IN GOOD HANDS (RTE)

David Shaw Smith revisits six of the businesses and artisans he filmed in the original Hands series to see how they’ve weathered the last 30 years, focusing on this new generation of craft workers.

Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, David Shaw Smith and his wife Sally captured the intricacy and brilliance of Irish craft in the landmark RTE series, HANDS. Now aged 70, and still filming, Shaw Smith, effectively the ‘godfather’ of Irish craft, revisits six of the businesses and artisans he filmed in the original series to see how they’ve weathered the last 30 years, focusing on this new generation of craft workers.

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Glengesh Pass

If you are a traveller seeking something a little more personal, take the opportunity to meet a local legend, Eddie Doherty. Doherty is well-known for creating Donegal’s fine-crafted, hand-woven, tweed products. All of the products are produced from 100% Irish wool and are hand-woven in Doherty’s private workshops in Ardara. After 40 years of weaving, both privately and for large Irish fabric companies, he currently offers visitors blankets, rugs, capes, scarves, waistcoats, hats and slippers, offered in the traditional herringbone pattern, as well as a more modern, checkered design. Eddie has been fascinating visitors from worldwide and now offers private, international orders as well. If you are in the area of Glengesh Pass, a stop by his marvellous workshop is a must.

Delightful inns, cottages and bed and breakfast enterprises are abundant throughout the Glengesh Pass for those who seek accommodation. Furthermore, delectable eateries, pubs and restaurants are never far away. Locals recommend the lively Narin Inn, which features local fish, local music and lots of local laughs. Interested in something different? At 22 Main Street is a restaurant which offers an informal, festive atmosphere with a variety fare sure to please any palate.

Back at home, no one will have heard of Glengesh Pass, despite its striking views, rich history and skilled artists. However, any traveller looking for beauty, exploration, culture and a first-hand Irish experience should be certain to allow plenty time in Donegal when plotting your next itinerary.

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The north of Ireland has acres of space and weather by the bucket, writes Peter Calder.

What is undeniably beautiful about Donegal is the legendary tweed. In Donegal Town itself, I dropped into Magee Clothing on the triangular piazza at the centre of town which is, in good Irish fashion, called the Diamond. Here they’ve been making cloth since 1866. It’s not handwoven now but at least it’s not made in China.

I bought a handsome cap which warmed my bald pate a bit more stylishly that the beanie it replaced. But my trail soon led me to nearby Ardara where there was reportedly some handweaving to be found.

At the first place, Triona Designs, they encourage the impression that the cloth is woven by hand but an explicit assertion to that effect is absent from all their brochures and when I emailed them to ask about this, they never replied. The woman owner was as snooty as hell, too, so I moved on round the corner to the low-ceilinged workshop of Eddie Doherty.

The sign on his door says to ring his bell and “wait one minute”. That’s because he’s coming from two doors up the road at Doherty’s Bar (“You need some other form of income coming in,” he said gloomily).

Eddie was happy to demonstrate a bit of weaving and when I admired one of the jackets made from his handwoven cloth he smiled modestly. I slipped one on. It fitted perfectly and felt warm and snug. “Sure and it looks good on you, that it does,” said Eddie. You wouldn’t call it hard sell, but it was irresistible. I paid up. Eddie’s one of a very small handful of handweavers making Donegal tweed these days. Young folks aren’t picking up the craft – most young people in Ardara (population 500) wouldn’t know what he does, says Eddie.

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