Cork furniture maker Declan Ryan is crafting sustainable hardwood designs that tell a story

The former biochemist swapped pharmaceuticals for fine woodworking, creating bespoke furniture rooted in sustainability, craftsmanship and organic design

Declan Ryan set up Declan Ryan Wood outside Kinsale, Co Cork, three years ago.

Talking trees and whispering forests — from the “woodwide web” all the way back to folklore and fairy tales, we’ve always regarded our carbon-capturing companions as a vital communication network.

None more so than Cork man Declan Ryan, who believes creating furniture is “a conversation” — one that flows between himself and the hardwoods he shapes, and the end user.