CCI-newsletter-1984-47-September-October

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1984

Crafts Council of Ireland Thomas Prior House Merrion Road Dublin 4

Telephone 680764 / 603070

THE GREAT CRAFTS FAIR While the public did not flood through the turnstiles in perhaps quite the numbers anticipated by the Council, there were times when the queues were healthily long and on the Sunday afternoon the aisles were jammed with visitors and the exhibitors were put to the pins of their collars to cope with it all. Cope they did to the extent of over £200,000 of sales which, for small studios, family or one person operations was not all that bad and most people went home happy.

Two people that went home happy went home to Houston, Texas with two original works of quilting art under their arms, indeed some £1,800 worth of quilting art and for a Waterford-born Texan and his wife the satisfaction of possessing a prizewinning quilt (see the July/August Newsletter) and chalking up another success for the Irish Patchwork Society.

The cross section of the crafts sectors' smaller producers did the public proud when they could at last see what was being produced and were not being turned away because it was a trade only occasion. Comments such as, "we didn't know crafts were like this", or "we didn't know there was so much" or "such high quality" or even one comment "why do we have to import anything" gave some indication of the experience it was for the general visitor. They'll be back next year — and more.

Irish Spinners Ltd. Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo Pure new wool bainin and coloured hand knitting yarns.

Telephone (094) 81156

5th -9th SEPTEMBER 1984 s™ 6m 7m ADMISSION

I1-30AM TO 6 - 3 0 P M ADULTS £ 2

8TH 9TH

MINISTER OPENS NEW FAIR At the opening of The Great Crafts Fair, the Minister of State at the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism, Mr. Eddie Collins, T.D., spoke of his particular pleasre in officiating today at the opening of the Fair which had been specifically devised for public participation.

"As Minister with special responsibility for the crafts sector, it has been my pleasant duty for the past two years to officiate each January at the opening of the Crafts Council of Ireland's National Crafts Trade Fair.

As many of you will know, the January Fair is now an internationally important trade fair at which over ÂŁ3m. worth of business is transacted in the three days of its duration. Being a serious trading occasion it has never been possible to admit the general public. This has always seemed a pity to me because the Trade Fair is something we can be justly proud of and the variety of the fine products of the craft sector all in one place is something which should be seen by everyone.

Indeed the crafts industry in general deserves our appreciation and support.

The importance of craft production to the economy was recognised earlier this year with the introduction of a concession whereby VAT refunds could be obtained on goods leaving the country.

The Crafts Council with this new venture has now afforded craftsmen an opportunity to display and to sell some of their handiwork direct to the public as they would from their own studios. Many fine craft products, from good production pieces to creations of great individuality, are gathered here and it is possible to view and purchase such items during the rest of the week. In addition, there are four demonstrations of interest to all and four special selling exhibitions of unique creative works which are "one off" and not in general production. The Burren exhibition will be of special interest being impressions of that landscape.

This Fair is part of the Council's vital policy of ensuring that quality crafts are made more accessable to and are better understood by the general public. It is expected that from it will also come valuable information for the Council's future planning, through examination of the sales potential of formal retail craft fairs of this sort.

All of this is in line with the Crafts Council's Plan for the development of the sector. This document, which was

Waterford basket maker, Cathy Hayden, who demonstrated at The Great Crafts Fair shows the Minister of State one of her works.

drawn up by the Council after full consultation with all the interests concerned with the developments of crafts, is in effect a plan of action for the next five years and is a very necessary and welcome initiative. As Minister with special responsibility for crafts the Plan has my full support.

Other measures included in the Plan centre on training, the development of products of the highest standards, and the active exploration of receptive markets.

In the crafts sector, as elsewhere, there are weaknesses as well as strengths. We must build on our strengths and eradicate our weaknesses. This means paying increased attention to marketing as well as to research, design, quality and production development.

Workshops offer strong grounds for co-operation in the development of the crafts sector. Having such expertise as an in-house resource should pay valuable dividends, particularly in the areas of marketing, design and training and should ensure maximum use of State funded services.

