Meet Ríoga Banjos

A burgeoning banjo crafting business is striking the right chord thanks to sound support from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans scheme.

Paul Conlon and John McClenaghan, co-founders of Ríoga Banjos, an innovative company redefining the traditional art of banjo making, have been named as the 2026 Start Up Loans Ambassadors for Northern Ireland.

Ríoga Banjos draw inspiration from the instrument’s golden era of the 1920s in the USA while infusing it with a touch of ‘Irish magic’.

Founder partner John McClenaghan is a banjo builder who has been hand-crafting his own instruments for 20 years.

He teamed up with Paul, a ‘banjo mechanic’ for over 30 years and teacher, to create Ríoga Banjos, a bespoke maker of hand-built Irish tenor banjos. The instrument is attracting attention and enjoying a global resurgence in popularity from players and teachers across the globe.

Initially, they had been buying metal components from America, England, and Germany, but these would often run out of stock and, as a result, hold up orders. The solution was to design and produce their own components.

Working with South Eastern Regional College, Paul and John received one-to-one training in CAD design, allowing them to develop bespoke parts inspired by the best banjos of the 1920s.

They received £20,000 of Start Up Loans finance in 2024, which was used to buy parts in bulk and commission expensive moulds, allowing the pair to take their manufacturing process to the next level.