Work‘taps’into Dundalk’spast
THE wonderful work created during the making of the Creative Spark Community Tapestry project was unveiled recently and is now on public display in Creative Spark, Clontigora Drive, Muirhevna.
Work on the beautifully embroidered panel, which is being billed as Louth’s answer to the Ros Tapestry in Wexford, The Great Tapestry of Scotland, and the famous Bayeux Tapestry in France, started last November.
The project started with story-telling workshops in which Dundalk people were invited to share their stories and memories of growing up and living in the town. Story facilitator Ali Warner and illustrator and designer Geraldine Martin recorded and captured the key themes and topics which then formed the basis for the design of the tapestry.
The next stage saw local artist Una Curley, who specialises in textiles, overseeing a stitching workshop during which participants were taught the basic embroidery stitches used in creating the linen panels which were used to make up the piece.
The panels were added to at a series of stitching sessions which took place in December, when people were invited to take a break from the Christmas rush to drop in, sew and chat.
Now, after hundreds of hours of careful stitching, the completed tapestry is a visual record of Dundalk’s heritage, featuring images from An Tain Bo Culigne, a celtic cross and round tower, as well as details reflecting the town’s industrial and sporting history.
The tapestry was unveiled by acting arts officer Mary Capplis.
Sarah Daly, Executive Director, Creative Spark thanked all of the participants for their enthusiasm and commitment to the project – from the storytelling through to the hundreds of hours of stitching.
‘It was a really fun project and we think everyone enjoyed it,’ she said.
The Community Tapestry is on display in Creative Spark and anyone who wishes to see it is welcome to drop in.