Soapbox: Waterford Crafts celebrates 40 years at Garter Lane

40 years in Garter Lane with 40 different craft makers. Waterford Crafts and their annual residency in Garter Lane have slowly become a key tenant of a Waterford Christmas.

The group wrapped up the sale on December 22.

Mauney Doyle, who sells silk scarves at Garter Lane, said the craft sale was originally the brainchild of Gloria Collins.

“She was a member of the social services here in Waterford, and in those years, they were different…there were a lot of people unemployed,” Doyle said.

“She started something that people will have something to do in their own home.

“It's local industry, and people are in their own home. A lot of them are doing it as a hobby, but we also have people that are commercial. It's a variety of crafts, I’ve got too many to mention.”

Tom Larkin, who makes woodwork crafts, said the quality of offerings has grown exponentially since he first became involved with the project in 1991.

“The whole quality has increased 100-fold since the early days. The displays, the stands…The professionalism of the class of people now is phenomenal,” Larkin said.

“[Waterford Crafts] only accepts people that have good products…Vacancies are few and far between, but it’s only the people with good products that show.” 

Liz Weston, originally from South Africa but with Irish roots, is at Garter Lane showcasing her daughter’s mixed media artwork.

Pointing to her daughter’s collection, she shows how her daughter creates art with South African beads and is now using polymer clay in her work. 

Weston, who arrived in Ireland in 2005, said the annual event that weaves Waterford together makes the craft sale special.

“Meeting people from Australia and America and Limerick and all over, it's lovely.”