A strong craft sector gives a city character, boosts local economy

Rethink Ireland invests €700,000 Step-Up Fund in five social enterprises in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford

Rethink Ireland's €700,000 Step-Up Fund recipients: Declan Sweeney, St Gabriel's Orthotics; Deirdre Mortell, CEO Rethink Ireland; Alex Stewart, Galway Community Circus; Maeve Murphy, Benchspace, and Anne Maher, The Urban Co-op, pictured in a workshop in Benchspace HQ at Cork's Marina. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan

Creative craft industries have an important role to play in defining the identity of a city, says Maeve Murphy, operations manager with Benchspace in Cork.

Based in Marina Commercial Park, Benchspace is a collaborative working hub giving people from disadvantaged backgrounds with resources to start new ventures in Cork, availing of the open access, shared space and the wood, steel and laser equipment. Demand hugely overshoots the 5,000 sq ft space, so the hope is to move to larger premises soon.