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Cratloe pottery showcased for American TV shoppers

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A CRATLOE pottery manufacturer has secured a prime spot on an international shopping channel watched by over nine million viewers in the United States to promote her crafts on St Patrick’s Day.

Hannah Arnup of Ballymorris Pottery, Cratloe, who will be selling products on QVC on St Patrick’s Day.Hannah Arnup of Ballymorris Pottery, Cratloe, is heading Stateside to sell her pottery on American shopping channel QVC, on their St Patrick’s Day Special promotional programme for the third year in succession. This is the day that QVC dedicate to Irish craft for their American-Irish audience.
It is regarded as a major coup for a South-East Clare business like Ballymorris Pottery to secure business with such a large international company and good news in the midst of a recession.
It all started in September 2008 when an unidentified QVC buyer was encouraged by a family member in Cratloe to visit Ballymorris Pottery.
The following month the buyer requested a few samples of a Claddagh plaque and a small Celtic cross six inches long and subsequently placed an order for about 600 apiece.
As part of the deal, Hannah went over to the United States on St Patrick’s Day in 2009 and showcased her Claddagh plaque and Celtic crosses.
QVC ordered more of the products in September 2009 because they sold so well and asked for a new item.
Hannah, who works with her husband, John and Jean Ryan, produced a new decorative whistle in the shape of a cuckoo bird.
She returned to QVC on St Patrick’s Day last year to promote her products once again and the cuckoo whistles sold so well, the shopping channel placed an order for another 650, which took about six weeks of intensive work.
Normally, there would be about two firings to keep production going at a steady pace but this had to be increased to three and four firings to cope with the increased demand.
Last September, QVC ordered more cuckoo whistles and asked for a new product, which resulted in the production of a guardian angel bell about four inches tall.
All the QVC products have to be fully packaged and labelled for distribution to a massive warehouse in Philidephia, which in turn sends out the item once an order is placed with the shopping channel.
Hannah said she was delighted to get the order, even though it was a challenge to fulfil an order of that size.
“Appearing on live television to nine million views is daunting too but I’ll concentrate on the product, not think of the cameras and the millions of people watching. We have done well to remain in business 16 years later. We have developed a long-standing relationship with our customers but this type of promotion is a boost for business.
“It would also make a difference if the number of flights coming into Shannon Airport was increased, as we are just situated about six miles from the airport.
“I will probably look at trying to expand my wholesale business. We are one of the few businesses selling our products on QVC,” she said.

 

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