The general public too has a vital part to play in the development of the craft sector. Its appreciation of and insistence upon products of overall high standards are essential if we in Ireland are to have a reputation for quality, and to establish ourselves in a market place where product design is increasingly taking precedence over price. I would urge more shops to display and sell Irish craft products. I would also call on industry and indeed all our public and private institutions to make full use of Irish crafts in their offices and buildings. This everyday publicity for our goods is an important and necessary back-up to the more formal and organised exhibitions."

The restructuring of the Council's Management Committee last year and the appointment to the Committee, at this year's AGM, of senior officers from AnCO, IDA, CTT and Kilkenny Design

.

Cathy MacAleavy, Chairman of The Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers showing some of the Guild's exhibits at The Great Crafts Fair to William Finlay, Chairman of the Crafts Council and Minister of State, Mr. Eddie Collins, T.D., who opened the Fair.

EXHIBITIONS SUCCESS The four exhibitions at The Great Crafts Fair were successful in both economic and visual terms. "The Burren", impressions of a landscape by 12 textile artists was a fascinating exhibition if a little above the ordinary head and, possibly, too over-awed by its space. But good stuff — to see that strange landscape through the eyes of Irish, England, Welsh and Greek textile artists was interesting enough, but to see it as clothing, embroidery, knitwear, stitchery, drawing, collage and even kimonos was an experience in the design process.

The Craft Potters Society exhibition was a very well chosen and compact affair and seemed much stronger than their annual exhibition which occupied very much greater space. It was dominated by Jim McKeevers large terracotta figure, but it in no way diminished the other exhibits. The exhibition outsold its annual "parent" which seems to indicate that exposure to fine one-off pieces in a gallery setting, within a public fair is a worthwhile exercise.

That fact is borne out by the experience of the Irish Patchwork Society with their exhibition. It was a stunner, even though the rather limited space meant a cramping of their individual pieces when plenty of space would have shown off their splendour more. Even at prices of £250, £400 and over £ 1,000, sales were good.

Another happy member society of the Crafts Council of Ireland was the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers whose interesting and varied exhibition made good sales.

The Crafts Council gave to each of these societies their stand and basic lighting free on the condition that they would organise and mount a good exhibition of their members' work. They fulfilled the condition right well and did the public a service in exposing to them some fine, yet accessible one-off works.

Jim McKeever the Northern Ireland ceramic sculptor showing his terracotta figures to Minister of State, Mr. Eddie Col/ins, William Fin/ay, Crafts Council Chairman and Michael Jackson at the Craft Potters Society exhibition at The Great Crafts Fair.

ASPECTS OF IRISH LACE In many ways we all consider that that age was primitive, a century ago, when few Irish people had security of tenure of land, and most people had to draw all the water required for domestic use from local wells. In the same way we consider that our world of T.V.s, videos and international influences is sophisticated.

There may be some truth in this, but it is also true that as well as improvements there has been some regression.

Irish lace is a case in point. The improvement there can be seen in that the work has developed from a sweated labour industry to a hobby craft. The regression can be seen in that a century ago the opinions of international experts were sought and their suggestions on Irish lace design, production and marketing debated in print. Government bodies vied with each other in discovering methods of developing the industry and there were Colleges of Art to teach lace design in, at least, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Tralee, Kenmare, Killamey, Kinsaleand Youghal.

Students from all of these Colleges sat the same examinations. Moreover the Crawford School of Art in Cork prepared new designs according to the changing fashion of the day and sold them through the post to workers throughout the country.

Traditionally Irish lace centres were of two types, those based on centres organised by commercial companies, and others organised by philantropists, whether nuns or landed gentry. The commercial centres were run by businessmen who knew their market. Their priority was to get from lace centres good work at low cost. Because their market was established and nurtured, their centres remained viable for far longer than the others. The philanthropic centres were established because the reputably well fed, saw the plight of the impoverished in their locality or of their own tenantry. Because of this they endeavoured to provide an extra source of income in the district through establishing lace centres. As they attempted to "cut-out" the middle-man in the hope of getting better prices for the work, the responsibility for the success of the industry fell on the organiser. Charged with this, society ladies seem to have depended frequently on selling the products to acquaintances and society contacts. This worked well for a time but it meant that the life of a centre depended on the enthusiasm, ability and life-span of the organiser.

