RDS Craft Awards 2024
"The value of our crafts cannot be reckoned in money. They are like the language, part of our national tradition handed down to us through generations." Memo from Muriel Gahan, Chairman of the Irish Homespun Society to the Department of Education (January 1946).
The Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s (DCCI) Future Makers programme is the qualifying competition for the RDS Craft Awards. The shortlisted craft makers and designers went through a rigorous two-stage selection and judging process to result in the seven outstanding winners we see today. They are a real tribute to the professionalism and talent of the emerging makers coming into the professional craft sector this year.
The applications were reviewed by a judging team of five independent craft & design professionals and educators, shortlisting seven candidates to attend interview in the RDS Members’ Club last week. They deemed each of them deserving of financial support. This year’s panel was made up of Dr. Caroline Madden, Seliena Coyle, Clive Fiddis, Tristan Donaghy and Mary Gallagher.
Commenting on the talent this year, the chair of the panel, Dr. Caroline Madden said;
“These RDS Craft Awards are more than a recognition of talent, it is a celebration of the enduring value of craftsmanship and its role in shaping our shared culture. By investing in these extraordinary individuals, it's the juror panel's aspiration that the recipients’ dedication and the opportunities provided will lead to significant breakthroughs in their careers and bring fresh perspectives to the international craft landscape.
We collectively believe that Craft is not just a skill; it is a profound commitment to a discipline that requires constant learning and evolution. This award, with its noteworthy mentorship focus, hopes to empower recipients to refine their practice, navigate challenges, and build a sustainable future in their craft.”
“The RDS have a long association with supporting craft. We are delighted to contribute to the development and growth of standards of excellence in the craft sector through our support of these talented makers. I know that all seven winners will use the prize money to accelerate their career progression, and I look forward to seeing their future success.” - RDS Arts Programme Manager, Karen Phillips
Left to right: Sam Daly, Cora Cummins, Killian O'Flaherty, Áine Ryan, Christopher Tuohy, Síne Vasquez and Eva Lynch
RDS CRAFT AWARDS WINNERS 2024
Áine Ryan
Áine Ryan is a visual artist from Co. Waterford. She creates primarily sculptural pieces with cast glass and found objects. In her practice, she uses her farm upbringing as a catalyst to examine the lived experiences of women within farming families and broader society. Ryan has exhibited internationally including showing her work in Ireland, Germany, Spain and the U.K. She has been selected for the International Biennale of Glass in Hungary in 2025. Her work is held at the Waterford Arts Collection and in private collections.
Christopher Tuohy
Christopher Tuohy is a furniture designer/maker currently based in Cork City. He first took up woodworking in early 2021 during a period of Covid-19 lockdowns, building stools and tables in his garage from construction lumber and a small set of handtools. Tuohy designs and builds freestanding wooden furniture for the home. His recent work explores traditional Irish furniture forms through modern methods, employing strong lines, exposed construction, and handwoven elements to highlight the value of the object in how it is made.
Cora Cummins
Cora Cummins' work explores vulnerability and connection through the creation of open bowl forms with unstable, rounded bases. These pieces serve as blank canvases for mark-making, reflecting the inner landscape of the mind. The delicate, grid-like patterns drawn intuitively, focus equally on the inside and outside of each form, engage themes of contrast — past and present, conscious and unconscious, life and death. Though each piece is unique, they exist in harmony, complementing one another as a series.
Eva Lynch
Eva Lynch is passionate about the preservation of endangered silversmithing techniques. Innovating upon ancient hand-skills she develops finely crafted objects that highlight the impact of our relationship with the material world. Her kinetic Anthropoware sculptures propose that we connect to the world and to our inherent humanity through our hands. With her work Eva seeks to promote an alternative metric for value and a deeper appreciation of endangered techniques, the planet’s resources, and the work of the craftsperson.
Killian O'Flaherty
Killian O'Flaherty is the 8th generation of a line of family members working in masonry. Initially, Killian began working in the industry for his father, Terry (7th generation stone mason). As time went on, Killian discovered his true passion for stone cutting and began a 5-year apprenticeship as a stone mason / stone cutter in the updated training system & the only programme in the country. Committed to devoting his career to masonry and continuing his family story, Killian built O’Flaherty Stone to the company we know today. Killian was determined to modernise the business while maintaining family and industry traditions.
Sam Daly
Sam Daly is a textile designer from Dublin, specialising in weaving and knitting. He has a love for intricate pattern making bold colours and striking designs. His work focuses on high contrasting structural forms, colour plays a vital role in his design process. He works within closed loop systems by using industrial waste products in a contemporary fashion. He puts a particular emphasis on slow and considered hand production and fine hand manipulated details. His passion for rail travel serves as an inspiration in the design, undulating lines represent tracks as they join and cross between urban and rural areas.
Síne Vasquez
Síne Vasquez is inspired by the time-honoured detailing and techniques of traditional masonry, ironmongery and carpentry. She creates contemporary pieces that offer each wearer a connection to the skills and stories of the past. A former physiotherapist, Síne retrained in goldsmithing and now looks to her family heritage of stonemasonry and carpentry to inform her work. Fascinated with how we interact with our dwellings and the stories they could tell us, Síne infuses each piece of investment jewellery she makes with a rich history. Her pieces focus on the superfluous flourish given to functional objects by traditional artisans: an everyday reflection of our fundamental human desire to make things beautiful.
