Our annual awards celebrated the best craftmakers and producers across the island of Ireland
On Thursday, 2 October, the best of Irish fashion, beauty, craft and design gathered to celebrate homegrown products and businesses at the Irish Made Awards 2025, proudly supported by Circle Club.
Kicking off with a drink reception, with music by Ceili Cottage Trad Group, guests showcased some incredible fashion – most flying the flag for local brands, some with handmade pieces – and posed for photos inside their very own Irish Country Magazine photobooth by Mag Booth Ireland.
Host of the ceremony Muireann O’Connell also wore Irish on the night, rocking a fabulous caped gown by Marion Murphy Cooney. Before she began announcing our 2025 winners, Muireann welcomed poet Jan Brierton up on stage, who composed moving spoken word pieces inspired by the ceremony’s theme ‘Power of Provenance’.
Each guest received a stunning gift from an Irish producer or sponsor (thank you to Blarney Woollen Mills, Lily O’Brien’s, Salsa Jeans, IrelandsEye Knitwear, Revive Active, Shanley Interiors, Cascata, Sásta Skincare and VOYA) while beautiful flowers on the night were from Bloom Magic, a fabulous flower service that delivers across Ireland. Our delicious meal at Johnstown Estate was made with locally sourced ingredients, and there were incredible spot prizes from IrelandsEye Knitwear.
Best Dressed on the night, sponsored by Aoife McNamara, was Sarah O’Rourke of Saraden Designs, who won a VIP shopping experience and voucher with the designer herself, as well as an overnight stay in Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa in Co Meath for the . Thank you to all of our incredible category sponsors: Revive Active, Blarney Woollen Mills, IrelandsEye Knitwear, MyWaste, Lily O’Brien’s, Salsa Jeans, Shanley Interiors, Jo Browne, Design and Crafts Council Ireland, and Lifetime Achievement sponsor Weir & Sons. And a huge thank you to Circle Club, whom this year’s awards were proudly supported by. Our Overall Winner won not only a robust advertising package with Irish Country Magazine, but an annual Producers Circle membership for Circle Club, Dublin’s only private members theatre club which is nestled within the iconic Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
And the winners are…
Overall Winner: Tipperary Boutique Distillery – also Sustainability winner
Nestled on Ballindoney Farm, this trailblazing distillery is the first solar-powered in Ireland, combining tradition with a bold, sustainable vision. Each drop begins in rich Tipperary soil, where barley is grown by the Ahearn family, before being distilled with pure spring water just a stone’s throw away. In a total leap of faith, co-founder and CEO Jennifer Nickerson left her job with KPMG in 2015 to start the distillery; ten years later it exports to almost every continent and has been internationally recognised for excellence. From grain to glass, Tipperary Boutique Distillery’s portfolio ranges from award-winning single malts, silky poitín, vibrant farmhouse gin and the unique ‘80 Apple Brandy’, created in collaboration with neighbours, The Apple Farm. As the Overall Winner for 2025, it perfectly captures our theme, Power of Provenance. As Jennifer says, “You can literally taste our landscape in each glass”.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Alan Ardiff
With Alan Ardiff’s kinetic jewellery, wings flap, stars spin, hearts turn and birds peck. Handmade from sterling silver and 18-karat gold, Alan’s pieces are three-dimensional and sculptural, reflecting his background in both industrial design and craft, having graduated in 1989 from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. There, he was told to see his work as a vehicle of his expression – “the result was wheels and cogs!” His wearable art is described as wondrous, sometimes wise but always heart-warming. Another string to Alan’s bow is that in 1999, he designed the Irish £1 coin to mark the millennium, featuring a Broighter Hoard Ship.
Accessories winner: Bogha Bags
After seven years in fashion design, founder Ciara Masterson became struck by the “staggering” levels of waste generated every day. She created Bogha Bags as her answer: a label focused on cutting textile excess and reviving overlooked materials. Each piece is crafted in her Dublin studio using vintage curtains, tablecloths or deadstock fabrics, destined for landfill.
Highly Commended: Caithriona King Designs
Beauty winner: Bánór
The magic ingredient of this natural skincare, sheep’s milk, is described as ‘white gold’ –
which ‘bán’ and ‘ór’ translates to as Gaeilge. Best friends Nicola Lyons and Elaine Crosse, with backgrounds in pharmacy and farming, produce beautiful products such as milk wash, lotion and lanolin (wool oil) butter scrub. They are leading the way in – as they refer to it – “grass to glow” innovation.
