Some of Meath’s best up and coming craft and design businesses will get a chance to meet with buyers from all over the world as part of Local Enterprise Showcase at the 2025 Showcase event in the RDS, which runs from the 19th – 21st January.

An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, the Local Enterprise Showcase is a special area at Showcase that houses a range of Ireland’s newest design talent. 

Meath will be one of the best represented counties with six businesses exhibiting this year including; Marlese Made, which is the passion project of Irish artist Marlese Louw, who transforms coloured clay into intricate, limited edition jewellery. Each piece is sculpted by hand from clay, which she custom mixes into seasonal palettes.

Rebecca Maguire, the founder of Púróga Pebble Art, who is taking part in Showcase for the first time, has been crafting artwork from nature’s treasures since 2020. Rebecca transforms pebbles, driftwood, and shells into meaningful designs that celebrate life’s special moments.

“I’m really excited to be attending Showcase and meeting with potential buyers, telling the story of my products, it is a great opportunity to connect with international buyers and introduce them to my business” Rebecca said.

Sheep farmer and weaver Alison Fullam Gogan of Boyne Valley Wools lives and works from her farmhouse and craft studio near Brú na Boinne is returning to Showcase again this year with her wool crafts and authentic art pieces.

Alison says she is particularly excited to exhibit at Showcase again this year as her wool has been chosen to be part of the set design for The Circle – which displays the best of Irish Crafts during the 50th anniversary of Showcase.

Returning to Showcase 2025 after a successful attendance last year, LUS Aromatherapy co- founders Eileen Smyth and Paula McGuinness, will showcase their organic skin care range that is inspired by natural plant ingredients.

Showcase, which is a pinnacle event in the global design and crafts calendar, attracts thousands of buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, USA, mainland Europe, Asia and Africa, generating millions of euros of sales orders. 

Showcase is presented on behalf of Design and Crafts Council Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland in promoting the trade show internationally through their network of offices overseas, and the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.

Other participants from Meath include Anita Reynolds Art & Design, An Gobha, Bríd Fanning Art, Clare O’Connor Luxury Irish Design. Other Meath businesses participating include Lainey K, The Handmade Soap Company and Caulfield Country Boards. 

Meath County Council Chief Executive Kieran Kehoe said, “The product offerings from some of Meath's top creative businesses demonstrate that high-quality products designed and made in the Boyne Valley can effectively compete for retail space in shops across Ireland and around the world.”

Caoimhe Delany, Business Advisor at Local Enterprise Office, Meath, said, “With over 3,000 buyers coming through the doors of Showcase last year, this is a phenomenal opportunity for our creative businesses in Meath to secure orders, meet with retailers and develop business relationships with buyers overseas. Each one of the Meath businesses have put in great effort into getting themselves and their product offering right for Showcase.

“With the recent rise in profile for the creatives sector in Meath, this year we will host a site visit to Showcase on the Monday for any craft, design maker business in Meath who has ambition to exhibit at Showcase in the future, we invite skilled craftspeople to reach out to the Local Enterprise Office, Meath and book in to this very worthwhile educational experience.”