Did you have an Irish Craft or Trade in your ancestral family?

Céad Míle Fáilte – and welcome to your Letter from Ireland for this week. The morning frost is sparkling on the fields here in County Cork, but there’s a taste of spring in the air as we come to the end of February’s chill. How are things in your part of the world today?

I’m enjoying a mug of Lyon’s Tea as I write – I do hope you’ll join me with a cup of whatever you fancy as we start into today’s letter.

Earlier this week, we were driving towards the seaside town of Kinsale when we passed through a cross-roads known locally as “Begley’s Forge” – a reminder of the traditional Irish craft of blacksmithing. The old forge building still stands at the crossroads, though the rhythmic ping of hammer on anvil hasn’t been heard there in over sixty years. It got me thinking about a message I received from Seán in Denver:

“Mike, my grandfather often spoke about growing up in County Clare in the 1920s. He mentioned how every village had its own craftspeople – the blacksmith, the cooper, the harness maker. His own father was a carpenter. I’d love to know more about these old trades and what happened to them. All the best, Seán.”

What perfect timing, Sean! Do you know, your grandfather’s memories open a window into an Ireland that’s largely disappeared – a time when every village and small town had its essential craftspeople, each playing a vital role in keeping rural life running smoothly.

The Heart of the Village: Essential Irish Crafts and Trades

Let me share with you some of the most important Irish craft specialists who shaped village life. Let’s start with the blacksmith – known as the ‘gabha’ in Irish (translates as “smith”). Every village had its own forge, and the blacksmith was often considered one of the most important craftsmen in the community. Beyond shoeing horses, he made and repaired everything from farm tools to household items. The forge itself was a gathering place, where farmers would catch up on local news while waiting for the work to be done.

Then we have the shoemaker – or ‘gréasaí’ – who was equally essential to village life. Most of their work was not actually making new boots and shoes, but repairing footwear until it was beyond saving. I remember my mother telling how the local shoemaker could tell which family a child belonged to just by looking at the similar wear patterns on their shoes! They worked with everything from the finest leather for Sunday shoes to the toughest hobnailed boots for farm work.

The cooper represented another vital Irish craft tradition – a maker of wooden barrels and buckets. Before the days of plastic and steel containers, everything from butter to beer was stored and transported in wooden vessels. A good cooper needed to know the properties of different woods and how they would behave in various conditions. Like other trades, the skills were passed down through generations, with apprentices learning the trade over many years.

The thatcher – ‘tuíodóir’ in Irish – was another skilled craftsperson found in most rural parishes. Their work wasn’t just about keeping homes dry; but an art form that helped define the Irish rural landscape. Each region had its own thatching style, and today a good thatcher could tell you where a roof is from just by looking at the pattern of the straw or reed work. They knew exactly when to harvest the materials and how to prepare them – and that knowledge that took years to perfect. This Irish craft required not just skill, but an intimate knowledge of local materials.

Then there were the stonemasons – you might call them the craftsmen who quite literally built Ireland. Masonry was perhaps the most visible Irish craft, with its legacy still standing in our buildings and walls today. From the humble farm walls to the grandest churches, their work still stands as a testament to their skill. Every mason had their own signature style of working with stone, and they could read a rock like others read a book, knowing instantly how it would fit into a wall or arch.

The carpenter – or ‘siúinéir’ – was perhaps the most versatile of all the craftspeople. From cradle to coffin, they created the pieces marking every stage of life. They made everything from furniture to farm gates, windows to weather vanes. Handily, a skilled carpenter was also often the local undertaker, bringing an extra dimension of respect to their role in the community.

The harness maker or saddler crafted and repaired the leather goods essential for working with horses. Every strap and buckle had to be perfect – a farmer’s livelihood depended on reliable equipment. Many also branched into making other leather goods, from belts to bags.

And let’s not forget the wheelwright, making and repairing cart wheels – a job that required incredible precision. A poorly made wheel could mean disaster for a farmer transporting his harvest to market.

What’s fascinating is how these Irish craft specialists worked together, creating a web of skills. The blacksmith would make tools for the carpenter, who would make handles for the mason’s tools. The harness maker might need the blacksmith’s brass buckles, while the shoemaker might share leather with the saddler. It was a web of skills and relationships that kept the community functioning.

The Modern Transition and Preserving the Knowledge

By the 1960s, many of these trades began to fade. Tractors replaced horses, plastic containers replaced wooden barrels, and mass-produced shoes and goods started appearing in shops. The change wasn’t sudden – it happened gradually, but most definitely.

Today, while many of these Irish crafts and trades have declined, some have found new life. Stonemasons are in high demand for both boundary walls and conservation work on historic buildings. Thatchers, though few in number, command high prices for their increasingly rare skills. Some shoemakers have transformed into high-end craftspeople, creating bespoke footwear for those seeking something unique.

The good news is that there’s a growing movement to preserve these traditional skills. The Heritage Council of Ireland has been recording and documenting these Irish crafts, while several folk parks around Ireland, like Bunratty in Clare, Muckross in Kerry, the Ulster Scots centre in Omagh, the Museum of Country Life in Mayo and the Ulster Folk Museum in County Down, maintain working demonstrations of traditional Irish crafts.

But perhaps what’s most important to preserve are the stories – the knowledge passed down through generations about how things were made, fixed, and maintained. Each Irish craft carried its own folklore, its own set of customs and superstitions. Did you know, for instance, that many blacksmiths would refuse payment for curing minor ailments in horses? They believed their healing touch was a gift that shouldn’t be sold.

That’s what I find most fascinating about these old Irish crafts and trades – they weren’t just jobs, they were part of the social fabric that held rural communities together. The craftsperson wasn’t just someone who made or fixed things; they were keepers of knowledge, tradition, and community memory.

How about you? Do you remember any of these traditional craftspeople from your childhood or from family stories? Do let me know in the comments section below – I’d love to hear your stories.

Slán for now,

Mike.