Handcrafted Irish Craft Gifts in Wood, Made in Co. Louth
Carlingford sits at the meeting point of two counties, two jurisdictions, and several centuries of Irish craft tradition. The Cooley Peninsula, where the Setanta workshop is based, is the same ground where the great Irish myths are set. The name Setanta itself refers to the childhood name of Cú Chulainn, who grew up in these hills before he became the warrior of the Ulster Cycle.
That heritage is in the background of every piece John McShane makes. The chopping boards, the spoons, the hurleys, and the live edge furniture are not crafted as heritage tourism products. They are made because the craft tradition of working Irish timber by hand is real and worth continuing.
This page covers the smaller pieces: the craft gifts, the made-to-order individual commissions, and the pieces that connect Irish woodcraft to the people who live and visit here.
Chopping Boards
The chopping board is one of the oldest and most satisfying forms in woodcraft. A good chopping board is beautiful, practical, and improves with use. It is also a very revealing test of a craftsman’s attention to detail.
Setanta chopping boards are made in solid hardwood, edge-grain or end-grain, in oak, ash, walnut, or a combination of contrasting species. The boards are sanded through fine grits and finished with food-safe oil, typically a food-grade mineral oil or a dedicated cutting board oil.
Available in a range of sizes from small bread boards through to large butcher-style boards suited to serious kitchen use. Some are made with juice grooves; all are made to last years of daily use rather than as a decorative piece that cannot be used.
Prices: €45 to €120 depending on size, species, and configuration. Personalised boards with a name or date cut into the surface are available to order.
These make a particularly strong housewarming gift, wedding present, or milestone gift because they are both useful and genuinely made by hand by a named craftsman in a specific place. The recipient knows who made it and where.
Carved Wooden Spoons and Kitchen Utensils
Hand-carved wooden spoons are a different discipline from the joinery work that makes up most of Setanta’s output. They are carved with chisels and gouges from a single piece of wood, not assembled from multiple components. The form is revealed from the material by removing what does not belong.
John carves spoons, spatulas, and serving implements in Irish hardwood: oak, ash, cherry when available. Each piece takes an hour or more of focused work. They are not production items.
The result is a kitchen utensil that works entirely well and that has a quality of surface and form that a turned or machine-made equivalent does not possess. The spoon made by hand has the marks of the person who made it in every facet.
Prices: €35 to €80 per piece depending on complexity. Sets of matched utensils are available to order.
Hurleys
The hurley is the stick used in the Irish game of hurling. Traditionally made from ash, the hurley is a working piece of sports equipment with specific performance requirements: weight, flex, bas size, and balance. These are not decorative items.
John makes hurleys to order for players and clubs across Co. Louth and South Armagh. Properly seasoned Irish ash is the correct material. The hurley is shaped to the player’s specifications: handle length, bas width, profile, and weight. A well-made hurley made from quality seasoned ash plays differently from a factory-produced equivalent.
There is a shortage of quality hurley makers in Louth. Most hurleys sold in the county come from Cork or Tipperary, the traditional hurley-making counties. A Louth craftsman making hurleys from seasoned ash in the Cooley Peninsula, for players who play in Louth, is both the correct source and one of the few available.
Prices: €50 to €90 depending on size and specification. Club orders and bulk commissions by arrangement.
Live Edge Shelves and Small Pieces
Beyond the larger furniture commissions, Setanta makes smaller live edge pieces that work as gifts or as accent pieces in a home:
- Wall-mounted live edge shelves in solid oak or ash: €80 to €250 per section
- Small live edge coffee table or plant stand: €200 to €450
- Live edge serving board: €60 to €150
These pieces are made from offcuts and narrow slabs from the larger furniture commissions, which means they have the same quality of material and finish as the dining tables at a fraction of the cost.
Setanta as a Source for Local Gifts
For visitors to Carlingford, the Cooley Peninsula, and the wider Co. Louth area, finding genuinely locally made craft is more difficult than it appears. Most “Irish craft” products in tourist shops are made elsewhere. A Setanta chopping board or carved spoon is made by one person, in one workshop, in the town you are visiting. The craft lineage is real and the connection to place is real.
For local residents buying gifts for family and friends, or for businesses looking for corporate gifts that carry a story, handcrafted wooden pieces from Setanta offer something that ordered, branded products do not: the specificity of a thing made by hand by a person you can name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you do personalised or engraved pieces? Yes. Names, dates, short inscriptions, and simple designs can be added to chopping boards and other flat pieces using a CNC router. John is direct about what personalisation looks good and what does not: a name and a date well-placed on a good chopping board is a better result than a complex design that competes with the grain.
Can I order pieces as wedding favours or in bulk? Small batch orders of matching chopping boards or spoons are possible for weddings and events. Lead time depends on the volume. Contact John early if this is the plan.
Do you ship? Local delivery across Co. Louth is standard. For pieces travelling further, John ships on a case-by-case basis. Larger pieces like live edge tables are typically collected or delivered personally.
For handcrafted wooden gifts, hurleys, chopping boards, and carved pieces from Carlingford, Co. Louth, the full Setanta live edge and craft service covers what is available. Contact John on 083 003 3268 or at johnmcshane144@gmail.com.