Centres organised through convents fared better because with the spread of responsibility between some members of

Lady's apron. Youghal needlepoint.

National Museum.

1880

the community, continuity was guaranteed. Moreover as convent communities were the real philanthropists; taking nothing or virtually nothing for running the business, their centres were able to expand more easily. Some convent centres, though, had the draw-back that as they were so enclosed at that time, they had difficulty in being sufficiently aggressive in the market place.

The contrast between the highly organised commercial centres and their well-meaning philanthropic counterparts can be seen in the contrast between "Limerick" and "Carrickmacross". At its inception "Limerick" worked exclusively to satisfy the needs of one shop in St. Paul's Churchyard, London. Later, Mr. Walker, who founded the Limerick lace industry, and his successors, were forced to seek other markets. The availability of sufficiently strong cotton thread for lace-making in the late 1830s led to an interest in cheaper lace. A subsequent fall from fashion for this lace must be the explanation for the fact that although in the early 1830s it was claimed that 1,500

were employed, this had fallen to 1,300 by 1843 and a report in that year said that workers were placing their jobs in jeopardy through trade disputes! It is possible that there was some discontent at that time amongst workers as they were unhappy about pay. Indeed many starving sewers tried to make some money at that time by hawking their work from back-door to back-door rather than offering it to the shops. Yet the number of Limerick lace workers can be imagined by the fact that at the same time Dublin shops could advertise "An immense variety of Black and White Limerick Work" — "Decrease in Single, Double Skirt and Flounced of the newest Designs, Squares, Scarfs, Veils, Falls, Capes, Mantles, Berthes, Handkerchiefs, Collars, Flouncing, Trimming, etc."

Although Lambert and Bury, a Lancashire firm won a medal in the Great Exhibition of 1851 for lace made in Limerick, by 1883 the number employed there had dropped to-about 300. The sisters of the Convent of the Good Shepherd then helped the workers until and after their cause was taken up by the "adopted daughter of the Irish Chief Secretary" when she married Mr. Robert Vere O'Brien. Readers who know Veronica Rowe of the Spinners, Weavers

of ÂŁ100 to run a class for training young girls in drawing and designing lace.

Unfortunately Tristam Kennedy got married, became an M.P. for Louth and left Carrickmacross.

Lady's skirt designed by Alice Jacob, the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin is made at Carrickmacross. The skirt was bought by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction at the R.D.S. Summer Show of 1901. This central portion was given to the National Museum.

and Dyers Guild will appreciate that her grand-mother, Mrs. Vere O'Brien, was a woman who had considerable artistic gifts and that she was a person who appreciated the need for good designs in needlework. She was also an exceptional woman for her time in being able to combine this understanding with an appreciation of commercial needs. It was under her tutelage that Limerick lace, as made in Limerick, Kenmare, Kinsale, etc. reached a new popularity, one which it retained for years.

The vicissitudes of the Carrickmacross lace industry throughout the nineteenth century show the extra difficulties experienced by philanthropic centres.

Although the lace was reputedly invented

by Mrs. Grey Porter, the promotion of the industry was due to Miss Reid of Rahans, or Cullaville, near Crossmaglen.

There must have been little lace-working done in the Carrickmacross area when Tristram Kennedy was made manager of the Bath and Shirley Estate in 1846 as the directories of the period suggest that the only local industries were tanning leather, making brogues and coarse hats.

He, however, spent the grant given during the famine in 1847 to build seven lace schools on the estate. He also got a grant

Antimacassar of Bunclody ReticQ/la, about 1870. National Museum.

