A Liberties craft workshop with a social side

This time last year, Ciara Kavanagh and Billy Fagan launched a company with a difference, and their workshops have been filling up and selling out since February.

The idea that animates Create & Sip is to host sociable, even boozy, creative workshop.

“We wanted to make it a nice social event for people to come to, where they can relax, unwind, and get creative,” says Kavanagh.

Create & Sip currently hosts two different events: Charm & Sip and Bead & Booze. The Charm & Sip workshops allow attendees to create their own custom charm necklace or bracelet, while in the Bead & Booze workshops you get to create beaded jewellery.

With Fagan on the decks and everyone perfecting their custom piece of jewellery, there is a bustling atmosphere in the workshops. There are groups of friends participating, but also individuals looking for something different to do on a Friday night. The events are BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) – but you don’t have to drink!

“We have a lot of people who come and don’t drink,” says Kavanagh.

The company originally began hosting events at Flux Studios on Rainsford Street. “We just really love this space,” says Kavanagh. As Flux Studios recently expanded to the city centre, some workshops are held there as well – but they’re mainly in the heart of the Liberties.

Kavanagh says a lot of the company’s growth “was organic at the start” due to some of their TikTok videos going viral. This is how they started selling out their workshops so early on.

Create & Sip hosts Christmas workshops for companies looking for a unique ‘work-do’ this season.

Currently, Charm & Sip events are held three times a month. “We have a couple more ideas of workshops that we are thinking of doing and planning at the minute,” says Kavanagh.