Visitor numbers rise at The Shed Distillery in Leitrim this year, Rigney

The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo visitor centre has seen a drastic rise in visitors this year, according to CEO and founder Pat Rigney.

Rigney said that this year the centre saw around 70,000 people come through its doors, as opposed to around 50,000 in other years.

Speaking to Shannonside, he said that many were return visitors to the centre, which includes a café, bar, gift shop and distillery tour.

“The numbers are very helpful for sustaining it as a year-round venue,” said Rigney. Meanwhile, the company, which produces Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin, has invested around €2 million in developing its visitor centre there, which will feature an Indian theme, at the distillery in Drumshanbo.

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This comes off the back of a difficult but successful year for the company that saw it increase its revenue this year by 4 per cent to €17.99 million, despite the backdrop of US tariffs and global uncertainty.

At the same time, its pre-tax profit increased by €900,000 to €2.9 million, which amounts to a rise of 3.2 per cent.

“We swam against the tide,” said Rigney, founder and CEO of The Shed Distillery, adding that this was the most difficult year of his career so far. “I have been in the industry since the eighties, and this was very tough.”

The uncertainty in the US, a vital market for the company, comes despite a significant push to further build the brand in the States, including a €2.6 million investment earlier this year, which included renting a billboard in Times Square.

“The most important thing is that the brand is working in a tough environment.”

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The company is looking to expand its brand and tap into new markets, with efforts also underway to establish a presence in Asia this year.

“We need to continue to have those great values out of Leitrim that helped us get to where we are,” said Rigney, who praised local people for their support this year. “Local people who supply us with materials and so on, and who support us - whether it’s the electrician, the plumber or the person making deliveries - everyone is on the team. It was a huge performance from a very humble, very beautiful village in Leitrim.”