Carlow farming family turns GAA medals into business success

The accumulation of lots of hurling and Gaelic football medals by her husband led Ana Coady to start a new business, Little and Loveable, on the family farm.

She said: “My husband, John, is a full-time sheep and dry cattle farmer and the idea actually started at home with his hurling and Gaelic football medals.

“Like so many people, he had medals, sports programmes and match tickets gathered over the years but they were scattered everywhere rather than displayed all together.”

In January 2024, Coady founded Little and Loveable, a personalised keepsake business that she runs from the farm at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountains in south Co. Carlow.

“I wanted to create something that would keep the medals together and make them part of the memories rather than having them sitting in a drawer.

“I made a personalised wooden medal box for John, and that was really where the idea for Little and Loveable began,” she said.

The business has since expanded to include crested hair bows and personalised key rings.

“The crested hair bows came from wanting our girls to have something extra special to wear to support their dad at his county final.

Ana Coady and daughter Charlotte with Little and Loveable’s personalised medal boxes at the foot of the Blackstairs

“Every product is personalised from our home, with orders prepared and packed around farm work and family life,” Coady said.

Little and Loveable has been selected by Carlow Local Enterprise Office (LEO) to represent the county in the Enterprise tent at the National Ploughing Championships from September 15-17.

“I run Little and Loveable alongside raising our three children, Charlotte (6), Robyn (4) and Jessica (11 months).

“One of the biggest challenges has been trying to grow a small business and raising three young children, alongside life on a busy family farm.

“There has been a lot of learning along the way too, from developing products and sourcing materials to building a website, marketing and social media.

“A lot of Little and Loveable has been learned through trial and error.”

After building the business from rural Co. Carlow, being selected to exhibit at the Ploughing is a particularly significant step, for Coady.

So far, she has not received any grants or funding for the business, but has got support and guidance from the Carlow LEO.

She said: “I have built Little and Loveable gradually myself as the business has grown.

“The reaction has been really encouraging. What started with one medal box for John has grown into personalised medal boxes for lots of different sports, as well as our crested hair bows and keyrings.

Little and Loveable founder Ana Coady with daughters Robyn and Charlotte, showcasing their personalised medal boxes

“I think parents especially understand the idea behind the medal boxes because children put so much time and effort into their sport and the medals attached to those memories deserve somewhere special to be kept.”

According to Coady, the company’s Irish sales have increased each year, with some international sales also.

She said: “Most of our sales are through our website and the majority of our customers are in Ireland, but we have also sent orders abroad, to the UK and also Thailand.

“It’s always lovely to see something made here on our farm in south Carlow making its way to a customer in another country.”

While their main focus is to grow in the Irish market, particularly families involved in GAA and other sports, Coady believes there is “definitely potential” to grow the company’s overseas sales.

“My main aim is to continue growing Little and Loveable while keeping the personal side of the business. I don’t want it to lose the story behind how it started,” she said.

She added that she would like to also develop the wholesale side of the business with clubs and retailers

“Being selected to represent Carlow at the National Ploughing Championships feels like a really exciting next step, and I’m hoping it will open some