Bear Essentials

Bear Essentials is a teddy bear craft business, gift shop and visitor attraction beside Brackley Lake at Bawnboy, County Cavan, within the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. Run by teddy bear maker Anke Morgenroth, it is home to what is billed as the largest collection of teddy bears in Ireland, ranging from Anke’s own Irish-made designs to established brands such as Steiff, Charlie Bears and Bukowski. There is also a teddy bear hospital on site, which takes in well-loved bears for repair and restoration.

Alongside the shop is the Silver Bear Centre, which houses a collection of vintage early twentieth-century teddy bears together with an assortment of curiosities, including ancient fossils and a meteorite. The centre runs workshops and events suited to all ages and to special needs groups, and visitors can book a half or full day of traditional teddy bear making and go home with a bear they have created themselves.

The site is geared towards families, with a children’s playground and a fairy forest in the grounds. Both the shop and the Silver Bear Centre are wheelchair accessible, and there is ample parking for cars and coaches. It sits roughly 2km from Bawnboy village, making it an easy stop while exploring the lakes and countryside of west Cavan.