Tag: Co Wicklow

Of Interest: Shaking Bog Festival 2026 – Co Wicklow

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Shaking Bog Festival returns to the Glencree Valley, County Wicklow, with a programme of writers, artists, dancers, musicians, and nature experts for an event packed with creative engagement and immersive outdoor experience, designed to offer a sense of hope by connecting people more deeply with each other and with the natural world around them.

Reflecting on the traditions of the ancient Irish Bilberry Festival that marks the beginning of the Lughnasa harvest, this year’s Shaking Bog Festival is about gathering – gathering together to celebrate this shared heritage and, as always, our true connection to the natural world.

Feltmakers Ireland guild member Sharon Wells, who, with Caroline Byrne, is part of Black Sheep, will be part of an Open Day sharing about Irish Wool on Saturday, the 22nd, as part of the Festival. Exploring the craft of woolmaking, from sheep farming through to the skills of knitting and felting, this event will lead people deep into a creative engagement with land, heritage, art, and nature.

NOTE: This particular event is sold out, but there are tickets available for other events.

When: The Festival runs from Friday, the 21st through Sunday, the 23rd of August

For more information, visit their website: https://www.shakingbog.ie/

Their Instagram: @theshakingbog @sharonwellsart @wicklowarts

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Education: Indigo Dying Workshop with Malú Colorín

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Feltmakers Ireland Committee Member and Chairperson, Elizabeth Redding

I set off early on Saturday morning, 13th June, for a two-day Indigo Dyeing Workshop with Malú Colorín in Wicklow. It was a lovely scenic drive through The Curragh and over the Wicklow mountains. On arrival, there was a very welcome cup of tea and cake waiting for us.

The first task was to scour the samples we brought. Malú explained the importance of scouring and the different ways for plant as opposed to protein fibres. Later, we saw for ourselves, as the water turned brown, even though everything had already been washed.

Next, she explained the difference between dye and pigment. Indigo is a pigment; therefore, it is not water-soluble. To make it soluble, it has to be starved of oxygen and be alkaline. We were told about the different plants that produce indigo. Some of which can be grown in Ireland.

Next was to start making up vats. Four in total. First was a fructose vat. When we had that made, we broke for lunch. After lunch, we made the other three vats: iron, banana and madder. We were told how to mind the vats and keep them alive. Then, it was time to finish for the day.

The second day was spent dying. First, we prepared some material by tying beads into it, and another piece by folding and clamping with pegs and lollipop sticks. There was a great variety of samples to dye. The materials were cotton, silk, and linen. The yarns were wool, cotton, flax, alpaca, tencel, and nettle.

It was very interesting how the different materials took up the dye. Some came out darker than others. I was so busy that I was forgetting to take photos of the process.

The Indigo Dyeing Workshop was very interesting, and Malú was so helpful. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

To learn more about Malú Colorín’s workshops, please visit her website – https://talu.earth/upcoming-workshops/

Her Instagram: @malu_colorin @talu.earth

Have you recently taken part in an interesting textile workshop? If you’re a member of Feltmakers Ireland, we’d love to hear about it and share your experience with the wider guild. No need to give away the tutor’s “secret sauce,” of course! And your article need not be long either.

Photographs are always welcome. For best online display, please send images, ideally sized at 1080 × 1350 pixels at 96 dpi.

Please email your workshop report and photos to feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: 4 Members Featured in The Independent – Co Wicklow & Contact Local Press

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
A portrait of artist Ramona Farrelly with long hair, smiling in front of a dark background.
Ramona Farrelly is amongst the artists featured.

In the News

Exciting news: Four members whose pieces are in the ‘Water and Flow’ exhibition were recently featured in The Independent. 

The members are the following:

  • Ramona Farrelly, who is pictured in the newspaper
  • Alison Duffy
  • Neasa Ryan
  • Jacqueline Atkinson

See the full article, here – https://m.independent.ie/regionals/wicklow/wicklow-district/phoenix-park-exhibit-about-water-features-work-from-four-wicklow-feltmakers/a1555869101.html

Contact Local Press

We are coming towards the last week of our exhibition. It would be lovely if everyone could please contact the local press to arrange articles about our exhibition so that more visitors can visit the show!

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Wearable Art by Claire Garvey – Made in Wicklow Invited Guest 2026 – Powerscourt House

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Promotional poster for Claire Garvey's exhibition 'From Canvas to Cloth', showcasing 15 paintings and 15 wearable art sculptures. The event runs from 21 February to 1 March at Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, with free admission.
Display of artistic garments created by Claire Garvey, featuring mannequins dressed in vibrant, textured outfits against a rustic stone wall, with signage reading 'Claire Garvey Canvas to Cloth'.

