Tag: Sheep

Event: IGWC Wool Panel Talks at Showcase 2024

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Join the Irish Grown Wool Council at Showcase 2024 for a series of curated panel talks on Irish wool.

Talks will take place on each of the three days of Showcase, 21st – 23rd January (RDS, Dublin), across the key themes of Sustainability, Fashion and Innovation, focusing on the past, present and future for Irish wool. Join us at the ‘Inspiration Stage’ for these talks at Showcase 2024.

Day: Sunday 21st January
Time: 4pm- 5pm
Theme: Sustainability / Authenticity / Traceability Viability

Day: Monday 22nd January
Time: 2pm- 3pm TIME CHANGE -> NOW 12-1 PM.
Theme: Fashion / Design / Homeware

Day: Tuesday 23rd January
Time: 11am- 12pm
Theme: Innovation / Composites / International Best Practice / Products Development using wool

The three panels are made up of different speakers and are moderated by Rebecca Marsden
Designer, Materials Researcher & Educator The Wool Hub and Forge Design Factory

This opportunity is supported by the Design & Crafts Council, Ireland.

Panels and times may change; please check their website for the speaker details. – https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/irish-grown-wool-council-panel-talks-at-showcase-2024/

Event: Feltmaker Needed – Wool and Primary Producers’ Stand – Dingle Food Festival

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Irish Grown Wool Council, established in April 2023, will be hosting a
marquee at the Dingle Food Festival this Saturday, the 30th and Sunday the 1st, in
association with local Primary Producer Farmers.

They would like a member of Feltmakers Ireland to demonstrate feltmaking to the Food Festival’s visitors. They will also be selling copies of the Guild’s recently published book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. {See the bottom of this post for contact details}.

The Irish Grown Wool Council’s VISION is:
“Bringing Wool stakeholders across the Island of Ireland together to realise the potential of wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material, by building on its rich heritage, enhancing understanding and appreciation of the characteristics of Irish Grown Wool, facilitating collaboration in product/market research and ultimately applying innovative product solutions to address current challenges and create future opportunities.”

The Wool Council will have various displays on wool products ranging from beautiful textiles handcrafted by local artists, right through to Wool Insulation, which is made using waste wool as part of our circular bio-economy drive under our sustainability slogan – “Waste is a resource in the correct hands”.

MTU Tralee Circular Bio-Economy Southwest Cluster (Catriona Power) hosts the recently created, virtual Wool Research & Innovation Hub and will outline wool research being done by the R&I Hub.

The Dingle Hub, represented by Dinny Galvin, will be doing a display and talk on how, if we had a Biodigester on the Dingle Peninsula or elsewhere in Kerry Irish wool could be scoured locally at scale. Wastewater from washing could be a valuable feedstock for the Biodigester. The UCC team investigating the use of wastewater from a mooted local scouring plant in a biodigester will also attend.

If you are in Dingle for the food festival, call in at the marquee to see our products and meet the makers. Stay for a discussion on how we may develop the wool industry and hopefully get farmers a better price for our wool.

The marquee (stall 56), is based in Orchard Lane, beside Jerry Kennedy Butchers.

For and on behalf of the Irish Grown Wool Council,

Pat Byrne – Chairman

To arrange to demonstrate feltmaking at the festival, email Pat – pat.byrne@theagileexecutive.ie

Vendor Opportunity: Sheepdog Trials 2023

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Feltmakers Ireland received this announcement and thought it may be of interest. We do not know the organisers.

Taking bookings for the International Sheepdog Trials 2023, which is being held in Blessington at Three Castle Farm on the 8th, 9th and 10th of September.

The world of sheepdog trialling may be unfamiliar to some, but The International Sheepdog Trial is known around the world as one of the largest events in the sheepdog calendar. The event will attract a global audience and is hoped to give a significant boost to the local economy.

The International Sheepdog Trial 2023 is designed to test the best working dogs’ abilities in an environment close to true working life​. 

The event will showcase the talents of 60 dogs from across Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. These 60 dogs will consist of the top 15 dogs selected from each nation’s National Trial, which will take place throughout July and August.

​The International Sheep Dog Trial is the pinnacle in the sheep dog trialling calendar, and its venue rotates around the four nations yearly, with Ireland being lucky enough to be the host Nation for 2023.

It’s going to be a big event with a family day out, and as this trial attracts people from the continent, too, it should be a nice event for crafters. This event is only coming to the south of Ireland every 8 years.

All sorts of crafts are welcome. We love to get crafters with wool, as it is a sheepdog trial, and for crafters that have anything that has to do with sheep or sheepdogs in their creativity.

There is a trader application form to be filled out to ensure your spot. The price for a 3X3 place is 200 euro for the 3 days. (You have to bring your own marquee.)

