Mayo-based furniture designer claims gold at Bord Bia Bloom festival

A Westport-based furniture designer was featured in a gold-winning garden at the Bord Bia Bloom festival.

Francis O’Toole, a graduate of GMIT Furniture Design Letterfrack, created the furniture contained in the Peter McVerry Trust sponsored entry in this year’s festival, which took place over the June Bank Holiday weekend.

The entry, named “Pathways to Home”. was designed by landscape architects Sean O’Malley and Oisin Griffin.

“I was at a wedding when I found out. It’s an honour to win,” said O’Toole, whose father is from Inishturk and worked in joineries for almost 50 years.

“I worked with Oisin for a while in Westport House. I’ve always had an interest in woodwork, particularly in carving and sculpting, and have done work in Westport and Balla.

“The workways were made from larch and are weatherproof and the block furniture was donated by the Hughes family at Westport House.”

The work proved a real favourite among the thousands who attended the event, in all kinds of weather, over the Bank Holiday weekend and yesterday evening at the close of the festival, the gold winning garden was named as The People’s Choice Award at the 2022 event.