As part of Made in Wicklow’s ‘For the Love of Creativity’ series, Claire Garvey presents ‘From Canvas to Cloth’, an exhibition featuring 15 bespoke, hand-crafted, and hand-beaded pieces of wearable art. Each garment is inspired by one of Claire’s ten favourite paintings, with influences ranging from the bold strokes of Van Gogh and Miro to the intricate worlds of Botticelli and HR Giger.

Claire Garvey is a bespoke designer with a couture shop in the heart of Temple Bar, on Cow’s Lane, Dublin. She has designed for the Oscars, the Emmys, the X-Factor, and the Cannes Film Festival. She specialises in one-off outfits for musicians and celebrities and is a celebrated advocate for ‘slow fashion’ and sustainability, hand-making every piece in her workshop with a focus on recycled trims and exquisite craftsmanship.

When: The show runs through Sunday, 1st March, 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM. Free entry.

Where: The Garden Room, Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow

For more information about the exhibition, visit the Made in Wicklow website – https://madeinwicklow.com/powerscourt-2026/

To see more of her work, visit her website – https://www.clairegarvey.com/

Her Instagram – @clairegarveydesigner_

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibitions: Two Members have Work in Group Shows

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Feltmakers Ireland members exhibit their artwork in group and solo shows.

Two of our members have artwork in exhibitions.

FGU Art Group

An invitation card for the opening of the 'Waterways Dublin 8' art exhibition by the FGU Art Group, featuring a collage of water-themed illustrations including ducks and swans, with event details.

Helena Mc Guinness has artwork in ‘Waterways Dublin 8’. She is part of a group exhibition of artists who create with the Fatima Groups United Family Resource Centre.

When: The show opens this Friday, the 7th, and runs through February.

Monday: Closed, Tuesdays through Saturdays: 9 AM – 7 PM, and Sundays: 11 AM – 6 PM.

Where: Small Changes, 120 Emmet Rd, Inchicore, Dublin 8, D08 Y962

Changing Ireland Galleries

A Crolly Doll named Moira in a striped dress, accompanied by its packaging displaying the name and description.

Helena also recalls her ‘Crolly Doll’ at the exhibition ‘Changing Ireland: Changing Stories’ at the Decorative Arts & Military History Museum of the National Museum of Ireland.

Where: Collins Barracks, Benburb St, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 XKV4

If you are unable to see the exhibition in person, you can read about her recollections on their website – https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Decorative-Arts-History/Projects/Changing-Ireland-Changing-Stories/Helena-McGuinness

And you can listen to Helena, here – https://ci-tour.nmi.eu/1/635/15123/index.html

Made in Wicklow

Image gallery image

Sharon Wells has sculpture, wall art, and wearable art in Made in Wicklow’s ‘Head, Heart & Hands’ group exhibition, which has the work of 41 members of the organisation.

Free entry to the show. 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

When: the 31st of January through the 8th of February.

Where: The Entrance Hall, Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, A98 W0D0

For more information, visit the Made in Wicklow website – https://madeinwicklow.com/powerscourt-2026/

Their Instagram – @made_in_wicklow @sharonwellsart

If you are a current member of Feltmakers Ireland and you have an upcoming exhibition or workshop, please get in touch with us at feltmakersIE@gmail.com


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Two Films about Irish Wool – Past and Future

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Wicklow Uplands Council logo at the top, followed by sections titled 'History of Irish Wool' and 'From Burden to Opportunity' with accompanying imagery related to wool production.

The Wicklow Uplands Council presents two videos about Irish Wool as part of a project funded by the Heritage Council’s Community Heritage Grant 2025. The films were created by Bailey and Blake Productions.

Wicklow Uplands Council is an independent voluntary organisation representing a diverse membership of groups and individuals in the uplands region of County Wicklow.

The two films are the following:

For more information about what the Wicklow Uplands Council does, visit their website – https://wicklowuplands.ie/about-us/

Their Instagram: @wicklowuplands

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Wool Map of Ireland – World’s Largest 3D Knit Scene

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Image from Irish Independent Newspaper with headlines of 'Huge wool map of Ireland ratified by GUinness as world's largest 3D knitted scene'. Also includes a photo of the women who knitted the map.

The Guinness Book of Records has said that the huge knitted wool map of Ireland, created by a group of knitters at Carnew Community Care, in Co Wicklow, is the largest 3-dimensional knitted scene in the world! The map is 5 by 4 metres, took over four years and thousands of hours to make. It includes buildings and places iconic to Ireland.

