About us

The Toy Soldier Factory began as an experiment in 1981. It was a bold venture, starting with just a few shelves of products in the Prince August Factory and a couple of signs along the main road. It didn’t take long before cars started pulling into the factory, eager to explore. Over the years, we’ve honed our road signs (pictured) into famous landmarks, guiding visitors from near and far.

As our popularity grew, so did our shop, expanding several times to become the second most sought-after tourist spot in the mid-Cork area. Our most recent expansion saw the addition of an exhibition hall, housing one of the largest toy soldier dioramas in the world. This space has since been transformed into a vast workshop area, accommodating over 60 people at a time.

Heading up the factory is Lars Edman, hailing from Sweden. He arrived in Ireland in 1976 to establish the Prince August factory, and many of our dedicated staff have been with us since those early days. In addition to our renowned toy soldiers, you can also find other treasures in the factory, such as wooden knight gear and Papo figurines for our younger collectors.

And of course, no visit is complete without enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and sampling a selection of snacks in our welcoming establishment.

We offer free parking and admission to our visitor centre.

We also accept Visa and Mastercard.