64. ON A VISIT TO POTTERS IN IRELAND

Last August I wrote on this blog: "I am moving back for real to the house attached to the pottery studio and as permanently as can be!"... Famous last words. In January, i.e. four months later, I moved to Ireland. Yes, IRELAND.

Getting slowly acquainted with the pottery scene here.

Not long ago, through the diplomatic help of a new friend, I was able to meet Patricia Howard in her workshop in Duncormick, County Wexford. Alice and I had organised to block an afternoon for two events, one meeting at the Presbyterian church in Wexford about a potential future minister there, and afterwards to drive to Duncormick to meet Patricia the potter. Yes, but this type of organisation assumes that all goes as planned all the time for everyone. It didn't. We were very late starting on the road and what's more under a foggy sky plus heavy rain with screen wipers going like mad. Country roads in Ireland are romantic the first time you drive on one. See my description of driving to Wicklow in January. The second and subsequent times it is more of a nightmare... To go and see Patricia's pottery I was the passenger, so, it was not too bad!

See: The Potter's Yard  www.thepottersyard.com


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On Friday 15 March, after having enquired previously at the Tourist Office in the old fortress at Eniscorthy, I ventured with my own car to find the Kiltrea Pottery. I had been told to take the top road to Kiltealy and at the round about to turn left. That took me wandering on a narrow busy country road until I decided to turn back and drive to the round about again. The sign for the Kiltrea Pottery is there pointing straight on. How far? Not far. How far is 'not far'? This is the major problem. Luckily there were signs for the Kiltrea Pottery at irregular intervals. At one stage I had to leave the sort of main road onto a very country road. Pot holes to the pottery. When I finally got there, I thought I had been crossing a continent... but in number of kilometers, t'is true, it is not far from Eniscorthy.

At the Kiltrea Pottery I was welcomed by Johanna who listened to my story and showed me around their huge workshop with a giant kiln firing their next load for the Easter sale on at the end of the month. She also gave me some addresses of other potters to visit and praised the Kilkenny arts centre so that I felt I had to go and see it. I didn't that very day but I will drive to Kilkenny soon.

See:  Kiltrea Pottery   www.kiltreapottery.com


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 In the area of Wexford in a village on the other side of the Slaney river called Castlebridge I found a young woman potter in her workshop. When we turned up at her shop she was busy on her computer doing admin work! The weather outside was horrendous, so we lingered in the shop where Mairead Stafford exhibits her work. I particularly liked the 'mermaid green' line. Mairead explained she was going to spend some time with a potter in Greece next May. We wished her good luck and I promised to come back.

See:  Ballyelland Pottery  www.ballyellandpottery.ie

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It is all for to-day. I shall add up as I get acquainted with more potters and add photos when I can use my camera.

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