Who Should You Learn Woodturning From in Ireland? A Beginner’s Guide to Classes & Tuition
- David Condon
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Why I’m Writing This
If you’re thinking about learning woodturning in Ireland, or even if you’ve already started and feel like you’re going in circles, you’ve probably asked yourself a simple question:
Who should I actually learn from?
It’s not as straightforward as it sounds.
There are some exceptional woodturners in Ireland, and from my own experience, I can speak highly of Glenn Lucas. But the truth is, the right person to learn from depends on where you are in your journey.
Learning from the Best in Ireland
When I eventually decided to reach out for help, I made the decision to learn from Glenn Lucas.
I attended two separate days of tuition with him, one in late 2015 and another about six months later in 2016.
I learned a great deal from those sessions, and they had a lasting impact on how I approach woodturning. To this day, I have nothing but respect for him.
He is, without question, one of the most accomplished woodturners in Ireland, and his approach to teaching is incredibly structured and refined. You’re learning from someone who has developed systems, techniques, and workflows over decades.
If you’re looking for:
A structured learning environment
Proven systems
A very polished approach to woodturning
Then learning from someone like Glenn is an excellent choice.
The Reality for Most Beginners
But here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough.
Most beginners don’t walk into a workshop thinking about “systems” or long-term progression.
They’re thinking:
What tool do I even pick up first?
Why does this keep catching?
Why can’t I get a clean finish?
Am I doing something completely wrong?
There’s often a bit of nerves too. A lathe can feel intimidating at the start, and even simple cuts can feel unpredictable.
That’s where the type of teaching matters just as much as the skill of the person teaching.
A lot of this comes down to using the right tools and understanding how they behave. I’ve written a separate guide on the essential spindle tools beginners should start with, which helps take some of the guesswork out of it.
If you’re ready to move into bowl turning, it’s worth getting your tool choice right from the start so you’re not buying twice. I’ve covered that in more detail in my post, The 3 bowl gouges I recommend to my students, where I break down exactly what I use and why.
A Different Kind of Learning Experience
Not everyone learns best in a structured group setting.
Some people just want to:
Ask questions freely
Make mistakes without pressure
Go at their own pace
That’s where a more hands-on, one-to-one approach can make a big difference.
In a typical group class, the focus is often on completing a specific project. That works well, but it can also mean there’s less time to go deeper into individual problems.
If you hit a sticking point, the class can’t always pause while you work through it. Most people don’t want to hold things up, so they move on, even if something hasn’t fully clicked yet.
That’s completely normal in a group setting, but it can leave gaps in understanding, especially for beginners.
In my own workshop here in Kerry, that’s exactly what I focus on.
We slow things down, work through the basics properly, and deal with issues as they come up. No assumptions, no rushing.
It’s not about producing a finished piece on the day, it’s about understanding why the tools work the way they do and how you can replicate the cuts I show you in the class in your own workshop at home.
Why I Offer a Different Approach
Over time, I started to notice a gap in how woodturning was being taught.
Many courses are built around full-day sessions or producing a finished piece, which works well for some people, but not everyone learns best that way.
Some people simply don’t want, or can’t manage, a full day in the workshop. Others come in with very specific problems they want to solve, rather than starting from scratch and making something from start to finish.
That’s what led me to structure my own sessions differently.
I offer shorter, more focused sessions that are easier to take in, easier to fit into your day, and far more adaptable to what you actually need help with. My advice comes directly from my own experiences learning the craft which are still fresh in my mind.
Whether it’s sharpening, tool control, sanding, or just building confidence at the lathe, we can focus on that one area and work through it properly.
For a lot of people, that approach works far better than trying to take everything in over the course of a full day.
That’s where I find my approach works particularly well for beginners, or for people who feel like they’ve hit a wall and just need things to start making sense.
If You’ve Already Started… and Feel Stuck
This is the part that often gets overlooked.
A lot of people have already started woodturning, some only a few months in, others who have been at it for years.
They’ve bought a lathe, picked up a few tools, watched videos, and maybe even made a few pieces.
But then… things stop improving.
