by Ronan McSherry r.mcsherry@ulsterherald.com

Painting is in the blood of Ashley O'Donnell. For 14 years the Omagh mother of two has been hand painting pieces at Belleek pottery and enjoys every minute. Sure it is no wonder as Ashley's grandfather Patrick Quinn was a renowned sign writer in the town.

After serving a two year apprenticeship she accomplished her ambition of being a fully fledged artist. Ashley said, "I really enjoy my work. I loved art at school and was going to do a foundation course but this came along.

"Belleek pottery is celebrating 150 years in existence and it is a very exciting time to be working there. In my work I do a lot of free hand painting on a range of pieces. There are 13 painters altogether though only a few of us do hand painted specially commissioned work. Recently that has included GAA pieces such as commemorative plates as well as putting on special inscriptions for occasions such as anniversaries, weddings and christenings."

Those familiar with Belleek pottery know the beautifully inscribed Celtic designs Ashley and her colleagues apply to their vast array of giftware from clocks to trays and lamps, and tea pots to dishes and vases.

With the anniversary celebrations in full swing Belleek pottery is more popular than ever. Ashley continued, "It is very busy at the minute and our sales include a lot of orders from the QVC shopping channel in America. As well with the tourist season about to get into full swing there are a lot of tours going on. We get visitors from America and from across Britain and Europe. The popularity of our product has also remained strong at home with local people and visitors from throughout Ireland calling.

"A lot of the work we have been doing lately has been of old pieces that were made over 100 years ago being hand painted. This would include painting flowers on baskets and other pieces of pottery."

Established in 1857, Belleek Pottery holds a very special place in the cultural and commercial heritage of Co Fermanagh. Situated in the picturesque village of Belleek on the banks of the river Erne, this imposing building is home to the world famous Belleek Fine Parian China and Belleek Visitor Centre, where facilities include guided tours, museum, audio visual theatre, showroom and restaurant.

Ashley O'Donnell joined the company in 1993 and has enjoyed every minute of her time as a painter. For Ashley it is a labour of love.