Information
Landmark: Kilkenny Design CentreCity: Kilkenny
Country: Ireland
Continent: Europe
Kilkenny Design Centre, Kilkenny, Ireland, Europe
Overview
In the heart of Kilkenny, Ireland, the Kilkenny Design Centre buzzes with color and texture, showcasing the best of Irish craft and design.Housed in the grand Old Post Office, the centre highlights the finest Irish craftsmanship, where hand-carved oak meets sleek, contemporary lines.Today, it’s one of Ireland’s top spots for art lovers, design fans, and anyone drawn to beautifully crafted, handmade pieces you can almost feel under your fingertips.Number one.The Kilkenny Design Centre sits inside the Old Post Office, a graceful Georgian building from the early 1700s, its stone walls still cool to the touch on a summer day.In the heart of Kilkenny stands an architectural landmark that once served as the bustling headquarters for the local Post and Telegraph services.Turning it into a design centre kept the building’s old-world charm-stone walls and all-while giving it a fresh purpose.Founded in 1963 under a government push to promote Irish crafts and design, it became the heart of the Kilkenny Design Workshops movement.They set out to inspire local artisans and designers to craft and sell high‑quality handmade pieces that could hold their own abroad.Over time, the Kilkenny Design Centre has become the beating heart of Irish craft, championing and displaying work from makers whose hands still smell faintly of fresh wood or clay.It’s been vital in keeping traditional Irish crafts alive-pottery with earthy glazes, handwoven textiles, gleaming metalwork, carved wood, and intricate jewelry.Today, the Kilkenny Design Centre is best known for its striking exhibition space, where the work of Ireland’s designers and craftspeople takes center stage.The shop offers a changing mix of handmade pieces-ceramics warm from the kiln, gleaming glassware, delicate jewelry, soft woven textiles, and smooth wooden carvings.The exhibits showcase the talent and imagination of Irish artisans, many still working with age-old techniques handed down like treasured family recipes.In the Kilkenny Design Centre’s spacious shop, you can browse shelves lined with finely woven scarves, hand-thrown pottery, and other beautifully made Irish crafts.The shop showcases pieces by celebrated Irish designers alongside fresh talent, from sleek linen dresses to bold, hand-painted scarves.The Kilkenny Design Centre draws crowds of shoppers hunting for genuine Irish treasures-hand-thrown pottery still warm from the kiln, soft wool scarves, silver jewelry, and finely crafted homeware.What sets it apart is a steadfast devotion to originality and quality.Every piece here is handmade, often crafted in small batches, so no two are alike-even the glaze on one mug might catch the light differently from another.From a handwoven wool blanket warm as a peat fire to a piece of pottery shaped in a local kiln, everything here reflects the finest Irish craftsmanship, and at The Workshop Studios in the Kilkenny Design Centre, you can watch that artistry take shape before your eyes.In the workshop studios, local artisans shape and showcase their creations, letting visitors watch a wooden bowl take form and glimpse how traditional crafts come to life.Many of the artisans here carry on a long tradition of Irish craft, yet they weave in fresh ideas and inventive techniques.The centre often comes alive with hands tapping wood or shaping clay during live demonstrations and workshops, where visitors can try their hand at the process.You might try pottery throwing, shaping cool clay on a spinning wheel, or dive into jewelry making and weaving.These events let you roll up your sleeves and try the techniques behind crafting beautiful, handmade pieces.Beyond the shop and workshops, the Kilkenny Design Centre also features a bright gallery space that hosts rotating exhibitions of fine art and sleek contemporary design.These exhibitions showcase work from Irish and international artists and designers, adding to the centre’s reputation as a lively hub for creativity and artistic expression.One of its core missions is to champion and support Irish artists and craftspeople, from painters to skilled ceramicists.It gives emerging and seasoned designers a space to share their work with a broad audience, from neighborhood galleries to bustling shows overseas.The centre has grown into a vital hub for artists who want to succeed in the market without letting go of time-honoured craft-hands shaping clay the way their mentors taught them.It champions sustainability and ethics at every stage of design.At the Kilkenny Design Centre, you’ll find many products crafted from eco-friendly materials and made with care that honors both the planet and the people who create them.By using handmade, locally sourced materials and keeping production low-impact, the crafts remain both sustainable and ethically made.Over the years, the Kilkenny Design Centre has earned global praise for its dedication to fine craftsmanship, from the careful polish of a wooden bowl to the weave of a wool scarf.It’s helped put Ireland on the map as a center for contemporary craft and design, drawing visitors and design experts from across the globe.The Kilkenny Design Centre sits right in the heart of Kilkenny, just a short stroll from landmarks like Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice’s Cathedral, and the Medieval Mile Museum, and it stays open all week, with longer hours when the summer crowds roll in.Check the official website for the latest opening times and details on special events or exhibitions-you might spot one-off evening tours or seasonal displays.Entry to the shop and main exhibition space is normally free, but certain events may charge a fee.Some workshops and demonstrations may have a fee, but they’re a lively, hands-on way to experience Irish craft-think weaving a small basket or shaping soft clay.The centre greets visitors of every age, with activities and exhibitions designed to keep children curious and involved.It’s a lively way to dive into Irish heritage and creativity-think bright fabrics, hand-carved wood, and stories woven into every piece-while learning something new.The Kilkenny Design Centre is a must-see for anyone drawn to Ireland’s culture, craftsmanship, and design.Steeped in history and driven by a passion for quality, it showcases Irish artistry in a way that marries old-world charm with fresh, modern design-like a handwoven scarf paired with bold, new patterns.You might come to pick up a handcrafted bowl for your kitchen, watch a skilled artisan shape glass at the furnace, or wander through the story of Irish craft-but whatever draws you in, the Kilkenny Design Centre has something to spark your interest.
