Don't knock teleshopping – okay, do, but not if you're an exporter. Enterprise Ireland says sales from its annual Showcase Sale of Irish Products on the US television shopping channel AVC in 2014 were 18 per cent ahead of forecasts.

Some 15 client companies of Enterprise Ireland travelled to QVC's studios in West Chester, Pennsylvania, on St Patrick's Day last year to show off their products live on air for a total of 17 hours, and according to the business agency's end-of-year statement, all performed "ahead of expectations".

The sales-fest was the 25th year in which Enterprise Ireland has teamed up with QVC, and in that time sales of more than $500 million of Irish-made products have been shifted through the art of the teleshopping demonstration.

The “Irish” day is one of the longest-standing events on the network, which also does a “Rose of Tralee” sales special every autumn.