Experiences

Cottages to Castles Irish Lace   

Killeavy Castle Estate 12 Ballintemple Road Killeavy BT35 8LQ


Image | Ladies busy sewing lace

Duration

5 hours

Availability

Set dates

Location

Killeavy Castle Estate 12 Ballintemple Road Killeavy BT35 8LQ

Cost

£90

Group size

10 - 15

To book contact: rosie.bell110@yahoo.com

+44 (0) 7585020706 rosie.bell110@yahoo.com

Overview

Pick up the thread of Living History to Experience the 200-year-old Culloville Lace Making Tradition

Local Lace Making Tradition | Family History | Untold Stories | Intergenerational Craft | Create your own Piece

Rosie Finnegan Bell is a gentle, warm-hearted soul with a BIG lace-making story to tell.  As a proud Ring of Gullion, South Armagh native, Rosie and her fellow lace-makers continue a lace making tradition, that began in Culloville village, more than 200-years ago, garnering a reputation as the King of the Irish Laces and paving the way for the renowned Irish lace-making tradition of Carrickmacross Lace.

Throughout the last century, Culloville’s pioneering role in Ireland’s Carrickmacross Lace making industry has been largely forgotten and Rosie has made it her life’s ambition to change this.  In what is an intriguing story of female entrepreneurship, hear how Ireland’s first purpose-built lace school was founded by Miss Reed (the sister of the local landlord) in Culloville in the early 1830’s. What began initially as a hobby for the local aristocracy and gentry, swiftly transformed into a thriving commercial enterprise providing female tenants with their own much-needed income which at the height of the tradition had 600-800 women making Carrickmacross lace in the wider Culloville/Crossmaglen area.

Learn how history disrupted this thriving industry in 1921 when partition separated Ireland into North and South and the impact on South Armagh’s lace-making industry. Understand how Culloville lace makers with the closure of all the local lace agents diversified and endured by making lace for the larger market town of Carrickmacross.

Through this memorable, feel-good experience, join Rosie  to learn about the fine tradition of Lace-making known as ‘the King of the Irish Laces’ before trying your hand at some stitches.

‘before trying your hand at the some of the basic stitching techniques so as you can learn how to make your very own piece of lace under Rosie’s expert guidance’.

Relax and unwind further as you delight your taste buds with luxury Afternoon Tea and savour the unique atmosphere and the glorious scenery that surrounds this exquisite setting.

  • Rosie Bell | 4th generation lace maker | champion of the revival of this beautiful traditional craft
  • The Lace | see the artistry of old lace patterns | learn their story | see antique lace samples | try the craft
  • Inspiration |the creative inspiration behind the craft | influenced by South Armagh’s beautiful landscape
  • Untold Stories | local women | partition | Culloville | cross border dealing| papal & royal lace commissions
  • Rosie’s Family History | the ‘forget-me-not pattern piece’ | Rosie’s Great Grandmothers lace-maker story

Additional Information

Food and Refreshments
Accommodation
Languages Spoken
Accessibility
Any additional equipment

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