Hot Milk Forge in Martinstown was launched as the eighth Économusée artisan workshop in the Causeway Coast and Glens area on Saturday 13th April 2019.
Hot Milk Forge joins the elite network of food and craft artisans who open their doors to visitors and tourists to share the story of their journey and acquired knowledge, skill and passion.
Guest speakers at the launch included Brenda Murphy, Tourism N.Ireland and Graham Thompson, Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust and lead partner of the Économusée Artisan At Work project in N.Ireland. Graham commented: “I am delighted to see the Économusée network growing from strength to strength and to see the launch of the eighth Économusée workshop in the area. We are pleased to welcome Hot Milk Forge to the ÉCONOMUSÉE network in Northern Ireland”.
Hot Milk Forge was founded in 2014 by professional Artist/Sculptor Eamonn Higgins. Visitors to the workshop can participate in evening and weekend Classes in Blacksmithing and Bladesmithing with an artistic twist.
Carole O’Kane, Corporate Services Manager said “By visiting each of the eight Économusée artisan workshops, tourists and visitors will gain an enhanced experience; learn about the history of the craft and the business; the enthusiasm of the artist along with the added opportunity of meeting the artisans face to face and discovering the beauty and authenticity of the products made and sold onsite. We are thankful to our funders; Mid & East Antrim Borough Council and Tourism NI to enable us to increase the Économusée network in the area”.
These unique visitor attractions add to the overall experiential tourism of the Causeway Coastal Route. Three of the artisan workshops are in the Mid & East Antrim Borough Council and five in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council.”
Eamonn said: ‘I would like to express my thanks to everyone present for attending this special launch and all those that helped us reach the stage we are at today.
As part of our commitment to the Économusée network we will offer visitors pre-booked artisan black/bladesmithing classes; tours of the workshop where they will see the storyboards, which tell the history of smithing and the process.
Économusée Artisans at Work is a concept that was developed in Québec and involves partners from Canada, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Haiti, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Within Northern Ireland there are currently seven ÉCONOMUSÉE workshops; Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil in Limavady, Scullion Hurls in Loughgiel, Steenson’s Jewellers in Glenarm, Hillstown Brewery in Ahoghill, Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Broughgammon Farm and North Coast Smokehouse in Ballycastle. Each workshop is situated on or close by the famous Causeway Coastal Route making it an ideal craft trail for visitors.
