‘When the Amazon van comes, there is no benefit to the community’

The Malin Head Community Association’s annual Christmas seasonal craft and food fair, which acts as a platform for local producers to sell their products ahead of Christmas, is taking place this Sunday.

Since 2010 the fair at the local community centre has become an important event in the area in the run-up to Christmas with hundreds of people turning up to buy gifts and produce from Inishowen suppliers.

The market will have around 30 stallholders supplying a range of locally-produced crafts and food products including art, photographs, artisan jewellery, pottery, embroidery candles, wreaths, locally-made honey and home baking.

The fair is restricted to suppliers of quality craft and environmentally friendly products and, as one of the first fairs of its kind in the peninsula, is part of a drive by the community association to foster a relationship between local crafters and the community.

Manager of the community centre, Ali Farren, said the popularity of the fair means there has been a very high demand from vendors and available stalls are limited. Every year it is “bumper to bumper with customers”.

“The market is a place for crafters to sell their local products and items that are worthy of giving to people for Christmas and a lot of people locally hold off and get their presents there because the quality is good,” he said.

The event runs for just two hours between 2pm and 4pm at the community centre and normally opens with queues at the door.

“It is a good event for vendors because it is short and sharp with a high volume of people in a short space of time.”

It has become a big event in the community centre’s calendar and is an important fundraiser, but it is also a big event within the community for people who want to make sure they are supporting local producers.

“As a community, we are trying to encourage people to buy local and buy Donegal. Local businesses are supporting us and it is important that local people are spending their money locally.

"It is good for the community to spend locally because when the Amazon van comes, there is no knock-on benefit to the community and we are trying to encourage people to spend locally and keep our money local so we can benefit our whole community.”