Fashionistas in Limerick are very excited about The Cloth Shop, stocking all sorts of interesting fabrics, new and vintage, for clothes and interiors. The owner is Deirdre Noonan, a former RTÉ camerawoman who has always made her own clothes, including her wedding dress, and who now has a daughter studying fashion. She made the move after spending time and money searching for materials in Dublin and London.

Being a small outlet gives her an advantage over bigger fabric chains because she can respond quickly to trends. Current stock includes velvets, silks, cottons and lace as well as some lovely shirting, curtain and upholstery materials. The more unusual fabrics attract fashion students from nearby Limerick School of Art and Design and her plans include showcasing the work of textile graduates and helping to reinstate Limerick as a fashion capital. The Cloth Shop is at 3 St John’s Street, Limerick.