| Joseph Colohan 1906-1988 |
| Mary Colohan nee Gallagher. 1920-2007 |
| Mary Colohan was born in Keel, Achill Island in 1920. She went to the local primary school and got a scholarship to go to secondary school in Tuam, Co Galway. She entered the Civil Service in Dublin and there met Joe Colohan, who was working as a builder at the time. They knew each other for many years. Joe continued building and started a small printing business. They married in 1958. According to rules in force at the time Mary had to leave the civil service on getting married! |
| Mary's Civil service co-workers c1958 |
| They set off on a long honeymoon on the Continent in 1958. The travelled through France Italy and Germany, at one point stopping to work for a time in Vallauris, which was a craft pottey centre at the time. They had the idea of staying in France but famously Joe met Picasso who was working in Vallauris. He advised him that the tree which is rooted in its own soil grows best, in other words to go home! So taking this advice they developed their own distinctive style and rather bravely went back to Achill and opened a pottery on 18th June 1960. |
| Brenner Pass 1958 |
| Brochure for ceramics festival Vallauris 1958 |
| They also started a family and had three children, Hubert, Fergil and Caitriona |
| Joe's brothers, also builders, helped build the Coffee and Pottery shop, completed 1959 |
| Fortunately the pottery took off, helped by the fact that Achill was a booming tourist destination in the 1960's. They continued to make pottery for 28 years until Joe died in 1988 at the age of 82. Mary continued to make pottery for another 18 years until ill-health prevented her from doing so in 2007, and she passed away in October 2007 |
| 1960's |
| Most of the workers have been secondary school children, and many people have worked here over the years. We don't have as many photos as we would like! |
| Staff 1980's |
| Staff c1964 |
| The tradition is continued at present by their son Fergil and his wife Ger. |
Achill Island Pottery: History
| Staff 1980's |
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| Coffee Shop c1962 |
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