Looking Back at 2025
During 2025 our members travelled across the island, taking part in festivals, forge-ins and experimental archaeology events. From traditional blacksmithing demonstrations to bloomery smelting and forging competitions, these gatherings continue to strengthen the community of smiths and craftspeople who keep Ireland's metalworking traditions alive. It was truly great to see the repeated turn out for the events - you guys and girls rock!
Below is a look back at some of the highlights from the past year. 📷 Event pages includes photos and videos from the events.
🌋 Glenravel International Furnace Festival, Co. Antrim
📷 Photos and Video
The year began with the 10th Glenravel International Furnace Festival, bringing together smiths, researchers and experimental archaeologists to explore traditional iron smelting techniques.
Participants worked with bloomery furnaces and historic smelting methods, producing iron from ore while sharing knowledge and ideas. As always, the festival combined serious experimentation with a welcoming community atmosphere.
📖 The “Whats the Story?” Forgy, Flavours of Fingal
📷 Photos and Video
Forged In Ireland brought the forge to Flavours of Fingal, one of Dublin's largest heritage and food festivals. This was a huge event, and was brilliant craic.
Alongside demonstrations, smiths took part in the Blacksmiths' Story Board Competition, where participants told the story of the craft through their work.
🏅 Competition Results
1st place – Rob O'Grady
2nd place – Oisín Feery
🏆 Battle of the Blacksmiths, Banagher, Co. Offaly
📷 Photos and Video
This year's Battle of the Blacksmiths had a truly international flavour. We were delighted to welcome members of the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA) along with smiths travelling from across Europe.
The contest was decided across three technical challenges testing accuracy, control and speed: “Let's Stick Together”, “Round to Round” and “If in Doubt, Draw it Out!” – a 45-second crowd-favourite challenge to draw out steel as long as possible.
A memorable highlight was a demonstration by Michael Budd, who forged a striking dragon head before the crowd, sharing his precise hammer control and specialist tooling techniques.
It is with great sadness that we note Michael's recent passing. He was an exceptional craftsman and a generous teacher, and he will be dearly missed by the blacksmithing community.
🏅 Competition Winners
After an intense and closely fought competition, the 2025 Battle of the Blacksmiths results were:
1st - Jordan Thomas (FABA)
2nd - James O'Riordan
3rd - Nathan Nettles (FABA)
4th - Jack Lawlor
Alongside the competitions, visitors also enjoyed heritage talks, bog iron smelting demonstrations and the lively festival atmosphere that makes Banagher such a special event each year.
⚙ Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival, Co. Meath
📷 Photos and Video
Fire met steam in Moynalty this August as Forged in Ireland returned to the Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival for a weekend that was loud, competitive and unforgettable. Surrounded by working vintage machinery and record festival crowds, the focus was simple: who could forge the best - and strongest - set of three chain links?
🏅 Competition Results
The order of the chains that lasted longest under the pull of steam was:
James O'Connor
Jamie Smith (Drunk Chain)
Oisín Feery
Rob 'Shady' O'Grady
James O'Connor (Drunk Chain)
Eoin Mc Donagh
Junior Smiths (Emily, Bella, Tara)
Joe O'Grady
Paul Carty
Every single chain that stepped up to the engines was an achievement. Even to come last against the relentless pull of steam power is no small feat - it takes courage to forge your work in public and let it be tested so definitively.
🏺 Fethard Heritage Festival, Co. Tipperary
📷 Photos and Video
Special thanks to RowanTaylor for his incredible demonstration of a socketed spear head and his help with the Golden Anvil Challenge - which tested our smiths to their limits.
The Golden Anvil competition this year was to forge a replica of a Roman Fibula brooch - under the instruction of Rowan, our smiths were challenged to by the fine details and with the design having to match an example - there was no 'winging it'! The competition challenged the smiths patience and dexterity working on such a small scale where every millimeter counted.
🏅 Winner
Robert O'Grady
Thanks also to McCarthy's Pub for keeping us hydrated throughout the weekend! 🍻
🔨 Steel Bangers, Ennis, Co. Clare
The lively Steel Bangers gathering in Ennis brought together blacksmiths and craftspeople from across Ireland. Competitions included forging nails, buckles, blades and arrowheads, while the legendary nail driving contest once again proved entertaining for competitors and spectators alike. Craftspeople from other disciplines, including potters, basket weavers and pole lathe turners, also took part, creating a vibrant weekend celebrating traditional craft.
🔬 In Hand Forum, Greenan Maze, Co. Wicklow
The final event of the year for many Forged In Ireland members was the In Hand Forum at Greenan Maze. This three day gathering brought together craftspeople, researchers and heritage specialists to explore a wide range of traditional skills including:bloomery iron smelting, bronze sand casting, stone carving, traditional blacksmithing.
The forum provided an opportunity for hands-on learning, experimentation and collaboration between different crafts and disciplines, bringing the year to a fitting close.
Thank You!
Forged In Ireland continues to thrive thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of its members, whether you are a full-time smith, a hobbyist working in a shed forge, or someone just beginning your journey into the craft.
✨ Thank you to everyone who organised events, demonstrated skills, competed, volunteered and supported the association throughout the year.
We look forward to seeing the forge fires lit again in the months ahead. Keep an eye on the website and facebook pages for updates on events happening this year.