Members News

Meath Woodturner scoops 4 awards at 2009 RDS National Crafts Competition

Woodturner Seamus Cassidy, from Navan, Co. Meath, scooped 4 separate awards at the
prestigious RDS National Crafts Competition.  Besides winning both First and Second prizes in the Woodturning category, his first prize piece scooped the Irish Woodturners Guild Award and the RDS Award of Excellence (Reserve), netting him a total of €4,000 in prize money.

The latter is presented to recognise and reward outstanding craftsmanship across all the categories in the competition which encompasses entries from 20 different categories from ceramics to lace, glass, gold/silverwork, and musical instruments, to name but a few. The winning piece, a contemporary interpretation of a bowl form in burr elm, ebonised ash and silver wire, all mounted on a sandblasted glass support, caught the imagination of the judging panel.  This success builds on his previous winning entries in 2007 (2nd Place Woodturning category) and 2008 (1st Place Woodturning category and winner of the Irish Woodturners Guild Award).

Seamus operates from his design studio and gallery at Gilltown, Beauparc, near the Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre.  His elusive style could be described as elegance in harmony with nature and it is no surprise that his contemporary art and furniture has been sought internationally as well as throughout Ireland.

Gerald Pullman, Chairperson of the judging panel for the Competition, spoke highly of the standard of work this year. ‘Many of the crafts entrants have a level of skill, talent and competence to bring them to the very top of their medium. The variance of ideas and quality of finish left me in no doubt that the industry is ever listening, learning and improving and is indeed in very good health.’

Together with the winners of the 20 categories and special prizes sponsored by guilds and businesses in the industry, these craft works were on show in the RDS as part of the 2009 Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show from August 5 – 9. A total of 104 entrants were selected to display their work at this year’s exhibition alongside 78 works of art selected from the RDS Student Art Awards, giving the public a chance to view the work of some of Ireland’s most talented craft workers and student artists.

After the Horse Show concludes the exhibition continues until August 13 at the RDS Concert Hall and will then travel to Birr Theatre and Arts Centre, Birr, Co. Offaly, the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, and the Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, Co. Cork before returning to the RDS for the National Crafts & Design Fair in December.

The RDS National Crafts Competition, which is organised in association with the Crafts Council of Ireland since 2008, has become established as one of the highlights in the Irish Crafts industry calendar. It allows both professional and amateur craft designers to compete for prestigious awards in 20 different categories with its significant prize fund of €30,000.

Since 1731, the RDS continues to fulfil its commitment to advancing agriculture, arts, industry and science. The RDS National Crafts Competition is part of the RDS Foundation’s Arts programme which aims to promote excellence in the arts; to further the professional development of young musicians, artists and craftspeople and to support developmental projects in the arts.