Ireland

In addition to Emily A Thompson, a few other businesses at Showcase use felted wool:

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Donegal Tweed and Yarns – Innovation, Sustainability and Looking to the Future – Presented by IGWC

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

On Monday, the 20th of January, the Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) is hosting a panel discussion on how Donegal is taking its wool heritage into exciting new directions. From the quest for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for Donegal Tweed, to the growing demand for sustainable, innovative uses of Irish grown wool, discover how local businesses are blending tradition with forward-thinking ideas.

Time: 3:30PM – 4:15PM

For more information, visit their website – https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/irish-grown-wool-council-panel-talk-at-showcase-2025/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

News: Crafts of Ireland Shortlisted for Sustainability Champion Award – Showcase 2025

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmaker Ireland’s guild member Sandra Coote’s business, Crafts of Ireland, is a finalist for the Sustainability Champion Award supported by the Local Enterprise Office of Cavan at Showcase 2025. The awards will take place on Monday, 20th of January, at Showcase in the RDS as part of the overall event. The shortlisted companies were selected from the 105 Local Enterprise clients who will exhibit to national and international buyers from the 19th – 21st of January.

The Awards

The awards are divided into three categories: Best Newcomer, which recognises the top craft and design business making its debut; One to Watch, which highlights a business with outstanding export and international potential; and Sustainability Champion, which celebrates the craft and design business leading the way in sustainability.

Crafts of Ireland

Rooted in a sixth-generation family farm in County Cavan, Crafts of Ireland is a business devoted to preserving and promoting traditional Irish crafts and skills. Serving as both a craft studio and a heritage hub, it offers an array of experiences, workshops, and handcrafted products that celebrate Ireland’s cultural heritage. Their Irish Wool Needle Felting Kits feature fibre from their own rare Irish Roscommon Sheep, along with wool sourced from local farmers.

Find Crafts of Ireland at Stand L47 – https://showcaseireland.com/newfront/exhibitor/crafts-of-ireland

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.