A long-established furniture manufacturer in Skibbereen (Ireland), is set to close, resulting in the loss of 20 jobs. Company founder Jim O'Donnell confirmed that a collapse in market demand had made continued operation unsustainable.
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He explained that the firm, O'Donnell Designs, had recently completed a project in Killarney and was due to begin another in Cork Harbour when the hotel client cancelled due to "fluctuations in the American market." Attempts to secure further contracts in Ireland and the UK were unsuccessful, leaving the company without sufficient cash flow.
O'Donnell stated that while the business had survived Brexit, the Covid-19 lockdowns, and the war in Ukraine, 2025 brought an unexpected downturn. 'We started the year well, made a small profit, and then our market collapsed,' he said. He added that the Irish market had proven "difficult, almost impossible" to sustain.
A small number of staff will move to the family's neighbouring venture, West Cork Film Studios, which has contributed an estimated €30m to the local economy through recent productions. Remaining employees will receive redundancy packages following the factory's closure.
Source: www.southernstar.ie
