Based in Kilkenny's Castle Yard, Ken Foley designs and hand makes high-quality leather goods in exquisite designs.
There’s nothing quite like the smell of genuine leather – a sweet earthy scent that welcomes visitors when they step into Ken Foley’s workshop in Kilkenny’s Castle Yard.
A talented craftsman indeed, Ken’s unique, rich designs are displayed throughout the space, punctuated by spools of thread, bottles of treatments and dyes and other tools of the trade.
As one’s nose may have guessed, the Irish maker specialises in designing and crafting leather goods, including satchels, handbags, shoulder bags, wallets and belts – all of which attest to his skill and the high-quality materials he sources both locally and abroad.
“I use the finest Italian leathers,” Ken explains, “which are mostly vegetable-tanned, combined with brass fittings sourced from Italy, the US and the Czech Republic. I also use turned wooden pegs which I get from Eoghan Leadbetter, a local wood turner.”