What can Irish Design do for Tourism? The Design Island App

In the latest of her series on the Year of Irish Design and its importance for tourism, Aileesh Carew introduces your new must-have travelling companion - the Design Island app

One of the great things about summer is the chance to get out and explore a bit (always with my Georgina Campbell Guide at hand). Part of the pleasure of travel is plotting out where to stay and, more importantly, where to eat - food is always an integral part of our holiday experience.

This year, I also have a new app to help me find the best places to pursue these favourite pastimes, specifically with a focus on design. The app, called Design Island, features a wealth of curated recommendations from design experts and enthusiasts on things to do and places to visit on the island of Ireland. It’s an invaluable bible for intrepid adventurers, laid-back holiday makers and design hunters alike.

The idea behind the app is to help users see Ireland through the eyes of design experts – and discover a series of hidden gems along the way. Luminaries and aficionados from across the Irish design community contributed their top design destinations to the list, the places they love to visit when travelling through our green island.

The app is simple to use, with locations divided into five categories: Eat and Drink, Stay, See, Shop, and Events. There is also a map for ease of navigation and you can change the settings to automatically find the places nearest to you.

One of the best things about Design Island is the personal flavor of the recommendations – the words come from the curators themselves, so you can gain an insight into where Irish Times fashion journalist Deirdre McQuillan loves to shop or what little-known structural gems architect Marc O’Riain goes out of his way to see.

While many of the destinations are businesses of one kind or another, there is also a whole host of non-commercial locations, out-of-the-way nooks of the country that no tourist guide would ever reveal.

Not surprisingly, there are many Georgina Campbell recommended establishments on the app. Some highlights include:

Stay: Number 31 in Dublin is a boutique hotel designed by one of Ireland’s great modernist architects, Sam Stephenson. Nominated by Barry Sheehan, Head of Design, Dublin Institute of Technology.

Eat and Drink: Ard Bia at Nimmos in Galway places a strong emphasis on fresh local produce and is renowned as a hub for local creative types. Nominated by Dylan Haskins, Broadcaster.

See: Kilcullen’s Seaweed Baths in Enniscrone, County Sligo are housed in an Edwardian bath house and have been in operation for over a hundred years. Nominated by Superfolk.

Shop: Irish Design Shop on Drury Street in Dublin was one of the first independent stores to champion Irish design and craft in the city. It is a first port of call for homeware, illustrations and textiles by Irish designer-makers from all over Ireland. Nominated by Nathalie Marquez Courtney, Editor, IMAGE Interiors and Living Magazine.

It looks great too - produced by Irish Design 2015 (ID2015), it was designed and developed by design veterans IBM Studios|Dublin, Atelier David Smith and Conor & David.

Try it out – it will add another dimension to your trip.

Design Island can be downloaded free from the App Store or Google Play. 

--

* ID2015 is delighted that the inaugural Irish Tourism Industry Awards have included a special award to highlight good design in Tourism. For more information http://www.irishtourismindustryawards.ie/categories/

* Irish Design 2015 partners include Founding Partner - MCO Projects; Accommodation Partner - The Doyle Collection; Venue Partner - OPW; Exhibition Partners – DAA. Technology Partner - IBM

An overview of the core programme of events can be found at www.irishdesign2015.ie

Aileesh Carew is the Tourism Advisor for Irish Design 2015. Her role is to provide advice and management of the tourism programme for the year of Irish design 2015, to communicate and animate interest in the Year of Design – nationally & internationally - and engage with tourism industry partners to raise awareness for Irish Design 2015. She has spent most of her career managing hotels, most recently opening Ballyfin Demesne in Co Laois, putting it on the international map as one of the best small hotels in Europe. A graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management, with an MBA from Copenhagen Business School and Business Management Coaching from Scandinavian Leadership, she loves to travel, read cookery books, occasionally cooking from them, eat out and spend time with her family.

www.facebook.com/Irishdesign2015

@irishhdesign2015

instagram.com/irishdesign2015