Our Story - Ár Scéal
Discover the story behind Wearable Wood Galway, where contemporary design combines with traditional skills to bring you unique pieces that carry their own story.
Where it happens
Our handcrafted wooden jewellery, bespoke artworks, and gifts, are made in our own studio in Galway.
Our Process
Using woodturning, traditional woodcraft, digital design, laser engraving, and hand finishing we create contemporary pieces influenced by the culture and landscape of the west of ireland
We use various kinds of wood, including locally sourced timber, reclaimed wood, and sustainable materials to make our pieces.
Pieces are enhanced with engravings of Irish seanfhocail (proverbs), celtic knotwork, well known images like the Galway Hooker boat, and the salty windswept landscape of the West coast.
About Annette Colleran
Growing up in the Claddagh, I love the sea and the way the costal wind shapes everything in its path, from windswept trees and driftwood, to the rocks and old wooden boats in the Claddagh Basin.
After a career in other fields, I followed a long-held ambition to become an artist. Studying at ATU, I graduated with a degree in Contemporary Art followed by a Masters in Creative Practice.
In my art practice I focus on sculptural installations shaped by lived experience, shared histories, and transformative life events. My artwork, which invites reflection and conversation also shapes the work we create at Wearable Wood Galway.
From handcrafted wooden brooches and engraved jewellery to bespoke charcuterie boards, sculptural artworks, and commemorative pieces, each piece of work is guided by the natural grain, texture, and character of the wood itself.
About Tom Murphy
It was during my glassblowing apprenticeship with Galway Crystal that I began to appreciate the beauty and detail of crafting by hand. While I worked in different jobs since then, I have always maintained a strong connection with woodcraft. So returning to creative practice by working with timber was a natural fit.
I'm continually exploring and refining my skills, especially in woodturning, which compliments my traditional skill-set. My work is guided and inspired by the characteristics of the wood itself, and I really enjoy discovering unexpected qualities that naturally emerge when I work with a new piece of material.
How Wearable Wood Galway began
With backgrounds in art and craft skills, we returned to what mattered most to us: working with our hands, exploring ideas through art, and creating pieces that blend modern design with Irish heritage.
Inspired by the natural landscape and Ireland’s rich culture, our work draws on language, memory, and familiar forms, from Irish seanfhocail (proverbs) to the sails of the Galway Hooker boats. In our Galway studio, we combine traditional handcraft skills with modern fabrication techniques, allowing the character of the wood and the story within each piece to guide what we make.
Our Craft
Every piece is individual. Through natural wood grain, meaningful Irish sayings and simple imagery, we craft work that feels contemporary, and yet rooted in culture. Seamlessly introducing cúpla focal gaeilge (a couple of Irish words) into everyday life.
Our collections include one-off commissions, customised pieces, and small batches designed for wearing, display, everyday living, and connecting with people, place, and story.
(Image - Bespoke pickle ball trophy)
Seanfochail: connection, heritage, and emotion
A wealth of old Irish sayings enrich the language with an emotional weight that goes beyond their literal meanings.
The Irish seanfochail Cuisle mo chroí which means 'pulse of my heart' is inscribed on a simple wooden brooch, best worn on the left side of a sweater, coat or shawl.
Similarly, Grá (love), accompanied by a celtic love knot is engraved on a piece of timber jewellery, subtly communicating the emotion of that beautiful word.
