There’s great excitement at Ballymorris Pottery as they prepare to mark 30 years in business, a milestone for a small but thriving business in rural Southeast Clare.
The business is run by Hannah Arnup who moved here in 1990. She started the business with the help of FAS (start your own business course), Selfhelp (studio space) in Shannon, and with a grant from LEO Clare. Hannah opened her pottery in 1994.
The farmyard premises were very run down, and she (& husband) spent the next few years renovating the seventeenth-century farm buildings to create the fabulous studios and workshops seen today. It is, though, a never-ending process – much like the Forth Bridge, work continues.
It is a small but lively business, diverse in its produce, from handmade stoneware pottery, bespoke orders and baby prints. The pottery continues to grow and diversify. Ballymorris Pottery School now provides classes, parties, school tours and team building. These pottery events are becoming ever more popular, and demand continues to grow. The pottery truly has something for everyone.
Facing new challenges and opportunities along the way, Hannah, never follows a trend but creates her own path. Loving her job, she said, “You never stop learning; tackling technical problems with kilns and glazes very much add to the usual business challenges, so it’s never a dull day. I have to say, it’s been quite an adventure, and I am looking forward to the years ahead’.
They will be hosting a day of celebration on July 6th with activities for all, so if you fancy it, have a go on the potter’s wheel, decorate your own mug, or play with clay for the little ones and not so little too! Hannah will launch an exciting new colour range and hold a sale with up to 50 % off, so make a day of it, grab a bargain and enjoy the activities.
