Ulster Fry

Possibly the most absurd of all our ideas: hanging a fry from your Christmas tree.

A much-loved breakfast staple in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Fry has been given a rather unlikely Irish Linen makeover. Metallic embroidery picks out the breakfast on the plate, with a generous helping of iridescent sequins standing in for baked beans. Who would have thought—sparkly baked beans! A somewhat greasy affair in real life, translated here into linen, thread and a little sparkle.

My favourite details are the little mushrooms tucked into the top-right corner of the plate.

The inspiration came from another piece of art entirely: Belfast’s magnificent Big Fish, the ceramic-tiled sculpture by John Kindness beside the River Lagan. Among the photographs, you’ll find one of me keeping it company in my pre-baby days, when I had rather more time to enjoy things like this.

It’s beautiful from a distance, but get close and there’s a whole other world to discover. Its tiles are filled with images and snippets of Belfast history: old newspaper extracts, photographs and drawings. So many subjects familiar from my own collection appear there too, from a harbour seal and seahorse to a rugby ball, Irish harp and a tall ship, echoed in our Ship in a Bottle—not forgetting Irish whiskey and references to the linen mills. I’m sure there’s a pint in there somewhere, too.

One little drawing of an Ulster Fry caught my eye, and I can give it full credit for inspiring this decoration. A lovely example of how an unexpected detail can set an idea in motion.

When I showed my mother the first sample, as I often do, she said she loved it—then quizzed me about the flip-flop on the plate. So much for my embroidered bacon!

I may also be missing a piece of potato bread. At this scale, I’m not sure I could have made it recognisable, and the plate was already getting rather crowded. A little artistic licence with the breakfast order.

Pair it with the obligatory Teacup. Some traditions are worth keeping, even in miniature. Our Farmhouse Eggcup would feel quite at home on the breakfast table, too, for those who prefer their eggs boiled.

If this is your sort of humour, you’ll probably enjoy our novelty Buckfast Bottle, too—another familiar favourite given a rather unexpected linen makeover.

Our Irish Linen

Our luxury artisan decorations are handcrafted from beautiful Irish Linen, thoughtfully sourced from a mixture of vintage fabrics, local mill deadstock, repurposed antique tablecloths and offcuts from our own cushion making. We also work with a small number of wonderful Irish linen mills, including one of the last remaining linen mills still active in Ireland today, carefully selecting fabrics for their colour, texture and character.