MAY/JUNE 1984

Crafts Council of Ireland.Thomas Prior House Merrion Road Dublin 4 Telephone 680764 / 603070

FINANCE BILL BLOW

Section 83(B) of the 1984 Finance Billcloses a loophole in the matter of VATregistration and strikes a further blow atthe innovative, creative and developingcraft studios which have formed anumber of companies to avoid thenecessity of having to register for VATonce their turnover limit has exceededIR£25,000. The new legislation preventssplitting and hence the full effects of 35%VAT will fall on the industry which is inthe catch 22 situation of not being ableto pass it on without making theirbusiness unviable.

The Council has again appealed to theMinister for Finance to give urgentconsideration to reducing the 35% VATrate on those products of the craft sectorwhich have to bear it, arguing that sincethe craft industry is generally labourintensive, the 35% VAT is in effect a taxon labour and not on materials at valueadded.

The Minister has been asked to considerreducing the VAT rate for the craft sectoras he has already been able to makereductions in favour of the carmaintenance and the building industry tosoften the effects of the recession.

If a formula is to be found with officialsof the Department of Finance, it willhave to be based on the Council's registerof craftsmen — a good reason why allcraftsmen should return their registrationforms as soon as possible.

EGG CUP EXHIBITION

During the month of April seventy-fourspecially made egg cups were exhibited atthe Kilkenny Shop, Dublin, fromamateur, student and professional makersthroughout Ireland in materials rangingfrom paper to perspex. Many of theexhibits were highly inventive including afolding one for campers to an objet d'artwhich may be hung on the wall when notin use. Accompanying the exhibitionwere decorated eggs and egg cosies.

Egg cups by Geoffrey Healy from anexhibition at the Kilkenny Shop, NassauStreet, Dublin.

Egg cups by Maxine Mearns (one of theparticipants just started at the KilworthCraft Workshops) and Una Deloughryat the Kilkenny Shop.

PRE AT CRAFTS

FAIR

EXHIBITIONS AT THE FAIR

Four exhibitions have been arranged for the week of the Crafts Council's Great Craft Fair in the RDS Main Hall in September. All will be relatively small exhibitions as space will be primarily given over to the main purpose of the Fair which is to help boost craft sales and to promote crafts on a big scale to the public at large to everyone's advantage.

During the European Crafts Conference last September one of the more successful workshops was that held in Ballyvaughan entitled "Miniature Textiles of the West of Ireland". As the "dry run" the previous year had resulte'd in the participants putting their experience into practical works which became the "Textiles of the Burren" exhibition, shown in both Limerick and Dublin, so those who took part so enthusiastically and worked.so hard in Ballyvaughan last September resolved that they would translate their sketches, designs, photographs, discussions and spirit of place into works reflecting the process of exploration, of pushing individual frontiers beyond what they had accepted.

The number and variety of works in the various textile media have not, at the time of writing, been finalised, nor is the number of international entries. It is bound to be an interesting, even provocative, show for professional appreciation. For the general public it will open their eyes to the possibilities in contemporary textile media and away from much that is accepted as craft work in an entirely uncritical way.

The Craft Potters Society of Ireland's annual exhibition "Potters '84" is reviewed elsewhere. A selection of work from this exhibition and possibly augmented by other work will form the basis of the ceramics exhibition at the Fair. As with all the exhibitions this will endeavour to use the opportunity of over 20,000 visitors to interest, and "educate" them as to what ceramics is about at the level of the professional artist craftsman. The functional work, the every day work of quality and relatively inexpensive will be available from the many exhibitors of pottery, and it is to these pieces that the public will tend more readily to relate. A well balanced exhibition of one off works will excite interest. The public in 2

Dublin seldom fails to respond to stimulation, especially at a craft exhibition.

A second textile exhibition is being mounted by the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. Space considerations will restrict the scope of this group whose work was seen to best advantage in the Bank of Ireland Exhibition Hall last year when exhuberence and size were able to flourish if the work required it. The selection is being made with the venue, occasion and audience in mind and it, too, will reflect much of the best that is being created today in Ireland in this medium, even if some of the more dramatic large size works have to be overlooked.

The Irish Patchwork Society's exhibition may also suffer a little from limits being imposed on size, but the selected works of members of this Society will certainly find sympathy with the public. As with all the exhibitions they will see a lot that will be unexpected and far from their usual concept of handcraft.