Highly Commended: SEA+SOLU
Fashion winner: Celtic Tweed
From its studio in Balbriggan, Co Dublin – a coastal town with deep textile roots – each
piece by Celtic Tweed is meticulously handcrafted with the idea that it will one day become a cherished heirloom for future generations. As well as crafting tweed jackets, waistcoats and tailored pieces
for men and women, The Solstice Linen Collection is clothing stitched with purpose, place and pride.#
Highly Commended: Urban Aran
Pets winner: Phoenix Bark
What began as home cooking for Kathy and Duncan Randall’s own pets has grown into feeding over 1,000 pooches across the country every day with their ethically minded, fresh dog food. Based in Kilkeel, Co Down, Phoenix Bark partners with Irish producers (using only human-grade, free-range meat), is the first service to wrap wet dog food in paper, and has shipped over one million plastic-free packs so far.
Highly Commended: Fashund
Jewellery winner: Loinnir Jewellery
Meaning ‘shimmering light’ in Irish, Loinnir celebrates our cultural richness through contemporary jewellery. Founded by NCAD graduate Cara Stugress and handcrafted in Leixlip, Co Kildare, collections are inspired by iconic Irish landscapes, Claddagh rings and ancient artefacts. Each piece comes with a
story card, sharing its origin and creating a meaningful connection between the customer and the culture it celebrates.
Highly Commended: Melissa Curry
Drink winner: Kerry Kefir
Crafted in small batches in Castleisland, Co Kerry, Kerry Kefir is made with just
two ingredients: fresh local milk from Lee Strand’s network of Kerry farms and traditional live kefir grains. This natural fermentation creates a unique, tangy drink filled with beneficial bacteria and yeasts
that support gut health, digestion and overall wellbeing, earning it the nickname “the champagne of dairy”.
Highly Commended: Tipperary Boutique Distillery
Food winner: Olly’s Farm
Founded by Olly Nolan in 2012, this honey producer tucked away in the Dublin mountains began with a single hive. It has since expanded to over 300 hives across 18 apiaries, producing 100% raw, fully- traceable honey, with varieties including Heather, Blossom and Softset. A Farming For Nature
ambassador, its beekeeping practices actively support biodiversity, contributing to the health of Irish ecosystems.
Highly Commended: Chimac
Wellness winner: Forager
Forager Skincare, founded by Feebee Foran, harnesses the power of Irish herbs to create
small batch, hand-poured balms. Made with foraged native Irish wild herbs and weeds that nourish and care for your skin, her products are a respectful nod to long-lost Irish remedies. Feebee’s mission is to help people to connect with these plants, their folklore and the heritage of our beautiful island.
Highly Commended: Soak
Kids winner: Noah’s Adventures
Written by Co Cork-based Nadine Hughes Campbell, the Noah’s Adventure book series takes young readers on exciting journeys with Noah, a Black Irish boy, across the Emerald Isle and beyond. Described as a movement towards inclusion and cultural understanding, it was born from Nadine’s children’s experiences and desire to see themselves represented in stories.
Highly Commended: Pretty Bowtique
Local Retailer winner: Beo
With two vibrant concept stores in Co Clare, Beo champions Irish-made products and services, as well as community and connection. ‘The Well’ in Ennis acts as a gathering place with local coffee, pop-up craft shops and creative workshops, while ‘The Cottage’ in Lahinch stocks products from Irish makers like August Night, Siar Photography and Potádoir, as well as its own-brand wellness range.
Highly Commended: Cork Crafts & Design
Home winner: Stories by Ola
Ola Wartak-Tolak handcrafts stunning smallbatch ceramics using traditional techniques, inspired by the coastline around her; her studio is in Ardgillan Castle, overlooking the Irish Sea. From mugs and plates to vases and incense holders, she describes her collection as “a quiet tribute to this land – the kind of imperfect beauty that only nature (and a handmade process) can produce”
Highly Commended: Flowers on Four Acres
Sisters Rachel and Beth Wooley create these custom-made sculptures to capture one of life’s most meaningful moments. At their Powerscourt Townhouse Centre studio, expectant mothers are welcomed
for an appointment with state-of-the-art 3D scanning technology. Each scan is expertly refined, before being 3D printed in-house and meticulously hand-finished. No two sculptures are alike — each one a deeply personal piece that honours strength, anticipation, and love.
Highly Commended: Orla Walsh
To see all the behind the scenes action, visit our Instagram here. Pick up the November issue, out in shops 8 October, to see our winners in print. We also have an exciting cover star you don’t want to miss!
