Meet the Cork scientist who carved his dream career in furniture design

Home Editor Eve Kelliher discovers why Kinsale-based Declan Ryan shapes bespoke pieces that tell stories and make connections

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.

Declan, who has branched out from a science background to carve out a career working with sustainably sourced and grown wood, combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. “I want each piece to tell a story that connects maker and owner — where the form, the grain of the wood, and the composition of the piece all speak to the character and identity of that individual work,” he says.

“There is a very strong relationship between design and making in everything I produce. I don’t see them as separate disciplines — the design process and the act of making are in constant conversation, each informing the other.”

The Cork city native is himself a transplant to his seaside locale and describes his foray into furniture making as “unconventional”. “I’ve been living in Kinsale for over 20 years," says Declan. "I hold an honours degree in biochemistry from UCC and worked in pharma for over 10 years, which is what brought me to Kinsale, before completely changing my profession. 

“There are no artisans in my immediate family, but I’ve always had an interest in making and fixing things, drawing, and everything nature.”

Kinsale furniture make Declan Ryan.

After a decade in the pharmaceutical industry, he hit the reset button. “I found myself wanting to give more than just hours per week — I wanted to make something lasting with my hands,” says Declan. 

“I took the leap to follow my dream. I spent several years building my skills with some incredible mentors before establishing my own studio workshop in 2023.”

Among his mentors was his friend and fellow furniture maker Sacha Whelan. “Sacha is a skilled cabinet maker and joiner, and I was lucky enough to work with Sacha full-time for a number of years at his workshop near Ballymaloe,” says Declan.

“He patiently guided me into woodworking, following my choice to leave the healthcare industry in 2008. I’ve never looked back.”

The Kinsale furniture maker designs distinctive works he describes as 'both practical and creative'.

Seven years as an employee at the renowned, award-winning Joseph Walsh Studio, also near Kinsale, was another opportunity Declan embraced. “This allowed me to be part of some wonderful projects in a highly precise team environment,” he says.

Opening his own studio workshop, Declan Ryan Wood, just outside Kinsale, “has been a huge career step forward”, he adds. “I’m working on client commissions and portfolio pieces when not prototyping and developing ideas,” says the designer.

Not only are his distinctive works in demand among clients, but Declan has also expanded his artistic showcase. “My ambitions are now both practical and creative — to grow my market to a much wider audience and, in doing so, to build a sustainable living from the work I love,” he adds.

“My deeper ambition is to establish a body of work that is unmistakably mine — furniture and other projects that carry a strong, recognisable design identity rooted in organic form, natural material, and exceptional craft.

“I love what I do and find immense satisfaction in the process of concept, design and production of each piece.

“Much of my work is organic and sculptural, drawing on traditional joinery and woodworking techniques but never constrained by them.”

Declan Ryan.

These words take form in his own residence as well as the living spaces of his lucky friends, relatives and clients. “I’ve slowly been replacing items at home with ‘better’ hardwood solutions — dining table and chairs, beds, mirrors, cabinets, credenzas, kitchen cabinets as well as tableware, bowls, plates, chopping boards, and anything else imaginable, really,” says Declan.

“I’m also trying to populate the homes of family and friends with useful wooden objects.”

His creative “conversation” is now looping full circle, and Declan is loving it. “I remember making lamps and chopping boards in woodwork class at school in Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Bishopstown, some of which are still in my parents’ house,” says the designer. “My own teenage sons are now returning the favour. 

The Papillon chair, left, and the Loop'd low table, below, right.

"I’m a bit more of a ‘critique’ than my own parents, but I help them when they need advice and guidance. They all enjoy spending time at my workshop and bringing something of their own home [with them].

“Passing on some knowledge and inspiration is important to me; it’s repaying some of the kindness extended to me in my life. East Cork stone master carver Ken Thompson once told me: ‘If you enjoy making something, then make another.’ It’s always stayed with me.”

Danú dining table by Declan Ryan.

There’s nothing quite like receiving recognition on home ground, and Declan’s fellow Kinsale residents are big fans of the bespoke furniture maker and his work. “If you can think it, Declan can make it,” says Alice de la Cour, manager of St Catherine’s Cultural Centre in the town. 

“From his workshop, he designs and builds pieces with the intention to inspire and pamper his clients.”

'Sparkle' by Declan Ryan Wood.

Alice curated a successful, exclusive exhibition of Declan’s handmade designs at St Catherine’s, a transformed 18th-century deconsecrated church, in October. “It offered visitors the rare opportunity to experience the artistry and detail behind the work,” she adds. 

“Each piece is made to last for generations, reflecting a deep respect for natural materials and a passion for timeless beauty.”

Material integrity is central to his practice. “I work with the finest sustainable hardwoods available, sourcing locally in Ireland wherever possible, and maintaining a close relationship with a trusted French supplier of certified, ethically processed timber,” says Declan.

“The wood itself is never just a medium — its grain, figure, and character are as much a part of the design as the form I give it.

“Ultimately, I want to be known as an Irish maker and designer whose work stands for quality, originality, and a deep respect for both the material and the craft — someone contributing meaningfully to the living tradition of Irish furniture-making.”

See Declanryanwood.ie.