Belleek Lattice Work © Travel Signposts..

Belleek is a little village in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland that not many people may know about, except perhaps those people who are keen on Belleek china. Whilst the larger part of Belleek is in County Fermanagh, a part of the village spills across the border into County Donegal.  So, after our stop in Donegal, we hop across to Belleek to visit the Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre.

Belleek is home to the Belleek Fine Parian china, a pearly coloured china. The company was established in 1857 and is best known for its fine lattice work ornamental pieces that are decorated with pastel-coloured flowers.

In the foyer of the Belleek Centre, visitors will see Belleek’s most prized piece of work.  “The International Centre Piece” is one of the oldest and most prestigious pieces of Belleek ever made. This piece was displayed at the Paris Exhibition in the year 1900 where it was awarded its fourth gold medal.

Our 30-minute guided tour of the Belleek factory starts at the mould-making area, then the casting department, the basket making and floral department, the kiln firing area and then finally to the decorating area. At each of the departments, our young Irish guide explains the processes that take place in that area.

Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre © Travel Signposts

The basket making and floral department is quite interesting. As we watch the craftspeople weaving intricate strands for the basket pottery (see picture below) and then painstakingly creating little flowers, leafs and stems for them it makes one appreciate the skills and how much manual labour goes into each piece and therefore the cost of the china. All the products here are hand-made and every piece is an original piece.

Except for the basket-making and floral department, you’re not allowed to take photographs on this walking tour, although it’s not obvious why photography is not allowed.

If you’re a collector or are looking for some Irish gifts, there is plenty of time after the tour to gaze around in the showroom. Whilst the ornamental pieces are very pretty, for many people they are not utilitarian and neither are they easy to carry around on tour. A few people bought small pieces, like the Christmas snowman, porcelain bells, broaches, etc.

Kildare Village Outlet Shopping

Finding a designer outlet in the Irish countryside is a real treat. At Chic Outlet Shopping’s Kildare Village, you’ll find over 50 boutiques selling favourite labels from Anya Hindmarch to Molton Brown, Clarks to Bally, Calvin Klein Jeans to Cath Kidston at discounts of up to 60%.  Chic says that they have the only Ballyboutique in the whole of Ireland, although I believe there is a Bally shoe shop in Dublin.

Local attractions

Kildare Village (the town) is a lovely place to use as a base to explore rural Ireland, play golf on championship courses, visit the Irish National Stud which has a really beautiful Japanese Garden. There are a few nice restaurants in town and Irish pubs are legendary.

Practical Information

Kildare Village is located in County Kildare, just off the M7 and less than an hour’s drive from Dublin. There are 850 car parking spaces, free of charge.

By Bus:

From Dublin, there are half-hourly Bus Éireann services departing from Store Street to Kildare Town. Journey time is 1 hour and 45 minutes. For details of buses from other parts of Ireland, check Bus Éireann’s website.

A complimentary bus also operates regularly from the Irish National Stud and Kildare train station to Kildare Village.

By Train:

There is a half-hourly service from Dublin Heuston station to Kildare Town. Journey time is for the 35-minutes.
A free shuttle bus runs from Kildare train station to Kildare Village every 20 minutes, from 09:30 to 18:40. For more details on train times, check with www.irishrail.ie.

By Car:

If driving  use following satellite navigations coordinates:

• N 53º 9.265′
• W 06º 55.036′

From Dublin city centre – Follow signs for the N7 – South, pass Heuston station and continue to the roundabout, then turn left onto the R111 (signposted N11/N81). At the traffice lights turn right onto Inchicore Road, then bear left onto Tyrconnell Road and onto the Naas Road (N7). Continue along the Naas Road (N7) following signs for the N7/South.

Follow the N7 until it becomes the M7. Leave the M7 at exit 13 for Kildare/Nurney. Take the third exit off the roundabout for Kildare; crossing over the motorway take the first exit at the roundabout and at the next roundabout take the third exit for the Kildare Village.

From Cork/Limerick – Follow the M7 towards Dublin. Leave the M7 at exit 13 for Kildare/Nurney. At the first roundabout take the first exit signposted Kildare, then at the next roundabout take the third exit for the Kildare Village Outlet.

Address:
Nurney Road
Kildare Town
County Kildare
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)45 520501

Opening Hours:
Mon – Wed 10:00 – 18:00
Thur            10:00 – 20:00
Fri                10:00 – 19:00
Sat              10:00 – 19:00
Sun             11:00 – 19:00

Bank Holiday: Mon 1 June 2009    11:00 – 18:00

The Killarney Bookshop

Ireland is a country where it’s still possible to find high quality handmade goods.  It has a worldwide reputation for knitwear and woollen items, so if you’re in the market for nice winter jumpers, scarves, capes, etc. this is the place to shop.

Woollens and cashmere

Traditional Irish Aran sweaters have a unique style all of their own.  Good places to look for traditional Irish knitwear are Kilkenny Design, Blarney Woollen Mills, Dublin Woollen Mills and Avoca Handweavers. Blarney Castle is a popular tourist attraction and is on most tour routes, so it’s easy enough to get to the Blarney Woollen Mills.

Apart from the traditional designs, you’ll also be able to find elegant capes in a mix of cashmere and wool.  If you prefer something more contemporary, some of the Irish designers have made it to the international scene, like Lainey Keogh’s designer knitwear or Lucy Downes’ Sphere One cashmere collection.

A Crystal or Glassware for your home

Ireland is famous for its exquisite crystal and glassware with brands like Galway, Tipperary, Tyrone and Waterford Wedgewood leading the pack. If you’re looking for something typically Irish to add to your home decor, a piece of these crystalware or glassware is a possibility.

Unfortunately, the 250 year-old Waterford Wedgwood Company, which makes the world famous Royal Doulton and Waterford Crystal, is under administration and hopefully a buyer can be found soon.

A place for pottery

Ireland also has a strong reputation for pottery and ceramics with styles ranging from contemporary to the traditional. Leading names to look out for include Stephen Pearce, Louis Mulcahy, Nicholas Mosse, and Michael Kennedy. If you’re in Kilkenny or Dublin, a good place to browse through a selection of Irish pottery is Kilkenny Design.

Books

Reading is a national passion in Ireland so you’ll find good bookshops here.  Eason and Son is one of the biggest bookshops in Dublin and if missing news from home you’ll be able to find international newspapers here.

Other Souvenir choices

Other souvenir shopping opportunities include Parian china from Belleek, linen from the Irish Linen Centre, lace products from the various craft shops, and, of course a bottle of Jameson Whiskey, or Bushmills Whiskey from the oldest licensed distillery in the world.  Unless you’re planning on drinking the whiskey during your stay in Ireland or intend packing these in your case (a bit risky), it’s better to buy them at the airport duty-free, after immigration.