It is of interest that the Carrickmacross and Cullaville centres were very conscious of lace designs; the former possibly not always living up to its aspirations. It is possibly because of this that in the late nineteenth-early twentieth century, after the St. Louis Sisters became active in the industry, "Carrickmacross" became a fashion lace in Paris. By 1893 it could be said therefore, that this lace was "known all over the world where fashions have a place in the thoughts of ladies"; society ladies dressed in gowns which were draped with "Carrickmacross" while brides boasted of their "supply of valuable Carrickmacross lace" as much as of their chest of linen. By 1904 French fashion suggested that Carrickmacross guipure should be used for "smart race meetings" and applique "for the opera, and evening gowns for the London season's needs".

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More typical of the philanthropic centres were, for example, those in Bunclody (Newtownbarry) and Borris. Both were established by the wives of the local land-owners with the general intention of providing an income for the wives of their tenantry. Both seem to have been well-intentioned, generous, hard-working, formidable women. Mrs. Hall-Dare (Bunclody) established a reticella-style lace-work using fine linen or coarse Italian linen and working it with embroidery and cut-work in the seventeenth century Italian style. Mrs. Harriet Macmurrough-Kavanagh made a lace in sea-coral design with pillowlace tape and needlepoint bars. Later, however, the short-cut was taken of using machine-made tape. Both ladies seem to have been deeply involved in the work; handing out the work themselves, checking it on return and marketing it.

The Newtownbarry lace seems to have survived only for about twenty years while the Borris lace school survived until quite recently though the vitality decreased after Lady Harriet's death.

visit to the lace centres of France and Belgium in June 1887. Considering all the talk nowadays about industrial espionage it is amusing that although they both went well-prepared with suitable introductions they were surprised that managers would talk with them, show them finished work, "give away" little.

Moreover the Irishmen were advised to concentrate on crochet and tatting rather than try to compete with French needle­ point lace. The type of lace industry which they found there was, however, similar to the I rish. The work was done in homes; usually outside the cottage doors.

Workers were often paid not weekly, but when the piece was sold. Individual prices were put on lace by the agent who decided, in an arbitrary fashion, the standard of needlework in each piece and therefore the appropriate payment.

They also found that many of the lace designs used came from Paris. This is of interest because Annie Conway of near Partry in Mayo, told me recently that Paris designs were used in her lace school about 1903-7.

In spite of the work done by such good women it is probable that the Irish lace industry would be little more than a memory were it not for the wbrk of the convents. Obviously it was the Good Shepherd and St. Louis Sisters who ensured the survival of the Limerick and Carrickmacross lace industries. The role of the Presentation Convent, Youghal, though is rarely given due recognition today. It was there in 1846 that Mother Mary Ann Smith taught herself to do needlepoint so that she could teach others. It was there throughout the nineteenth century that the Sisters provided work for many local girls in the convent lace rooms. It was to that convent that Mr. Ben Lindsay, the lace specialist of Dublin and Nottingham gave the order for a prestige lady's apron made to the standard and design of an early Venetian flounce.

People were, and still are, amazed at the quality of the work and so it is not surprising that the apron won awards in London, 1883, and Edinburgh, 1886.

However, the apron also became one of the most controversial pieces of lace made in Ireland as the new "young tigers" of the industry felt that lace design should follow modern art trends rather than look to the past. The fact that convents like the Youghal Presentation Convent paid attention immediately to their criticism can be seen in the variety of Youghal needlepoint lace on display in the National Museum today.

Brenan and Murphy got some useful advice. It was suggested that "great care should be taken with the edge or border as in all lace, it was the first part which caught attention", and "little picots" would give a lightness in appearance. One Paris gentleman suggested that Ireland made the mistake of looking at the design of antique lace which was worn by men, rather than trying to make a light graceful design for women. He suggested that Ireland should try "natural forms arranged similarly to Japanese work — (and) that ornamental forms should always look true and correct."

This concern about designs and the quest for good marketable ideas sent James Brenan of the Crawford School of Art, Cork, and Samual Murphy of the Waterford School of Art, off on official

In summary Mr. Brenan said, "I am convinced that although great progress has been made in the improvement of design, in its application to Irish lace, much remains to be done; particularly with regard to eveness of texture throughout the fabric; better consideration of the design for the purposes to whioh the piece of lace may be intended, (and) greater variety of effect must be obtained in the lace with less apparent effort.

