National honours for young Mayo maker

Design and Crafts Council Ireland last week announced the 24 winners of the Future Makers Awards 2024, and among them was one talented Mayo maker, Diane (Meiriona) Best. Meiriona was named winner of the Overall Student Award and also won an award for Travel and Training Support.
Established in 2009, Future Makers is DCCI initiative that recognises talent, potential and creativity. It is a platform to showcase the talent of the next generation of makers, designers, and craftspeople to take the step from training into enterprise and it provides them with much-needed financial support. With a total awards value of €25,000, it is one of the largest prize-funded design and craft award programmes in Europe.
This year’s competition saw an impressive range of entries from all around Ireland, with each one demonstrating a unique approach to creating beautiful and functional works of art. From furniture and fashion design to ceramics and glassblowing, the shortlisted makers represent the most innovative and creative young designers and makers in Ireland, spanning both student and emerging practitioner categories.
The awards are divided into to main categories, ‘Emerging Makers’ and ‘Students and Recent Graduates’, each containing 12 subcategories. Media constructor Paola di Legge from Co Dublin claimed the 2024 Overall Emerging Maker prize, while woodturner Martin Ryan from Co Tipperary took home the Sustainable Design Award for 2024. Meiriona was the only winner to win two awards.
Congratulating the winners, Ballina-based TD Dara Calleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said that the awards, which are Government supported, ‘highlight the incredible talent and innovation within Ireland’s design and craft sectors’. “The diversity and quality of the work this year not only showcases the extraordinary potential of our emerging talent but also reflects the bright future of Irish craftsmanship,” he said.
Future Makers judge and Irish fashion designer Anneliese Duffy Fallon, said: “It’s an honour to serve as a judge for the Future Makers Awards 2024 and to witness first-hand the extraordinary talent and creativity emerging from Ireland’s design and craft sectors. This initiative is a vital platform that recognises and empowers the next generation of makers and designers, providing them with the support they need to transition from education to enterprise. The diversity and innovation showcased by this year’s winners is truly inspiring, and I’m confident that they will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Irish design and craftsmanship.”
The other judges for this year’s Future Makers included Victoria Donovan, a silversmith with almost 40 years of experience; Katie Dominy, co-founder and CEO of Arts Thread and The Global Creative Graduate Show; Fiona Sheehan, an entrepreneur and brand owner with over 25 years of experience in the design, manufacturing, wholesale, and distribution of Irish-made products; and Belén Llamas-Ferrier, an apprentice of famous antique dealer and framer André Buchs and an expert in antique frames and techniques, as well as in the design of contemporary frames.