I am a wallpaper maker, researcher, and conservator, living in County Leitrim, Ireland. Much of my career has been dedicated to bringing to life the history and patterns of the once-forgotten Irish wallpaper trade, uncovering the story of the Irish ‘paper-stainers’, and reviving their work for a modern audience.

This exciting journey began in the 1980s, when I came to Ireland from Scotland to work in heritage conservation.

Making wallpaper by hand is a challenging yet rewarding process. Every batch is individually made, taking several days to complete. Engaging with customers is important to me – over the years some of my individual and institutional clients have developed into long-term partners. These include design and heritage professionals in Ireland, Europe, and the United States.

It is both a pleasure and a privilege to be part of Ireland’s built heritage community and to be involved in the preservation and decoration of our best-loved historic houses. You can read about some of these projects in my ‘Journal’. I enjoy spreading the word through lectures and workshops and have led two tours through Ireland for the Wallpaper History Society.

My book ‘Wallpaper in Ireland, 1700-1900’, a richly illustrated study of wallpaper making and its use in Ireland, was published in 2014 by Churchill House Press. In 2020 I donated my archive of over 250 examples of historic wallpapers from Ireland the Office of Public Works. A permanent exhibition of a selection of these opened in Kilkenny Castle in 2022.