Maybe, a century later, we still have something to learn from Mr. Brenan.

Mairead Reynolds.

OVERBOOKED The 9th National Crafts Trade Fair at the time of going to press is, like its predecessors, overbooked. It may be that by the time January comes along, what between the selection process and the various reasons people do eventually have for a cancellation that some lucky ones may get a space.

The 1985 Fair will be held in the Main Hall at the R.D.S. which is a different venue to hitherto, but it is generally expected to be more suitable though it will not necessarily accommodate many more exhibitors.

Cooperation with C.T.T. has been close, as usual, and a large number of buyers in U.S., Canada and Europe will be circulated with details of the Fair.

IRELAND INSPIRES Under the title "Ireland Inspires" a number of regular participants at the National Crafts Trade Fair recently showed their products in a C.T.T. promotion at the Chicago Gift Show and the New York Gift Show. Avoca Handweavers, Central Tie Company, Donegal Designs, Gaelic Trading Company, Jonathan Richards, Kerry Glass, Mullingar Pewter, Puckane Crafts, Royal Tara, Tapestries Ireland, T. O'Gorman & Sons, were all featured as well as a number of others whose products were included in a Discovery Room at the Chicago Gift Fair. Again, National Craft Fair regular exhibitors were on the list: Carraig Craft Centre, Craft Design Coop, Jay Dolls, Kinsale Smocks, Flowers of Ireland, Forde Crafts, Cleo, Glean Bride, PrOppit are all seen as having a potential evident from exposure in the Crafts Council's Fair each January.

A R T , C R A F T FAIR 7,8, 9 DECEMBER 1984 Town Hall, Dundalk.

Those interested in taking part should send S.A.E. to: Patricia Murphy, 17 Francis Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

For information and application form.

Tel: (042) 34037 between 12.30 -3.00

FOR S A L E 48"Fly Shuttle Loom. Pick up motion.

Direct warping. Enquiries to: Lelia Ni Chathmhaoil, Baile Eamon, An Spideal, Gallimhe.

THE MEDIA LIKED IT

1STRATI0N -

From the heading to the Mary McGoris' preview in the Indo, "Mugging In a Very Good Cause" to Una Lehanes "Fair With A Difference" in the Irish Times the pre-publicity was good and coverage continued after The Great Crafts Fair has opened.

"Stampede Along to the R.D.S." cried the Evening Press. "Craft Industry Shows Its Best" said Dick Grogan of the Irish Times who went on to say that the Fair "Includes the complete spectrum of craft skills . . . the kitsch element is at a minimum . . . awe-inspiring patchwork . . . a bonus is the series of demonstrations".

Una Lehane reviewed the Fair again on the day after it closed, quoting an exhibitor as saying "The important thing is that people came to the Fair, many of the people who would not normally go to an exhibition in a gallery and they saw good work, probably craftwork of a kind they had never seen before."

The Mike Murphy interview with Lily • Van Oost really caught the public ear — it seemed everyone was listening. And Lily, true to form, made no bones about promoting The Great Crafts Fair! R.T.E. Radio 2 report on the proceeding Monday carried an interview about the Fair and on the 7th September the second half of the six o'clock news R.T.E. 1 showed the Fair in full colour and at length.

Liam O'Neill demonstrates at The Great Crafts Fair.

Wrought-lron hinge shown by Kevin Cronin, Durris, at The Great Crafts Fair.

R.D.S. COMPETITION List of 1st prize winners.

CLASS 1 b - C L A Y Vivienne Foley, Williamstadt House, Whitegate, Co. Clare.

CLASS 3b - METAL - SI LVER/GOLD Brian Clarke, No. 1 Ballinaclash, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow.

CLASS 3 c - METAL - JEWELLERY Martin Doyle, Lower Rowe Street, Wexford.

CLASS 4a - WOOD - FOR USE Eric Pearse, Flaxfort Barn, Kilbrittain, Co. Cork.

Andrew Thomas Klimacki, 39 Monlougth Road, Ballygowan, Newtownards, Co. Down.

CLASS 4b - WOOD - DECORATIVE Liam O'Neill, 35 Corrib Drive, Shannon, Co. Clare.

