Welcome to this regular blog about traditional trades and crafts in Ireland.

My name is Tiernan Gaffney, Curator of Trades, Crafts and Occupations in the Irish Folklife Division at the National Museum of Ireland. 

Many of the trades that were once central to everyday life have rapidly declined or disappeared entirely over the last century. You can explore and learn about this in the permanent Trades and Crafts exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Through this blog, I will be sharing insights from my research into the Museum’s collections, highlighting both well-known treasures and overlooked artefacts that reveal the history and voices of Ireland’s skilled craftspeople. I will also document my fieldwork with traditional craftspeople who are keeping these skills alive today.