Meet the Cork upholsterers who are the go-to for interiors buffs

An increase in upcycling has been a silver lining in the Covid cloud.  We visit a hub that offers sustainable furniture services 

Gerard O'Riordan working on a dining room chair at Deaf Enterprises, Cork. Pictures: Denis Minihane

Craft fans, vintage lovers, eco-angels and house-proud interior buffs; I have found us a gem where we can indulge our love of dolling up interiors with upholstery, French polishing, furniture restoration, maintenance and furniture building, while being sustainable, helping us to reduce our carbon footprint and give support to a community enterprise.

Tucked away in the Cork suburb of Ballinlough is a hub for all of these activities, thanks to an initiative called Deaf Enterprises which was set up over 30 years ago to provide training and employment opportunities for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.