I had the pleasure of visiting Katherine O'Sullivan and Aodh O Donnell at O'Donnell Furniture Makers in Skibbereen, a founding member of the Irish Wood and Interiors Network. They gave me a warm welcome after my long trip from Monaghan, and I was impressed by their extensive, state-of-the-art premises.

O'Donnell Furniture has been crafting bespoke furniture for over 120 years, serving hospitality giants like Marriott, Hilton, and Crowne Plaza, while also creating custom pieces for the residential and marine sectors. Their work spans Ireland, the UK, and Europe, proudly flying the flag for Irish manufacturing on an international stage.

It was particularly interesting to hear about the logistical gymnastics involved in getting their furniture delivered and installed in some far-flung locations. It’s clear that their expertise isn’t just in making quality furniture—it’s in ensuring it arrives flawlessly, no matter where in the world the project takes them.

Beyond their reputation for quality craftsmanship, O’Donnell Furniture has taken an unexpected but fascinating step—repurposing part of their factory to provide unique studio facilities for the Irish filmmaking industry. This has brought real buzz to the local community, with the extra economic activity that comes with film production, but it also shows O'Donnell's readiness to diversify and think outside the box. Who knows, we might be spotting an O’Donnell wardrobe in the background of a hit Netflix show!"**

Host Over 20 Companies For A Factory Tour

January 20, 2026
We were delighted to host over 20 companies for a factory tour, discussion on exporting with Gareth Sherry of IWIN , and for a presentation + meet and greet with John Kiely Limerick hurling manager. Congratulations to our team for putting this together. Thank you to all of our visitors and contributors. We look forward to further progression on export cluster discussions over the coming weeks and months. Carnehill Joinery Ltd , Carroll Joinery Ltd , Woodfit - Joinery and Acoustics , Truwood Ltd. , Topform Ltd , Timeless Sash Windows , Western Postform Limited , MFM Joinery , GEM Joinery , W.Howard Kildare , Mivan Ltd , Simon O'Keeffe Pembroke Alliance , Vision Creative Studios , Loughnanes Joinery , Canavan Joinery Services Ltd , Tretzo Aidan McKenna

(NBMDA) Distributors’ Event

By Gareth Sherry • January 20, 2026
What an amazing week we had in Chicago! Myself, Eoin Ryan from The Galtee Group , and Damian Woods from W.Howard 'The MDF Specialists'​ attended the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA) distributors’ event, with over 1,000 delegates present. I had the privilege to do a presentation on behalf of the Irish Wood & Interiors Network ( IWIN ), showcasing the expertise and capabilities of our member companies. I also shared our collaboration with Cieblink , who are launching a Product Information Management (PIM) software we are starting to implement in the network. It was a brilliant opportunity to connect with dozens of prospective buyers, build key relationships, and generate leads for future business. We were lucky to be hosted by industry experts Freya Hannah (Cieblink) and David Smith from The David Smith Group, who introduced us to many of the top buyers/distributors in the US and Canadian markets. The event was packed with key figures from the North American and Canadian building materials supply industry, particularly woodworking products and sheet materials—a perfect fit for our network. We also had some great experiences exploring Chicago, including seeing 9-time Grammy winner, Buddy Guy, perform live—an unforgettable night! We toured the city and had a productive meeting with David O'Flaherty of Enterprise Ireland USA , who shared that Chicago is home to 200,000 Irish diaspora, 25,000 of whom are in construction—highlighting the strong cultural ties and opportunities for Irish suppliers in this market. The US is open for business—with trade from China down, buyers are actively looking for alternatives. For Irish companies ready to supply, there’s a real chance to make an impact. It was a smashing week, and we’re excited for what’s ahead! Thank you to Frederic Pare and Freya Hannah for the invitation to the event, and to Michael Wilbur for hosting such an excellent gathering.