Here is the link to the trader application form – https://www.electricevents.ie/sheepdog-trials-trader-application-form

Event: The Galway Wool Co-op Exhibition

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Several members of Feltmakers Ireland have pieces in the Galway Wool Co-op‘s one-day exhibition, ‘A Meeting of Hands’. The show is part of the group’s Meithal.

Poster for ‘A Meeting of Hands’ Exhibition.

Some of the members purchased their washed Galway wool fleece from Donegal Yarns.

Annika Berglund

Annika Berglund’s ‘Connections’.

One member, Annika Berglund, made a felted wall panel which has protruding felt details using natural Galway Sheep Breed wool. This work, ‘Connections’, includes some black Merino for shading. It is a felted piece mounted over a wooden frame for hanging.

To see more of Annika’s work, visit her gallery’s website – https://www.oliviercornetgallery.com/annika-berglund

Juliane Gorman

Juliane Gorman’s ‘Returning to the Blooms’.

Another member, Juliane Gorman, made a felted top hat inspired by finishing James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ with her local library’s book group. In addition to Galway breed wool, her piece includes dark brown, Irish-raised Jacob wool.

To see Juliane’s work, visit her website – https://felthappiness.com

Karena Ryan

Karena Ryan ‘Women of the Land’.

Member Karena Ryan has several pieces on show, including ‘Bhean an Tire’ (Women of the Land). This piece features dried lavender, marigold and silks that have been wet felted into Galway raw wool with free-motion embroidery and Irish linen.

See more of Karena’s work on her website – https://karenaryanartist.com/

Anne Van Dorpe

Piece by Anne Van Dorpe.

Member Anne Van Dorpe works with creating needlefelted animals. See more of her work on her Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/annevandorpe5416/

Apologies if we have missed any other members.

The other participants in the exhibition work in a variety of disciplines and include the following makers: Liadain Aiken, Shannon Byrnes, Malú Colorín, Katie Downes, Michelle Hickey, Ryan Daniel Koenig, Cathlin McKeon, Christine McNamara, Conor O’Brien, Niamh O’Connell, Adela Passas, Elina Plevako, and Olga Profutkina. Apologies if we have overlooked anyone.

Although ‘A Meeting of Hands’ exhibition is by invitation only, you can see a video of all 17 artists’ pieces on the Galway Wool Co-op’s Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu1BxijvikD/

Exhibition: Oltre Terra – Why Wool Matters in Oslo, Norway

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Nasjonalmuseet has an exhibition that should be of interest to many feltmakers!

In “Oltre Terra. Why Wool Matters”, the multidisciplinary design studio Formafantasma investigates the history, ecology and global dynamics of the extraction and production of wool.

“Oltre Terra. Why Wool Matters” brings together various items relating to sheep farming and the wool industry: paintings, textiles, photographs and videos. A 1,700-year-old tunic, goat masks, and a commissioned video work by artist Joanna Piotrowska are just some of the objects on display. At the centre of the exhibition, visitors are invited to relax on a large carpet made of a type of wool that would normally be discarded by the wool industry. There is also plenty of research material that lets you delve deeper into the exhibition’s topics.

If you are unable to get to Norway, you can explore the exhibition in 3D – https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=4H2AHHF16o5

Additionally, there are five short audio recordings about sheep and wool that you can listen to – https://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/guide/oltreterra/

The exhibition runs through the 1st of October.

For more information, visit the website – https://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/exhibitions-and-events/national-museum/exhibitions/2023/oltre-terra.-why-wool-matters/

Event: Connemara National Park Celebration – July 1st

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Via Suzanna Crampton on the Irish Wool Discussion Group on Facebook –

Connemara National Park will be celebrating its twinning agreement with Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland, Canada, by undertaking a Heritage Event on Canada Day, the 1st of July 2023.

Among the day’s events is a focus on sheep and wool.

  • The staff in Connemara National Park have been instrumental in efforts to regenerate the Cladoir breed of sheep which was once found throughout Connemara but was pushed to the brink of extinction in recent years. The Cladoir sheep were known to have had fine wool which could be knitted or woven and was an important reason why the breed survived. To celebrate the importance of the wool for the regeneration of the breed, hand shearing of our Cladoir sheep flock will take place throughout the day, with the wool processed on-site in order to have a finished hand-knitted garment by the end of the day.
  • Connemara National Park holds a number of Heritage Breeds which include: Connemara Pony; Cladoir sheep; Galway Sheep; Irish Maol Cattle; and Old Irish Goat. A representative of each of these Rare Breeds Societies will be on hand to discuss each breed’s importance.

For more information, please contact the Visitor Centre on 095 41054 or 087 2919721

For a full schedule, visit the website – https://www.nationalparks.ie/connemara/special-heritage-event-on-july-1st-2023/

Cladoir photograph from Feltmakers Ireland’s book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’