Offaly artist gives Minister "hope for Spring"

Re-elected Minister for Enterprise and Tourism, Peter Burke, has described a gift of a handmade St. Brigid's Cross which was dropped into his office last week by an Offaly artist as giving him "hope for Spring."

In a Facebook post, Minister Burke publicly thanked Offaly artist and Westmeath resident, Teresa Doyle, for her generous and thoughtful gesture and acknowledged that the gift had given him "hope for Spring" after what had been a very difficult week during which many households across the county, including in large parts of Westmeath, were left without power in the wake of Storm Éowyn.

"After such a difficult week, while acknowledging there are many still without power and with thanks to the ESB crews, this St. Brigid’s Cross dropped into my office today gives me hope for the Spring - Thank you Teresa Doyle" the Minister's Facebook post read.

Teresa Doyle is a daughter of the late Brendan and Lil Kelly from Kilcavan, Geashill on the Offaly border with Laois, and is a graduate of the Limerick College of Art and Design. She is the founder of Teresa Doyle Bespoke Dolls and Craft, a range of bespoke fabric memory dolls which she sells on the domestic market and also internationally.

Although a proud Offaly woman, Teresa has made her home in the rural north Westmeath village of Ranaghan, outside Collinstown from where she operates her business enterprise.