CLASS 8b - WEAVING - FOR WEAR Elizabeth Rackard,40 Kenilworth Square, Dublin 6.

Tom Dunlop, Shanbo, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

Rena Fleming, Baile an tSagairt, Spiddel, Co. Galway.

CLASS 4c - MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Peter Boardman, 33 Hogstown Road, Donaghadee, Co. Down.

CLASS 9a-TAPESTRY Mary Madeleine Cutherbert, 42 Templemore Avenue, Rathgar, Dublin 6.

CLASS 5 - RUSH OR STRAW Joe Hogan, Loch na Fooey, Finny, Clonbur, Co. Galway.

CLASS 7 - STONE Beverley Courtney, Marlay Craft Courtyard, Rathfamham, Dublin 14.

CLASS 8a - WEAVING - CREATIVE Marian Young, 10 Tamneymullan Lane, Maghera, Co. Derry.

Name: Address:

'Phone: Description of Entries:

NOAH'S ARK The theme Noah's Ark has been chosen for a multi media exhibition at the Belltable Arts Centre in Limerick for three weeks from December 28th.

The combination of media and animals should provide a stimulating mixture and an exhibition which should catch the public imagination. We have seen in recent years the more obvious examples in the pottery of Bernie Sutton at the R.D.S. Crafts Competition and the strange world of Sceramics at the recent Great Crafts Fair, but what about the possibilities of patchwork and weaving, embroidery, print, jewellery, wood.

IS WORK CAPABLE OF REPEAT AND MAY WE TAKE REPEAT ORDERS.

Noah's Ark will be a selling exhibition.

The Belltable will take a 25% commission.

Entries from students and craftsmen of professional standard will be considered by a jury set up by the Clare Craftworkers Association.

PLEASE ENCLOSE ENTRY FEE AND SIGN HERE TO AGREE TO ACCEPT THE DECISION OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE.

There will be an entry fee of IR£4 per item (£3 of which is returnable if work is not accepted), this will cover insurance, printing, postage and reception.

Price: Irish Punts please. Do not add on the Belltable mark-up. We will do this.

Signed: Date:—'.

Selection Committee work accepted: Rejected:

CLASS 9c - CONSTRUCTED TEXTILES - CREATIVE TECHNIQUES Colleen Anderson, "Oona Lodge", 21 Carrowcolman Road, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone.

CLASS 10a - FABRIC PRINTING FOR WEAR Frieda Meaney, Browsbarn, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.

Entry Form CUT HERE

NOAHS ARK EXHIBITION:

CLASS 9b - CONSTRUCTED TEXTILES Alice Clark, 49 Eglantine Avenue, Belfast BT9 6EW.

Works should arrive at Ballycar Design, Ballycasey Craft Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare. (Tel: 061-62105) BEFORE CHRISTMAS, or may be PERSONALLY delivered to the Belltable on December 27th.

Work should be collected on Friday 18th January, Saturday 19th January 1985.

(The Belltable is not open on Sundays).

Insurance cover will not extend beyond Saturday 19th January 1985.

CLASS 10b - FABRIC PRINTING CREATIVE AND EXPERIMENTAL Adrienne Hume, Killume Lodge, Durrow, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

CLASS 1 1 b - EMBROIDERY (including PATCHWORK) Michele Hughes, 3 Tullyglass Hill, Shannon, Co. Clare Rita Whelan, 74 Bunting Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

CLASS 1 2 a - LIMERICK LACE Eileen McMahon, Rosehill Motors, Mullagh, Kells, Co. Meath.

CLASS 12b - CARRICMACROSS LACE Mary McMahon, 12 Concession Road, Crossmaglen.

CLASS 1 2 c - IRISH CROCHET Mary Muldowny, Bushe Lodge, Catherine Street, Waterford.

CLASS 1 2 d - OTHER LACE Hilary Monks, 4 Belgrave Square, Monkstown, Co. Dublin.

CRAFTS COUNCIL OF IRELAND MEDAL Victoria Mitchell, Nerano, Nerano Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin.