Bringing Beamish Heritage to Life in Stained Glass
When Beamish approached us about creating a bespoke piece for their Breakthrough campaign, we knew straight away that stained glass was the perfect medium.
Beamish has been brewed in Cork since 1792 and has always celebrated authenticity, craftsmanship and Irish heritage. Their brief was to create a contemporary piece of pub artwork that reflected those values while feeling at home in modern Irish pubs.
For us, the answer was obvious.
Traditional stained glass has been part of Irish pubs for generations. We wanted to honour that tradition while giving it a fresh, contemporary interpretation.
Looking Back to Move Forward
Before putting pencil to paper, we spent time researching historic pub stained glass, vintage brewery advertising and traditional Beamish branding.
What fascinated us was how many of these handcrafted pieces were never designed to be temporary. They were built to last for decades, becoming part of the identity of the pubs they lived in.
That philosophy mirrors our own approach at Eirlume Studio. We believe handmade work should become part of a place rather than simply decorate it.
Designing the Piece
Our concept centred around creating a backlit stained glass panel, a nod to the illuminated signs that once featured in pubs across Ireland.
The iconic Beamish “B” became the focal point of the design. Although it appears simple at first glance, recreating the logo in stained glass required an extraordinary amount of precision. Every curve had to be carefully broken down into individual pieces of glass while maintaining the character of the original artwork.
Surrounding the logo, we designed a decorative border inspired by traditional stained glass compositions, using Beamish’s distinctive reds, ambers and warm cream tones.
We were commissioned to create five handcrafted stained glass panels, which will be installed in Beamish pubs around Ireland. Knowing that these pieces will become part of the atmosphere and character of pubs across the country makes this commission especially meaningful.
Hundreds of Pieces, One Finished Artwork
Every section of the panel was individually cut, ground, copper-foiled and soldered together by hand in our Leitrim studio.
Projects like this are incredibly rewarding because stained glass forces you to slow down. Every line matters. Every join has to be considered. Every small piece contributes to the finished image.
The intricate detailing inside the Beamish “B” was particularly enjoyable to make and pushed both the design and craftsmanship to a level we had not explored before.
The Moment It Came Alive
There is always one magical moment in every stained glass project.
After days of cutting, foiling and soldering, the panel is finally complete. Then the light goes on for the very first time.
Seeing the Beamish panel illuminated was one of those unforgettable moments.
The colours suddenly came alive, the glass began to glow and the detail throughout the piece revealed itself in a completely different way. It is difficult to describe, but it is the moment when the artwork feels complete.
We both just stood there smiling, we were very excited.
A Celebration of Irish Craft
What we love most about this project is how naturally it brought together traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Beamish wanted to celebrate genuine character and heritage, and we wanted to demonstrate that traditional crafts such as stained glass still have a place in modern interiors.
Rather than recreating history, this project shows how historic craft techniques can continue to evolve and find new audiences.
We are incredibly grateful to Beamish for trusting us with such an exciting commission and giving us the opportunity to create a piece that celebrates both Irish brewing heritage and handmade craftsmanship.
Over the coming months, five handcrafted stained glass panels will find their homes in Beamish pubs around Ireland, where we hope they will become part of each pub’s character and story for many years to come.