Shoppers can ‘popin’ to Fermoy for festive bargains

THE Blackwater Valley Makers, a new collective of locally based artisans, will be officially launched this coming Friday at the former Ulster Bank premises on Pearse Square, Fermoy.

The launch will also coincide with the opening of their pop-up shop in the building, which will be open over consecutive weekends in the lead up to, and including, Christmas Eve.

Formed earlier this year the group, has brought together an exciting collection of artists, crafts people, illustrators and designers whose studios are all based in and around Fermoy and the Blackwater Valley to share and highlight their work.

Group spokesperson Suzanne O’Sullivan said the group members felt they were “ploughing a lonely furrow” and decided to come together to promote their work through a single forum.

“There is a huge pool of talented artists living and working within the Blackwater Valley catchment area, many of whom were finding it difficult to find a market for their creations. Our members include jewellers, glass artists, ceramicists, textile artists, furniture makers and designers, visual artists wood-turners and carvers,” said Suzanne.

“It was all too often the case that as individual artists we were ploughing a very lonely furrow and felt that by coming together to promote our work through a single forum we could highlight the huge pool of talented artists living and working in the area.”

Suzanne said the pop-up shop in Fermoy will offer people the opportunity to buy unique Christmas presents for family and friends at reasonable prices. “Our aim is to bring together the very best in original craft and artwork and made it more accessible to the local community,” she added.

To find out more about the Blackwater Valley Makers and for the opening hours of their festive Fermoy pop-up shop visit their Facebook page or website at www.blackwatervalleymakers.ie.