Gosling Gifts and Games launched their first game on the 27th October 1987.

Mary Gosling, along with her husband Graham, has built a thriving business around their design led games and puzzles.

Mary grew up in West Cork where, at the age of 19, she opened a tea room for summer visitors overlooking the beach near her family home. Mary’s excursions over to London to work during the winter months brought her and Graham together.

While bringing up their children in West Cork, Graham and Mary ran a guest house welcoming visitors from all over the world. Evenings were often spent discussing their guests’ travels and helping to plan itineraries for the following day. Out of that experience grew their first game, ‘Discovering Ireland’. Launched in 1987, it became the best-selling family board game that Christmas in Ireland, and is still one of their top sellers today.

In recent years Mary has collaborated with celtic artist Courtney Davis to develop a fabulous range of new products including puzzles, greeting cards, fridge magnets, tea towels and mugs.

New for Christmas 2015 is Ark Buddies, based on the story of Noah and the Ark featuring 24 different animals that must be paired two by two into the 3D ark using memory skills. The animal cards designed by artist William Helps from Rosscarbery are so attractive and funny, and children love the fact that they can make their own Ark with the assistance of an adult..

Mary said: ‘We always try to invent games that will make participants think or learn something as well as have fun. We test every idea on our own family and friends first. Believe me, if there’s anything wrong with the prototype of a new game, we hear about it from the gang when they are all clustered around the kitchen table trying it out!’

Gosling Gifts and Games is a thriving family-run business with their roots firmly based in West Cork.