Donegal is very well-represented in the Irish Made Awards – the annual competition by Irish Country Magazine for Ireland’s best creative businesses and makers.
Local entrepreneurs from across the worlds of fashion, textiles, food and drinks are flying the flag for the county’s creatives this year.
The awards have been opened to a public vote this September, and the race is now on for each business to secure enough support to become winners.
See below for a look at all the Donegal finalists selected by the judges:
Buncrana designer Bernie Murphy is a finalist in the Fashion section this year. Bernie is well-known for her distinctive clothing collections using traditional Donegal tweed. She was runner-up in the Irish Made awards in 2019.
Bernie Murphy
We’ll tip our hats to Hanna Hats, who are shortlisted in the Accessories category. The third-generation family brand, based in Donegal, is famous for its Peaky Blinders style creations.
Hanna Hats : The Erin Cap
Two designers are finalists in the Home category. Textile Designer Eilis Galbraith from Buncrana is in the running with her unique hand drawn, printed homeware. Eilis was runner-up in this category in 2019.
HuKu Balance, a new brand of fitness and wellness pieces created in Creeslough, is also shortlisted for a Home award. Donegal entrepreneur Cathal Sheridan developed the HuKu balance boards and co-designed HuKu yoga wheels for people to bring their workout, balance and stretching abilities to the next level.
Eilis Galbraith
The HuKu workshop is based in the coastal village Creeslough
Tanya Gavaghan of Minikin Studio
Atlantic Treasures have netted a place in the Food category. Based in Killybegs, the family-run company sells award-winning smoked and marinated seafood products. The O’Donnell family’s Fish Stop store in Killybegs is celebrating one year in business this weekend and their Hooked & Cooked Seafood Experience with the local Hughie’s Bar is catching on has a great foodie day out.
Ronan Cunningham (left) and Michael O’Donnell of Atlantic Treasures – The Fish Stop
There is a taste of Donegal in the Drinks category too, as Cloud Picker coffee competes for an award. The Dublin-based micro roastery was co-founded by Inishowen man Frank Kavanagh and is a top supplier in the capital.
Frank Kavanagh – Cloud Picker Coffee
Voting is now open in the Irish Made Awards and you can cast yours here: https://irishcountrymagazine.ie/vote2020/
Voting is open until midnight on 30 September, 2020
The winners and runners-up will be featured in a special issue of Irish Country Magazine in November. The overall winner will receive an advertising package worth €6,000 from Irish Country Magazine, a stand in the Irish Made Village at Gifted in the RDS in December 2020 (subject to Covid-19 restrictions) and a Midweek Break at Wicklow’s BrookLodge & Macreddin Village.