You might recognise it:
Tools don’t feel right
Cuts are inconsistent
Tearout keeps appearing
Sanding never quite gives a clean finish
Confidence starts to dip
And the frustrating part is, you feel like you should be able to figure it out yourself.
So you keep going, repeating the same cuts, the same sanding process, hoping something will click.
You’re Not Alone (and It’s Fixable)
I see this more often than you’d think.
People who are genuinely interested in woodturning, putting in the time, but held back by a few small things that were never quite corrected early on.
Most of the time, it comes down to things like:
Sharpening
Tool presentation
Body position
Understanding the grain
Not big, dramatic problems, just small details that make a huge difference once they’re understood properly.
And once those pieces fall into place, everything starts to change.
Cuts become cleaner, sanding becomes easier, and finishing starts to work the way it should.
That’s where a one-to-one session can really help. Instead of starting from scratch or working through a full project, we can focus directly on what’s holding you back and fix it properly.
Small Group Courses vs One-to-One Learning
There’s no right or wrong here, just different approaches.
Group Courses
Lightly Structured
Efficient
Great for exposure to techniques
One-to-One Tuition
Personalised
Faster progress
Focused entirely on you
Some people thrive in a group environment.
Others benefit far more from having the space to ask questions and work through problems properly.
If you’re unsure what to expect on the day, I’ve written a separate post on attending your first woodturning class, which helps take some of the mystery out of it. At least if you are coming to me that is.
Woodturning in Ireland
We’re lucky in Ireland to have a strong woodturning community.
Organisations like the Irish Woodturners Guild offer:
Demonstrations
Meet-ups
A chance to learn from other turners
It’s a great way to stay connected and continue learning over time.
If you’d like a broader look at woodturning in Ireland, including how it has developed over time and how to get started, I’ve covered that in more detail in this post.
So… Who Should You Learn From?
It depends on what you need right now.
If you want a structured, system-based approach from one of the best in the country → learning from someone like Glenn Lucas is a fantastic option
If you’re completely new and want a more relaxed, hands-on introduction → a one-to-one session can make things much easier
If you’ve already started but feel like you’re not progressing → that’s exactly the stage where the right guidance can make the biggest difference
Final Thoughts
There’s no single “best” woodturner to learn from in Ireland.
But there is a best fit for you.
If you’re just starting out, or if you’ve been struggling away on your own and want to move forward properly, I offer beginner and intermediate-friendly woodturning sessions here in Kerry, where we work through things step by step, at your pace.
No pressure, no assumptions, just practical learning that helps things make sense.
A small bit of guidance early on can save a lot of frustration later.
If that sounds like what you need, you can find more details about my woodturning tuition here.
In the meantime, you can also explore my Woodturning Guides & Articles page for more helpful content.
Thanks for Reading,
David
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About the Author
I’m David Condon, a woodturner and small business owner based in Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been working with wood for most of my life at this stage — 11 years as a carpenter and over a decade running my own woodturning business.
Over the years, I’ve learned that woodturning is as much about patience and problem-solving as it is about tools and technique. I work mainly with Irish hardwoods, teach woodturning full-time, and spend most days learning something new in the workshop myself. On this site, I share the same practical knowledge I pass on to my students, shaped by experience, mistakes, and time spent at the lathe. If you’re interested in learning in person, I offer woodturning lessons in Tralee, with details available on my Woodturning Tuition page.
© David Condon Woodcraft – All Rights Reserved.
More Woodturning Pages to Explore
● Hampshire Sheen - Fine Finishing products that will highlight your project pieces
● Hamlet Tools - Fantastic Woodturning Tools from a well trusted brand
● Woodcraft Hub - View my woodcraft creations for inspiration of gift buying.
● Sanding Essentials - Essential sanding products for Woodturners & Woodworkers.
● Woodturning Blanks - A fine range of Hardwood Spindle Blanks & a few Bowl Blanks too!
● Woodturning Pen Blanks - A huge assortment of Acrylic & Irish Hardwood Pen Blanks.
● Crafter's Haven – A vast range of craft supplies for crafters and gift givers!
Original content © David Condon Woodcraft — Written by David Condon. Please credit and link if shared.
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