I’m Nora McQuaid, the designer and maker behind Aileach Moon. I design and make one-off pieces, small collections and commissioned work using traditional skills and techniques. Making jewellery by hand from scratch is a slow process which allows for a lot of love, care and attention to the details of each piece.
I use a variety of techniques in my making, from setting gemstones to hand-drawn acid etching, Keum Boo, repousse and lost wax carving. Self-taught, I secured an internship at a jewellery studio in Glasgow and was accepted onto the Getting Started Programme at the prestigious Goldsmith’s Centre in London.
As an independent designer/maker I have the freedom to ensure my values are reflected in my work. I believe in a responsible approach to making, which involves choosing materials and using methods which reduce harmful impacts and promote social sustainability. I believe in ensuring my processes are transparent so that you can make an informed choice and can determine the impact of your purchase on people and planet. I believe in celebrating diversity and individuality, following our passions and uplifting others along the way.
My workshop is based in Derry, Ireland. If you have been to this part of the world, you’ll know there is no want of inspiration, no lack of pull to create. There is only immersion in the organic textures of the landscape, the magical energy of our native rocky places, the ancestors, the ebb and flow of the tides.
My collections are a celebration of our wonderful, powerful uniqueness, our resilience and the people and places we hold dear. Finding, allowing, taking and filling space with a sacred sense of self and others is a theme important in my work. I take inspiration from the ancient origins of metalworking in Ireland and believe that in keeping heritage craft skills alive, we honour not only past and present makers, but we hold space for future generations to have the opportunity to experience and appreciate the joy of heritage making.
