Arklow Pottery was founded in 1934 and formally opened by
Seán Lemass (Minister for Industry and Commerce) 29 July 1935 in South Quay,
Arklow,
County Wicklow. After the
Carrigaline Pottery, Arklow was the second pottery founded in the
Irish Free State. When it opened, it employed 200 people. These included 15 local young women from a technical institute and 30 experienced professionals from
Staffordshire Potteries. As there had been no historical ceramics industry in Ireland, the English workers were needed to train their Irish colleagues. There is no definitive catalogue of Arklow back-stamps, and is collectable but not very valuable. Alongside everyday ceramics and tableware, the Pottery produced commemorative pieces. The most collectable Arklow pieces are from 1962 to 1969, when ceramist John ffrench ran the art pottery in the factory, Arklow Studio Pottery. An example of ffrench's work, an Arklow Pottery cup and saucer with Tiger stripes is held in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland. == Gallery ==