Laces of Ireland stand at the Knitting&Stitching Show in Belfast

At the beginning of 2024, the Guild of Irish Lacemakers was contacted to discuss the opportunity of having a stand at the Knitting&Stitching Show in Belfast from the 7th to the 10th of November 2024.

The Knitting and Stitching Show used to come to RDS every year, and it was a huge event for every crafter in the country. Following Brexit, the organisers decided to bring the show to Northern Ireland, rather than Dublin.

The Guild’s committee called on all lace groups around the country for expressions of interest, as we are all volunteers and it would have been extremely difficult for one group to cover 4 days.

We had several Zoom meetings throughout the year, and, based on the preferences expressed by various lacemaker groups, we came up with a list of participating groups and a roster. Sara Clancy was brilliant as coordinator and the brain of the operation, and a WhatsApp group helped us communicate closer to the show dates.

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Headford Lace Project and Borris Lacemakers represented the Laces of Ireland network on the first day:

Friday, 8 November 2024 – Friends of Lace Limerick

Saturday, 9 November 2024 – The South Armagh Lace Collective

Sunday, 10 November 2024 – The Guild of Irish Lacemakers

We met so many people interested in lace – young and old – that we think our efforts really paid off. Despite of the complete absence of lace material suppliers from the show, we enjoyed our time in Belfast and would consider such an opportunity again.

South Armagh Lace Collective visiting Limerick

Between 4 and 6 October 2024, a delegation of The South Armagh Lace Collective came to visit Limerick , following the invitation of Friends of Lace Limerick.

Day 1 of the visit was spent in the Limerick Museum, studying and discussing pieces from the Florence Vere O’Brien and the Maude Kearney collections.

On Day 2 of the visit, Eva Ryley taught a Limerick lace workshop in the Limerick Museum in the morning.

In the afternoon we paid a visit to the Sisters of Mercy Provincial Heritage Centre in Charleville, hosted and guided by Sr. Bernadette Knopek. Sr. Bernadette was an amazing host, bringing artefacts to life with the stories she told us. We are really sorry to hear that the Heritage Centre closure is imminent – it is such an important repository of Ireland’s lacemaking history!

Day 3 was dedicated to a Limerick city walking tour, with an emphasis on “places of lace”: Todd’s, Cannock’s, the different sites of Florence Vere O’Brien s lace school (Bank Place, 112 and 48 George Street), Thomondgate where Thomond Lace Industry was based, Clare Street, where the David Kinnear and the David McClure manufacturers were based, and finishing with the site of the Good Shepherd Convent.

On the way back, we paid a visit to the Antique Loft at the Limerick Milk Market and had coffee together in The Savoy Hotel . Less photos, as we were too busy making plans!

We had a wonderful time together, and we are all looking forward to meeting again soon!

Culture Night – 20 September 2024

Here are the lace-related events happening around the country, as advertised by the Culture Night website::

History And Lacemaking Demonstration With Youghal Needlepoint Lace Group, Youghal Co. Cork, , 16:00-17:15, an opportunity to see past and present

An Evening Celebrating Youghal Lace, Youghal, co. Cork, 19:00-21:00- Showcasing pieces of Youghal lace, photographs and memorabilia with light refreshments served on the night.

If Lace Could Talk – Lace Stories, Limerick, co Limerick, 18:00-20:30, – a 10 min video running in a loop in the Limerick Museum , presenting the stories behind five lace objects (both traditional and modern) designed to be worn. The video will also premiere on YouTube on Culture Night.

LACE AGUS CEOL, Borris, Co.Carlow – 20:00-23:00 – a brief talk about Borris Lace, accompanied by a display of beautiful samples of the lace, followed by lively entertainment from local traditional musicians.

Limerick Lace And The Laces Of Ireland Project, Headford, co. Galway -20:00 – 22:00 – Gabriela Avram (Friends of Lace Limerick) will introhttps://culturenight.ie/event/limerick-lace-and-the-laces-of-ireland-project/duce the history and heritage of Limerick Lacemaking. After that, she will also outline the project ‘Laces of Ireland – An All Ireland Lace Trail‘.

Heritage in Lace, Cork, co. Cork, 17:00 – 21:00 – Irish Lace exhibition at Nano Nagle Place Museum .

August Craft Month and Heritage Week 2024

Here’s a summary of lace events taking place in August:

3 Aug – Irish lace making interactive display and workshop – The Guild of Irish Lacemakers, Collins Barracks, Dublin

3 Aug – Lace making demonstrations at Arthur Cottage – Arthur Cottage, Dreen Road, Cullybackey, Co Antrim

16, 17, and 18 Aug – Clones Lace Workshop, Ulster Canal Stores, Clones, co. Monaghan

17 Aug – Celebrate August Craft Month with Borris Lacemakers – Borris House, co Carlow

18 Aug – Crafternoon Tea with Headford Lace Project, Anglers Rest, Headford, Co. Galway

21 Aug – Crafternoon Tea at the Museum Studio, Mountmellick Embroidery and Heritage Museum, Mountmellick, co. Laois

21-23 Aug – Carrickmacross Lace Summer School: 3-Dimensional Snowdrop – Theresa Kelly – Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre, Co Armagh

22-23 August – Limerick lace pop-up exhibition, Friends of Lace Limerick, 16 Roches St., Limerick city

23 Aug – The History of Irish Lace, Cork Public Library, Cork

23 Aug – Open day at Mountmellick Embroidery and Heritage Museum, Mountmellick, co. Laois

24 Aug – Bring Out Your Lace 2024, Friends of Lace Limerick, People’s Museum, Limerick

24 Aug, Talk with Veronica Stuart on Historical Youghal Lace, Nano Nagle Place, Cork

25th August – A Stitch in Time. Lacemaking in South Armagh. Films from the Archives with Northern Ireland Screen, South Armagh Lace Collective: 3pm on Sunday in Culloville Community Centre, 3 Corasmoo Road, Culloville,  Co Armagh.  BT35 9FE

29 Aug 2024 – Discover Lace in Ireland – online event organised by Friends of Lace Limerick and the South Armagh Lace Collective.

31 Aug – Celebrate August Craft Month with Borris Lacemakers, Arboretum Home and Garden Centre, Leighlinbridge

1-31 August- Lacemaking demonstrations on demand at the Kenmare Lace and Design Centre, Monday to Friday 10.30 am to 1.00pm.

1-31 August – Linked by a Thread lace exhibition, Clones Lace Museum at the Ulster Canal Stores Visitor Centre .

You can switch to Calendar View here.

Application submitted!

The collaboration between Friends of Lace Limerick and The South Armagh Lace Collective has led to several joint funding applications since our first joint project in 2019.

The two groups came up with the idea of a lace trail, that would map places of lace interest both in their localities, and across the island of Ireland, back in 2019. The pandemic interrupted the mutual visits, but the connections between the two groups continued online. The availability of such a lace trail has both national and international tourism potential and would encourage the organisation of lace tours throughout the island of Ireland.

In May, we identified the Creative Communities on a Shared Island programme as a potential pathway for continuing to work on this idea. We were fortunate to be able to persuade the Limerick Arts Office to support our application, as each county can put forward one project only.

The application involves our two groups – Friends of Lace Limerick and the South Armagh Lace Collective-, as well as the Limerick Museum, the Armagh County Museum and the Cork Public Museum, who all have extensive lace collections.

Fingers crossed!