New Ross and the Ros Tapestries

Down the road from Kilkenny is the town of New Ross. I wanted to visit the Ros Tapestries that are being created here. Around 25 years ago a bishop wanted tapestries to cover the church walls telling the story of the Ross area. An artist painted out the scenes they wished to depict, 15 in all. Since then a group of 150 women have been working on the tapestries. 

First the design from the 15 paintings is traced on to linen using a pencil. Then the picture is stitched on the stretched linen in wool using crewel work stitches. The work is being done all over the County. Most of the 15 panels have been completed in the last 20 years. 

Don and I toured the tapestries with an audio guide explaining the stories depicted on the tapestries. Each tapestry has a central depiction with two borders, top and bottom, that detail some of the finer aspects of the story. The handwork is superb!  

After we listened to the story using the audio guide we toured the upstairs stitching room where four women work to complete two panels and begin two other tapestries that have grown from the original project. An awesome experience for this fibre nut!!

Here is the first panel of the Ris Tapestries. Notice the main large picture, with top and bottom border details. 

Here Don sits in front of two of the 15 panels listening to the audio guide tell the story the tapestries depict. 

Detail photo showing the fine work!

Some French knots. 

Shaggy hair. 

Examples of some areas on tapestries that are not yet complete. Note the fine pencil lines marking where to stitch. 

Detail of rock walls. 

Here is an entire tapestry painting sitting in the place of one of the tapestries currently being worked on. 

We got to tour the workroom. Unfortunately there were no stitchers there the day we visited. 

Hanks of woollen threads hanging by colour. Ready to be chosen by the stitches. A lot of time is taken in choosing the exact shade for each bit of stitching. 

Two panels that are done. Next the will be pressed and stretched on boards for display. 

The tapestry women embroider there names on the selvage of the tapestry. The names will not be seen on the front but will be visible on the back. It is important to acknowledge the artists who worked on each tapestry!

More Ruins

Wherever we turn we come across castle, church and tower ruins. So much history!!

Near the small village of Avoca we came across more ruins. (Photos follow.). No name was posted but after some research we found this church (now in ruins) was built in 1817 using stones from a castle originally erected in the 14th century. This was the church for the Parish of 

Castlemacadam. 

More ruins, these one more of a tourist attraction as they are located In the town of Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains National Park.  Here we saw the best intact roundtower in Ireland. It is surrounded by rolling hills amid a deep forest and with the mist it truly felt like a mystical place. I especially like the Celtic Crosses that you find in the graveyards. 

Avoca Handweavers

Avoca Handweavers is located in the sleepy village of Avoca. But don't underestimate this stop!!  They have an amazing working weaving factory that gives tours, a marvellous restaurant and a gorgeous gift shop. 

We arrived just a few minutes before the weaving workshop was closing, but I did manage a good tour. They have two hand looms in the tour area and many machine powered looms in a back area. As it was the weekend I was allowed a look in the back area which is off limits during the week!!

The back area contains machine powered equipment that is used for weaving. One very interesting machine was a mechanical warping machine. The warp are the threads that are on the loom and must be straight and untangled as you weave the weft thread with the shuttle. Warping by hand takes a lot of time, so this machine would sure help!!

Also it was interesting to see the mechanical looms. They too would really speed up the process!!  I'm glad I got to see this area!!

Famine Ships

During the famine in Ireland many people placed family members on ships to go to far away places to seek a better life. It was understood that you would never see these people again as they would either die enroute or they would never return from far away places like Canada, Austrailia or the USA. 

In the town of New Ross they have a famine ship docked that you can tour. A very sad time for the Irish. 

Unity and Coming Home

The Ros tapestry stitchers have been convinced to stitch two more tapestries. One is called Unity and is a connection between Ireland and the European Union. 

The explanation to the Unity Tapestry. 

A painting of the Unity Tapestry that is used as the template for producing the new project. Notice all the flags of the European Union encircling the oval. 

The second project is called coming home and is a connection between Ireland and the USA. Many Irish people fled to the USA during the famine. This project called Coming Home is about an elderly woman being reunited with her niece from America to share the family history and memorabilia. 

Details about the Coming Home Tapestry. 

The painted template used to produce the tapestry. Notice the flags of all the states encircling the oval. All the states flowers are included in the garden area. This is a very personal tapestry. The artist is seen sitting with her great aunt from Ireland, along with her husband and child. The aunts husband and young child, both dead, are seen as ghost images within the garden. (Ghost images will be too hard to see in this photo. Sorry,)

Detail on the Coming Home Tapestry has begun. These are traditional Irish surnames of families that fled during the famine. They are located in the bottom of the oval in the grass and water area, so they will all be stitched in greens and blues. Gorgeous work!!

Irish Craft Shops

Across from Kilkenny Castle in what was once a stable, is a gorgeous shop full of Irish artisan work. Had to look in there!