Almost all the items on exhibition will be for sale. There will be opportunity at the Fair to buy at every level from the simple and functional, decorative or ornament right up to the relatively expensive one off work of the craftsman as an artist.

It is hoped that buyers will range from the housewife, teenager, young marrieds to the collectors and corporate purchasers.

DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE FAIR The public like to see craft demonstrated. This has proved to be so at the various craft shows that have been held down the years. There is a fascination about it which is evident in the success of David Shaw-Smiths T.V. series such as "Hands" and "Patterns".

The Crafts Council, as organiser of the Great Crafts Fair, has planned for four demonstrations: enamelling, pottery, basket making and wood turning. They are all relatively instant in their effect and have been chosen for this reason.

The public can see the end result without having to wait too long as might be the case with, say a big tapestry.

Liam O'Neill will demonstrate wood turning. Founder of the Wood Turners Guild, and exhibitor at a number of exhibitions in recent years he is

enthusiastic about his craft and can put this across.

Adrienne Crowe is another enthusiast and communicator and it is planned that on the final day she will embark on a "Mug Marathon" which should have the public cheering and make a contribution to charity.

Vincent Meehan has considerable experience in his craft and, again, the visitors will find the progress fascinating.

Finally a lady basket maker! And why not? Catherine Hayden is from Waterford and was trained by the famous Shanahan Brothers in Carrick-on-Suir. This should create great interest in the many women visitors who may have considered basket making as belonging to a man's world.

NEW AWARDS AND CLASSES IN '84 RDS CRAFTS COMPETITION The Prize Schedule for the Royal Dublin Society's 1984 Crafts Competition and Exhibition is now available.

The competition is open to all craft workers and designers in Ireland, including students and apprentices.

A total of 28 classes are included in the new look schedule. Included for the first time are classes for Stone Carving and Creative and Expe§imental Fabrics.

The main sponsor of the Crafts Competition is the Educational Building Society, which has made available a prize fund in excess of £4,000, each class will carry a first prize of £100, a second prize of £50 and a third prize of £25.

One of the new special awards, sponsored by the Howard Charitable Foundation, will be the facility for the winner to stage an exhibition for two weeks during the year in the RDS Library.

The exhibition will be open to the public and will give the winner an opportunity to display a broader range and samples of his or her work.

Other Special Awards will be the Muriel Gahan IR£1,000 Scholarship or Development Grant (sponsored by the Irish American Cultural Institute), the Crafts Council of Ireland Medal and the Californian Gold Medal.

All prizewinning entries and other works of good standard will be displayed at the .

RDS Crafts Exhibition during the DublinHorse Show (Tuesday 7th to Saturday11th August, 1984, inclusive).

The closing date for receiving entries willbe Friday, 13th July, 1984, and entryforms are now available from Miss BettySearson, Arts Administrator, RoyalDublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.Tel: (01) 680645, ex. 312.

POTTERS '84

The immediate impression of this yearsexhibition by the Craft Potters Society ofIreland was one of spaciousness and light.This was not because of the usualexcellent layout of the exhibition butcame from the exhibits themselves. Thegradual move away from heavy brawnsand undistinguished glazes, howevertraditional, is welcome, and one can beginto see and appreciate the trees from thewood.

Fidelma Massey's "Figure of a King on aChessboard" is an exercise in controlboth of the original modelling and itstranslation through firing. Fine solidwork, as expected from Michael Jackson(Large Square Dish), from GeofferyHealy (Handled Platter) and Paul Martin,the latter's Handthrown Formsparticuterly taking the eye.

Lisa Young's tiles show considerable goodbreeding and quiet authority and, onreflection, are probably the best pieces inthe exhibition.

Sean McCluskey's Hexagonal Jars arestriking as are Peter Watt's ConicalWinged Forms, but the impression is oneof familarity with the style. FrancesDesmond O'Connor's sea anemones andfish mobiles were light-hearted andcompetent porcelain work. AdrienneCrowe's landform in its goldfish settingwas of course a fine concept, somehowreminiscent of UI la Viottis architecturalwork \r\ Scandinavia and none the worsefor that.

The prices all seemed reasonable and theexhibition deserved to sell well and givemuch pleasure to those visitors sensibleenough to buy.

CRAFT POTTERS SOCIETY OFIRELAND

Since Ronnie Carleton, the OrganisingSecretary of the CPSI is no longer withthem, future correspondence should beaddressed to the Chairman: Joan Doran,70 Merrion Road, Dublin 4.

Thrown stoneware vase with slip glazeandmocca decoration, by Paul Martin.

I.S.D.C. 31st ANNUALEXHIBITIONThe Irish Society for Design andCraftwork's thirty-first annual exhibitionof design and craftwork will be held inthe Bank of Ireland Exhibition Hall,Lower Baggot Street, Dublin from the19th to 29th June, 1984.

NEW CORK CRAFT SHOP

Crafts of Ireland is the name of Cork'snew craft shop. The location is PatrickStreet, close to the Grand Parade. It is ashop-within-a-shop, having leased space inthe Fine Wines complex.

Operated by Christine McDonald whomanaged the Cork Craftsmans Guild Shopin Cork for many successful years, it wil l ,no doubt, provide again in Cork a sourceof fine craft products and gifts handpicked with care from leading craftsmen.

We wish it well.

PATCHWORK ARTISTS GUILDOF IRELAND

Patchwork Artists Guild of Ireland'stouring exhibition of contemporary Irishpatchwork known as "Breacadh" opensin the Nenagh District Heritage Centre on19th June and runs until 29th July.

NEW "CRAFT VILLAGE"IN BLARNEY

An opportunity has arisen for smallbusinesses to manufacture and retail theirown products in Blarney.

Part of the Blarney Woollen Mills hasbeen completely refurbished into a craftvillage. The project has been designedwith a selection of different sized units tocater for a variety of needs.

Blarney, which is only six miles fromCork, has an excellent all year roundtrade. During the holiday periods touristscome from all over the world providingan international market place.

Contact for further details: MichaelBuckley, The Mills, Blarney, Co. Cork.Telephone: (021) 861148.

VODRIAN POTTERY

It may be chastening for some modernpotters to look at the pioneer of modernIrish art pottery, Frederick Vodrey as hisware, which he termed Vodrian pottery,was nothing if not successful in the eyesof the art critics of his day. He had alsouseful and fashionable patronage fromthe most important connoisseurs of thetime, the Lord Lieutenant and LordBandon. He won a medal from the CorkExhibition of 1884, applause fromnewspapers, the goodwill of many, ordersfrom the U.S.A. and Cawada - but hefaced bankruptcy.

Frederick Vodrey inherited a china andglass shop and warerooms in MooreStreet, Dublin. So successful did thisbusiness become that it was extendedinto Mary Street. It is not surprising,then, that "for amusement's sake" he"took up pottery" with the professor ofceramics at the Queen's Institute,Molesworth Street, Dublin. Thatprofessor was Herbert Cooper, a man whotrained in Stoke-on-Trent and who wasemployed in the Institute to train "youngladies of limited means" who were forcedto work because of the rise in the cost ofliving. They hoped that after this trainingthey would'get a job in an Irish pottery.Vodrey and Cooper set up in partnershipin 1873-4 and apart from experimentingwith manufacture techniques and shapes,they also tested a variety of Irish clays.

The partnership was unsuccessful and soVodrey established his own pottery at theback of his Moore Street premises. Hebrought over some Staffordshire pottersand aimed to produce "artistic" designs.For this he commissioned members of theDublin Sketching Club. It is tempting tosuggest that one of the earliest of-Vodrey's designs was based directly on avase which was then (and now) in theVictoria and Albert Museum collection.That dark brown vase with Arabic strap-work was made in Beauvois, France about1840 and it is very like some of Vodrey'svases. The publication of Irisleabhar naGaeilge in 1882 and the major upsurge ofinterest in Gaelic culture which followedgave a strong Celtic Revival fervour in thecountry. Vodrey, not to be outdone,commissioned the artist Charles Russellto design ware in this vein. One of themost satisfying of these is the vase whichis based on the Kells Crozier knop. WhenChristopher Dresser brought in themarvellously simple Japanese styles,Vodrey followed suit immediatelypossibly excelling Dresser in thesimplicity of his lines. So successful wasthis moulded and thrown ware that theDublin University Review of 1885begged potters to turn to Japan ratherthan Dresden or Vincehnes for inspiration.

Vodrey used rich strong colour glazes forall of his ware, in spite of the fact that hiscanary-yellow, ruby red, olive green, dark"lustrous" brown and bright orangewould have contrasted greatly with theother ware in a contemporary Irish home.Vodrey also produced a variegated colourwhich he called "splashed" and which hesaid was "suggestive of house-painterswho are economical of pots".

The fact that Vodrey and Cooper'sfriendship had indeed gone stale issuggested in the fact that Vodrey boastedregularly that he used Irish clays in hiswares, while Cooper disclaimed it withequal regularity. Cooper claimed thatVodrey used ready-prepared English clay.If this is true, then Vodrey certainly wentto a lot of trouble with the shamperformance. He certainly used differentcoloured clays, seemingly choosing thecolour body which would most enhancethe chosen glaze colour. Moreover in theCork Industrial Exhibition of 1883Vodrey displayed in one case:—

"Pottery clays from Galway —Contributed by Sir V. Blake, Bart,Galway.

Pottery clays from Bantry —Contributed by B. Eddy, Bantry.

Pottery clays from Rostellan —Contributed by J. Wise, Esq., Co. Cork

Pottery clays from Carrigaline —

Vase in brown "splashed" ware byVodrey's Dublin Pottery, about 1884.

Contributed by Mrs. Coogan,Carrigaline.

Pottery clays from Ballyhooly —Contributed by Rev. Mr. Higgins.

Pottery clays from Boherbee —Contributed by Rev. Mr. McMahon.

Pottery clays from Clounties —Contributed by Mr. McKenna, Dingle.'

Furthermore in the Irish Artizan'sExhibition of 1885 he displayed faiencemade with ball clay from Knockcroghery,Co. Roscommon and ground flint andfeldspar from Belleek. On anotheroccasion he claimed that his principalsupplies of clay came from'Knockcroghery and from Sir ValentineBlake's estate at Men lough, Co. G,alway.Vodrey claimed that the principalproblems for his modest establishmentwere high fuel costs and the fact thattrained industrial potters preferred tostay in Staffordshire centres. He couldhave added also that the Irish buyingpublic of his day were not the greatestsupporters of unusual art pottery. Tosatisfy the general demand Vodrey wasforced to make glazed white earthenwaretea-services and ornaments. For thisrange he employed young Dublin girls toapply flowers and birds to earthenwarepieces, and occasionally to paint them.

But Vodrey found that the main sales inthe shop were of Staffordshire teaservices — ranging in price from 45p to£4 and fifty-piece dinner services at 80p.

Frederick Vodrey seems to haveemigrated quietly about 1886.Fortunately before leaving he gave acollection of his ware to The NationalMuseum where there are examples ondisplay today in the Ceramics Room.

Mairead Reynolds.

Mairead Reynolds is the Assistant in theArt and Industrial Division at theNational Museum of Ireland and this isthe first of a number of articles which sheis writing for the Newsletter aboutcertain works of Irish craftsmanship inthe Museum. It is hoped that the articleswill encourage more craftsmen to visit theMuseum to see for themselves the workof their predecessors and perhaps to draw

Yellow vase by Vodrey's Dublin Potteryabout 1884.

inspiration from them, not in the sense ofcrude copying but of appreciation oftechnique.

The period chosen has deliberately beenaway from the early Christian/Medievalwhich is so popular as source material andinstead concentrates on those moreneglected later centuries in which therewas a great deal of fine craftsmanship, ofdevelopment of a particularly Irish stylefrom what were largely imported roots —what we did at an earlier time also toScandinavian influences.

It is important to see a distinctively Irishstyle emerging from internationalinfluences and sources and to hope to seethis development in todays crafts as wasevident in the crafts of earlier times.

ARTS FUNDING DEBATED INMUNICH

A meeting organised by the Council ofEurope and the Bavarian Ministry ofEducation and Culture held in November1983 and reported on, in the latestCouncil Bulletin, dealt with culturaleconomics, attempting to find outwhether countries faced with problemsof structural economic change were ableto innovate new patterns. The debaterevealed some concern for the future ofpublic and private funding.

The conclusions, in summary were that:

— Public funding of the arts is eitheralready declining in real terms or isexpected to do so in the future; this willbe a persistent trend. Increasedcontributions from the private sector willbe needed and will increasingly beachieved by business sponsorship. Thismight eventually lead to a convergence ofsystems, to a pattern of balancing theratio of public to private funding.

— Although they do not reflect identicalproblems, various reservations werevoiced by speakers both for privatesponsorship and public funding systems:

* Private sponsorship might lead to adecline in the willingness of publicauthorities to spend public money; therewill be a diminution of control by electedpolicymakers; artists might be less wellprotected and their artistic freedommight be threatened; the amount ofprivate funds may vary with economicconditions and lead to problems ofcontinuity of financing arts projects.

'*• As for public funding, politicalintervention in some countries (France,Italy and to some extent the FederalRepublic of Germany) may lead to lackof continuity of cultural policy; it alsocan be highly inflexible with theearmarking of funds for special purposes(a particular problem in the FederalRepublic of Germany where around 80%of funds are subject to this). Anotherproblem: there is no guarantee thatpublic subsidisation of the arts favourslow income or minority groups.

— It is possible to present a morepragmatic image of the arts as an industry— an employer, a provider of touristservices, "good business". There is roomfor introducing more commercialprinciples and marketing to "sell" the artsto a wider audience.

(Photographs! by permission of NationalMuseum of Ireland).

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,In the March/April issue of "Newsletter"you published a photograph of a series ofsilver pendants which helped silversmithCormac Cuffe to win the IDA PerpetualCraft Trophy. I assume that this trophy ispresented in recognition of excellence ofcraft, originality of design and maturityof idea — or is it presented to a crafts-person achieving a great sales volume? Ifthe first is the case I object to it'spresentation and these are my reasons:

The pendants in the photograph arevirtually identical in appearance andmaterials used to a series of pendants Ioriginally made for an Irish promotion 'at Neiman Marcus in Dallas in 1976.They were extensively featured in US andIrish publications and for a number ofyears afterwards I elaborated on thistheme of "nature pendants", alwayscontrasting a silhouette of a scene takenfrom nature against a circular slice of "semi precious stone. On the same lines Ialso designed and made a number ofpendants for Ogham Crafts Ltd.,featuring scenes from Irish mythology.The last of these pendants were" made byme in 1980.

Any craftsperson has the right to drawinspiration for work from anysource.Anybody is at liberty to feel inspired bysome or all of my designs. Anybody is atliberty to copy, vary, imitate orplagiarize. After all, not everybody canbe original. Many a Taiwanese, Japaneseor Hong Kong manufacturer has achievedgreat commercial success by copyingsomebody else's designs. Therefore I haveno objections to any silversmith orjeweller copying some or all of mydesigns; I look at imitation as the highestform of flattery. What I strongly objectto is that the IDA, or the Crafts Council,or the RDS or any organisation professingan authoritative interest in crafts shouldaward prizes, trophies or medals tocraftsmen for their craft if the productdoes not show the necessary integrity indesign and execution. Awards for any butfirst rate crafts render a great disservice toIrish crafts as it shows ignorance on thepart of the awarding body or theirappointed adjudicators. High standards inIrish crafts can only be achievedif:a) the craftsperson is sufficiently skilledand informed to produce high standardcrafts and,b) if the craftsman's clients, his customersdo recognise high standards and,c) if the arbiters of high standards can betrusted to have informed opinions.

In this particular case the IDA have failedto encourage the development of firstclass crafts by awarding the trophy to

Four contemplative 'nature'pendantsmade by Rudolf Heltzel

indifferently executed imitations of thereal article. Ironically this misjudgmentby the IDA is aggravated by the fact thatI myself never considered the originals asoutstanding design; they were fun tomake and easy on the mind but lackeddepth and sophistication.Yours etc.,Rudolf Heltzel.

Editorial comment: The selection panelfor the award is quite independant of theIDA and is comprised of representativesfrom the NCAD, Arts Council, NationalMuseum and Aer Rianta.

Dear Editor,One of the problems of a craft worker isgetting an informed opinion of theirwork. So, Rudolf has offered his —thanks.

— Well, wait a moment, as he has notactually seen the full range of my work/designs — the various pendants, scalemodels of traditional boats, silver/and

gold trophies and the companypresentation pieces — in fact, he has onlyseen a black/white photograph of a few,the value of his opinion is questionable.

It is regretted that a member of theCouncil's Management Committee offerssuch opinions without extending thecourtesy of attending the Trade Fair anddirectly inspecting the standards of theworkmanship and ideas represented there.To take exception to those standards,without seeing the items first had appearsto be rather precipitate.

As Mr. Heltzel has not inspected mydesigns/workmanship, he thereforecannot offer valid criticism.

I can assure him, I was not aware of thework he states to be copied, with theexception of the Children of Lir pendant,which is a totally different concept tomine and was one of a set of pendantsbased on various folklore themes whichwon an award in the RDS some years ago.I rest my case.

We are all anxious to advance craftstandards and I am sure if Rudolf were toenter this competition it would help

towards this end. The IDA judges wouldhave the opportunity to consider hismerits for such an award.

This, I feel, would reflect a more positiveattitude to setting higher standards ofcrafts in Ireland.

Yours etc.,Cormac Cuffe.

QUILTS FOR CALIFORNIA ANDCANADA

An exciting piece of news recently for theIrish Patchwork Society has been theinvitation to Graine McElligott and FionaDenham to travel to California for the1984 International Quilt Exhibition.

This will take place on the campus of theUniversity of San Diego from June 1st tothe 4th. They will give a joint lecture/slide show on current trends in quilt-making in Ireland featuring prominentIrish quiltmakers.

Various countries are honoured each yearand this year Ireland takes pride of place.Graine and Fiona are taking'an exhibitionof twelve quilts. Subsequently part of theOntario Bi-Centennial Quilt Symposiumto be held at McMaster University,Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from June14th to the 17th. Air Lingus has verykindly agreed to sponsor thetransportation of this exhibition of Irishquilts on its tour of America and Canada.

One of the quilts touring the USA withthe Irish Patchwork Society. Maker:Rosemary McLoughlin.

CORK CRAFTSMANS GUILD

Almost IR£300,000 of retail sales of craftproducts were channelled through twooutlets in Cork and Dublin in 1983. Acouple of hundred full time and part timeprofessional craftsmen participated, anddespite the recession all seemedreasonably well on the surface.

Yet within the first few months of 1984the Craftsmans Guild shop in Dublin hadclosed followed not long after by theeven more surprising closure of the shopin Cork and the raison d'etre of the CorkCraftsmans Guild seemed totallyundermined.

For ten years this pioneering group ofprofessional craftsmen had by theirinitiative and their courage set anexample in self help to all craftsmen. Theinitial impetus came from the problemsfaced by many craftsmen, especiallythose in remoter areas, of the dying downof tourist business in September and,unless one had an outlet open atChristmas, no real sales again until the

tourist season began in May. The answerseemed to be in establishing an all yearround retail craft shop, co-operativelyowned by craftsmen in a large city centre.Cork was the obvious initial choice as somany craftsmen lived in the area.

The first few years were touch and go ina small back street premises andmanagement were learning the skills ofretailing. Then suddenly the wholemachine took off and flew when, withforsight and a bank overdraft personallyguaranteed, the shop moved into themainstream by taking a fine unit in thenewly opened Savoy Centre in PatrickStreet: prime location. In line witheverything else, incomes, boom, generalfeeling of constant growth and no moredark tomorrows the shop grew inturnover and in space, and expanded alsoto another outlet, this time in Dublin —but this time at the end of a boom ratherthan the beginning, and off a main streetrather than on it, and one floor up atthat.

Was it this that was the beginning of theend for the Guild? Were the lines ofcommunication too long as Napoleonfound in a burned out Moscow. Couldanyone have seen that the boom was a bitof a false dawn? Was it solely therecession that caused this tradgedy orwere there a number of other factors notunconnected with the problems ofrunning a business by committee whichcould not always stand back and takedispassionate decisions.

The tragedy is that of confidencedented, of individuals own businessesbeing affected, of a loss of I R£300,000 ofturnover for craftsmen, of a loss of retailoutlets where the public could seecarefully selected stock of good qualitycrafts, most of all perhaps is the loss tothe spirit of co-operation in whichcraftsmen worked and planned for theircommon good.

CRAFTS COUNCIL PUBLICATIONS Crafts Council has a number of publications designed to aid craftsmen, retailers and craft organisations, as well as being of interest to the amateur.

"A Good Beginning — Setting up and Running Your Own Craft Workshop" costs IR£1.95 plus 30p postage. This little book is essential reading for anyone with a craft skill who wishes to set up their own business but has no knowledge of how to get started as a full time professional. Its chapter headings are 'Setting up your Business', 'Who to Contact', 'Motives and Methods', 'Going to Law', 'Selling: Home and Away', 'Profit and Loss', 'What is your Time Worth?', 'Running a Craft Industry'. Between them these chapters cover most of the problems likely to be met with by those in the starting up stage of their business.

"Rush Cutting" by Joan Norman. Joan Norman is a very well known figure among the rush work and traditional craft people. Her enthusiasm and humour have helped and encouraged many who have attended her rush work classes and her own baskets are among the best in the country. Joan is an expert on the allied art of rush cutting and saving and in this booklet she describes the methods she has learnt. A good start f Or the rush worker who wants to begin basket making at the

VISIT OF FRENCH WEAVERS TO IRELAND At the beginning of May, the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers had a visit from four members of the French Guild of Weavers including the president M. Delahaye and his wife.

As they were particularly interested in Irish wools and in dyeing with Lichens, a tour was arranged to Galway, Mayo and Donegal. In Dublin they were entertained by members of the guild and shown a 8mm film on spinning made in Connemara in 1973. They were particularly impressed by the quality of Irish spinning and by the quality of different 18 ichens flourishing in our — so far - unpolluted atmosphere in the west of Ireland.

Veronica Rowe

river's edge, "Rush Cutting" costs only 25p plus 22p postage.

Over the years the Crafts Council has received the occasional complaint from both craftsmen and retailers about problems in dealing with the other. Usually no one is to 'blame', but equally, it can be seen that the problem may have been avoided if one or other or both had acted a little differently in dealing with each other. The Council's booklet "Trading Practices, Recommendations for the Crafts Sector" was the result of a decision by the Council to publish such a booklet as a guide to those makers and retailers who want to avoid common business 'traps'. Its worth having a copy to read before the problems arise. Cost: 30p plus 22p postage.

The Council's Newsletter is published bi­monthly and costs IR£6.00 for a year's subscription. It is the mouthpiece of the Council, reporting on its activities. Articles or letters from anyone in the craft sector, whether maker, retailer or interested onlooker are welcome (though will be published at the Editor's discretion) as are new items from organisations of craftsmen. Advertisements and small ads are also taken, the rates can be had from the Council's Office.

PART TIME CRAFT TEACHERS WANTED The Institute of Irish Studies requires part-time teachers for day and evening classes next autumn in each of the following subjects:

Ceramics Calligraphy Dress Designing Enamelling Glass work Leather work Needle work Metal work Upholstery Interior Design Jewellery Weaving Knitting Wood work

Applicants should apply in writing with curriculum vitae to:

Noelle Clery, Director, The Institute of Irish Studies, 9 North Great George's Street, Dublin 1. Telephone: (01) 744553.

NEW I.D.A. PUBLICATIONS The Industrial Development Authority has recently published a set of leaflets under the general title of "Your Own Business" There are thirteen in all with titles ranging from 'Finding the right Manufacturing Project' through 'Keeping the Books Straight' to 'Staying Ahead of the Competition'. Between them these leaflets cover all aspects of starting up and running a small manufacturing business and although not aimed specifically at craftsmen, much of the information given would apply equally to a craft enterprise. The booklets are available from any of the IDA offices or the Crafts Council of Ireland, either singly or as a set. The full list of titles is:

1. Your Own Business. 2. Finding the Right Manufacturing

Project. 3. Planning and Costing your Project. 4. Finance and Organisation. 5. Premises and Planning. 6. Keeping the Books Straight. 7. About Tax. 8. Minding Your Business. 9. Building up Your Market.

10. Being an Employer. 11. Insurance for a Small Business. 12. Exporting for the Smaller Firm. 13. Staying Ahead of the Competition.

Irish Spinners Ltd. Kiltimagh,

Co. Mayo

Pure new wool bainin and coloured hand knitting yarns.

Telephone (094) 81156

TERRYBAUN POTTERY, PONTOON, CO. MAYO, IRELAND.

Distinctive Res. on 12 acres with Pottery attached. Large Res., Lobby, Kitchen, 2 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, Pottery, Stores, Gardens, etc. PRICE: IR£45,000.

DETAILS: Joint Agents: J. F. SMITH & COMPANY, NEWTOWNSMITH, GALWAY. Tel: 091-67331

JACKSON-STOPS & McCABE, 51 DAWSON STREET, DUBLIN 2. Tel: 01-771177.