‘I switched from IT to making leprechauns... and now I’m the fairy godfather!’

It’s not quite Santa’s workshop but PHILIP GAFFNEY’s O’Gowna

Studios is probably the closest thing to it around here. He and his elvish helpers make fairy doors, leprechauns and classy chess sets at his studio in north Co. Dublin. During the lockdown and with spare time on his hands, he initiated a Fairy Friday giveaway in his area and is now known as the fairy godfather. It’s a far cry from the former life in computers he packed in to become a master craftsman.

How did you get from computers to fairy doors?

I was working in document management systems and I went to Disney World. I didn’t like its representation of Irish culture at the time. So I designed [ceramic] products based on real Irish culture – round towers, cottages, pubs – and sold them [to Disney]. I believe if you want to do something right, get the right people to do it, so I got people in from Aynsley and Royal Doulton [famous fine china companies] and set up a workshop.

And where did the leprechauns come into it?

I made leprechaun figures for Maureen O’Hara, around 15,000. She had a range she sold in the US.

I believe you have your own version of leprechaun economics?

I used to make so many leprechauns I would price everything in how many leprechauns I would need to sell to pay for whatever it was.

So how much is a leprechaun currency unit worth?

We made them for €3 and they retail for €5.95.

So what’s Fairy Friday all about?

We were closed during lockdown with nothing to do so I made some fairy products and gave them away. I would leave them outside the gate. One burly farmer would come every Friday with his daughter and collect one, holding her hand. She would only ever come with her father. It gave people a lift. So they started calling me the fairy godfather. It was positive and got people talking about something apart from Covid-19.

Why don’t you sell directly to the public?

We had an auditor once who asked me that. I said I can’t deal with the public because I talk too much – I’d never get anything done!

What is your most extravagant purchase?

What springs to mind is a Mickey Mouse phone I bought in Disneyland in 1987 for $150, 30 years ago. It was a real house phone but it came out of a backpack on Mickey Mouse.

What did your family teach you about money?

You have to earn it. And if you can’t mind your own money you don’t deserve to have it.

Earliest money-making memories?

My grandmother was a trader in Moore Street who sold fruit and veg. She passed when I was 4 and my aunt took over. I used to go in and get a fortune for my Communion and Confirmation.

What was your first job?

I used to help Rory the Milkman who paid me a pound a week – and half a packet of sweets.

Is Ireland a good place to do business?

I don’t want to say no as I love this country but it’s a challenging place to do business. I have some very good customers here but there’s a lot of red tape.

Worst investment?

We reproduced a range of products based on the Titanic. There were Titanic boarding passes, menus and a whole suite of products. And they didn’t sell at all! When we launched in New York, they told us: ‘We don’t celebrate death.’ I got it completely wrong. I remember we spent €25k developing 12 products. We geared up to produce 5,000 a week and I’d say we were lucky to have sold 50.

What do you do if you get ripped off?

Sometimes I lose the head and quote legislation and that type of stuff. Other times I walk away and try to be philosophical about it.

What would you do as finance minister?

I’d set up co-ops for the craft industry. I am a bit of a communist in that respect! Jewellers, potters, basket weavers… let’s get them all together. If we had one group for Irish crafts we could do so much better.