Offaly woman's accessories business is catching the eye

"Anything can be charmed". That's the view of rising Offaly entrepreneur Eabha Greville, founder of Gravel & Stones, an accessories business that is drawing attention in Ireland's fashion world.

The Ballycumber native, 21, officially launched her business in May of this year, after much time researching and developing the idea, which offers people an opportunity to purchase unique and stylish handbag charms and bag accessories.

"I spent the second half of 2025 quietly working on Gravel & Stones behind-the-scenes. I'm actually quite reserved when it comes to new ideas," Eabha explained.

"I've always believed in keeping things to myself until they come to fruition. If I told someone an idea and they said it was bad, there's a good chance I would overthink it and never do it, so I wasn't taking that risk with Gravel & Stones.

"I was more or less ready to go by March, but officially launched in May with our hero product, the mini bags. They sold out in 50 minutes," said Eabha.

"That first launch was completely surreal. Seeing people I didn’t know buying something that I created felt so strange, in the best possible way. Even now, when I see an order come through from somebody I have no connection to whatsoever, I still get that feeling."

The first people she did confide in about the project, though, were her parents, Shaun Greville and Debbie Stones (both originally from Clara). Indeed, the name of the company is a tribute to her parents.

Eabha said her parents met when they were 12 and people used to jokingly call them 'gravel and stones'.

"I always knew that if I created something of my own, that would be the name," she said. "I eventually told them over dinner in a restaurant in Tullamore, and when we left I basically banned my mother from asking me any more questions about it!

"I still like being able to go home and act like a teenager. If my family had it their way, I’d be answering business questions from the second I got off the train (from her base in Dublin) until the second I got back on it after the weekend," added Eabha, who is also currently studying psychology at University College Dublin.

Looking back on her path into such a creative world, Eabha spoke about the Junk Kouture competition she entered while in Moate Community School in Westmeath.

"It was a mixed school, which I actually think made me a little tougher and more confident in myself. I was never particularly interested in business in school. For a long time I was convinced I wanted to study medicine.

"My sister got into medicine with flying colours on her first attempt, so I think part of me thought I would naturally follow the same path," she recalled.

"Junk Kouture, on the other hand, was a huge part of my adolescence. My art teacher, Pamela Keogh, was, and still is, a massive inspiration. Even her personal style is something I still think about when I’m putting outfits together.

"During my final few years in school, she really guided and encouraged me creatively. I made my Junk Kouture dress myself, but with her guidance, and I think anyone who has done Junk Kouture in that school would agree that we would have got nowhere without her.

"The fact it has been five years and I still somehow reference making that dress probably says everything about how much the process meant to me. It gave me a real appreciation for taking an idea that exists in your head and figuring out how to turn it into something tangible," she said.

When she spoke to us, Eabha was making preparations for a visit to Istanbul, Turkey, to meet with her manufacturers, where new ideas would be bounced around for upcoming releases. And the Offaly woman has plenty of ideas to share, she said.

"When I meet the manufacturers I’m sure they will think a few ideas are completely ridiculous, but that is kind of the point. I don’t want Gravel & Stones to take itself too seriously.

"I want people to look at something completely ordinary and wonder what it would look like shrunk-down and hanging from a bag. A sandal, a handbag, a random object. Genuinely, anything can be charmed," she said.

The brand has already generated over €10,000 in sales, and some of its 'drops' have sold more than 200 pieces in around an hour. Gravel & Stones was also featured in the renowned Image magazine.

"Originally, I actually wanted Gravel & Stones to be an apparel brand, and I would still love to explore clothing at some point. For now, though, I think I’m in a really strong position being known for charms.

"Most successful brands have a hero product or category that people immediately associate with them, and I like that Gravel & Stones is beginning to own that space.

"Accessories are technically a subsection of fashion, but I don’t see that as limiting at all. If anything, it gives me somewhere to grow from," Eabha said.

Five new mini-bags were made available by Gravel & Stones recently, and the next 'drop', Eabha said, will include another batch of mini-bags.

"Beyond that, I’m already gearing up for Christmas and using my upcoming trip to Istanbul to work on new samples and ideas.

"The fun part is that I never completely know which ideas will make it from a sketch or tech pack all the way through to sampling and eventually onto the website. But people can definitely expect colour, quirkiness and a whole lot of charm," Eabha added.

For more information on Gravel & Stones, see: gravelandstones.ie