To read more, visit here (There ~may~ be paywall for the full article) – https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/gorey-news/huge-wool-map-of-ireland-ratified-by-guinness-as-worlds-largest-3d-knitted-scene/a1011522360.html

If you missed seeing the map on display at Gifted at the RDS, it can be viewed in person at Carnew Community Care in Carnew, Co Wicklow. For more information, visit this website – https://visitwicklow.ie/listing/knitted-map-of-ireland-carnew-community-care/

There is also a short, cute video on the above website – so many cool details!

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Farm to Yarn – Ériu featured on RTÉ’s Nationwide

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Image of Presenter Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh and owner Zoë Daly.

In the second of three programs, Nationwide explores Ireland’s wool sector – delving into its rich heritage, current challenges, and future possibilities. Today’s episode will be about Ériu, a ‘Farm to Yarn’ company, based in County Wicklow.

Presenter Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh visits Ériu’s farm to talk about their mission to revive Ireland’s wool industry. From caring for their sheep to handcrafting every garment, Ériu creates 100% Irish wool yarn and garments, all while truly caring and supporting a community of local farmers through their Farm to Yarn network.

Broadcast: TODAY, WEDNESDAY the 26th of November – 19:00/ 7 PM on RTÉ One, or catch it later on the RTÉ Player – https://www.rte.ie/player/series/nationwide/SI0000001172?epguid=IH10008772-25-0126

For more information about the company, visit their website – https://eriu.eu/

Ériu’s Traceability Page is fascinating because it shows the two types of wool that they use (Emerald Romney and Bluefaced Leicester), and the actual farmers who raise the sheep which provide the wool – https://eriu.eu/pages/traceability

Their Farm to Yarn page is also interesting: it’s about the history of wool in Ireland – https://eriu.eu/pages/farm-to-yarn

Ériu will soon offer Irish-raised wool tops, dyed and natural, in addition to their yarn and knitted items. Stay tuned – we will share this exciting development with the felting community when it happens. According to our book, ‘Exploring Irish wool for Feltmaking’, both fibres are good for wet felting, and the Romney is suitable for needle felting.

Ériu’s Instagram – @eriu.ireland

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: A New Fleece for Life – Presentation – TONIGHT – Co Wicklow

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Weaving Wicklow’s Sheep Wool Heritage into a Sustainable Future.

Join Wicklow Uplands Council for an audio-visual presentation and discussion exploring how Wicklow’s wool heritage can help shape a more sustainable future.

Hear insights from a National Parks & Wildlife Service Conservation Ranger and from Pat Byrne (Circular BioEconomy expert) as they look at how heritage, ecology, and innovation can work together to strengthen Ireland’s wool industry — and influence policy for real change.

Guild member Sharon Wells will be there with some of her recent community-felted sculptures.

Come join the discussion.

Free event — all welcome! But please register: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/weaving-wicklows-sheep-wool-heritage-into-a-sustainable-future-tickets-1856519783649?aff=oddtdtcreator

Their Instagram: @wicklowuplands

Editor’s Note: Apologies for the last-minute announcement; we only learned about the event yesterday.

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: More Members will take part in Culture Night 2025

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Good Bog, Bad Bog – Collaborative Felting Project – Enniskerry, Co Wicklow

‘Good Bog Bad Bog’ sees wool-based landscape representations of a functioning bog and an eroded one, highlighting the ecological importance of Wicklow’s peatlands, sparking conversation around biodiversity loss, climate resilience and water quality.

This exhibition features felted pieces by Sharon Wells, along with a collaborative community project guided by Sharon. Amongst the artists are guild members Loli Cox and Margaret Ryan Collins.

Using Irish wool sourced from Farmachla in Co Donegal, and donated by @woolstoreireland (another guild member) and @irishfibrecrafters

When: Friday, the 19th of September at 7:30 PM.

Where: Schoolhouse for Art, R760, The Square, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, A98 RH33


For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website – https://culturenight.ie/event/good-bog-bad-bog/

Gort Arts Second Annual Members’ Exhibition – Co Galway

Guild member Joanne Foley is exhibiting work as part of the Gort Arts second annual members’ exhibition, which opens on Culture Night at 7 PM, with live music and refreshments.

When: The show runs from Friday, the 19th to the 28th of September, 2025

Where: Michael Kennedy Pottery Studio, Boland’s Lane, Ballyhugh, Gort, Co Galway, H91

For more information, visit their page on the Culture Night website – https://culturenight.ie/event/gorgeous-gort/

FORMDesignMade Exhibition – Tullow Library – Co Carlow

FORM Designmade has a retrospective exhibition showcasing the exceptional talent of 10 craft practitioners from County Carlow. Guild member Leiko Uchiyama is among the artists.

When: Friday, the 19th of September, 4 PM – 8 PM

Where: Tullow Library, Inner Relief Road, Tullow, Co Carlow, R93 XD93

Here is their Instagram – @formdesigncarlow

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.