Application For Full / Associate Membership
Click Here for Application Form
The Guild has three Lacedays and three Workshop days annually and many one off outings ad courses. The Guild publishes 3 journals each season containing many articles and patterns, also 3 newsletters which provide a specially personal contact for the members. A number of the members of The Guild of Irish Lacemakers are overseas member from many different countries and they are very welcome additions to the membership.
Whenever any of them (or any lacemaker from abroad) visits Ireland local members are delighted to meet them and share their interest in Lace.
Contact with Lacemakers from other places is a key factor.
The Guild is an affiliated member of the Crafts Council of Ireland.
The logo of the Guild consists of the Rose and two Shamrocks. These motifs are commonly seen in many Irish Laces.
The official objectives of the Guild ae as follows:-
1. To further develop laces in Ireland, particularly Irish laces and their design.
2. Provide a forum for the exchange of views and common objectives Lacemakers.
3. To promote lectures, workshops, exhibitions and other activities of interest of Lacemakers.
4. Be a clearing house for information from and to Lacemakers.
5. Collect where possible oral history from traditional Lacemakers.
In accordance with (4) the Guild publishes a journal three times a year. The journal includes items of interest to Lacmakers, also details of classes and workshops and also patterns for various lace forms.
The beauty of lace is associated with the memorable occasions in our lives, the Bridal Veil, the Christening Robe, the First Communion Veil. Treasured family heirlooms in lace, crochet, and fine sewing have been used on these occasions and passed down in families with love and pride.
Happily today, lacemaking is enjoying a resurgence of interest and there is a growing number of present day Lacemakers who are creating the heirlooms of the furture, items of great beauty which will be treasured and passed down in families thus carrying on the old tradition.
The Guild of Irish Lacemakers was formed to foster this intrest in Lacemaking and its membership is growing all the time. Class in the various disciplines, including Bobbin Lace, Carrickmacross Lace, Irish Crochet, Limerick Lace, Youghal Needlelace, Mountmellick work, are held at regular intervals, and cater for students at all levels from the beginner to the very experienced. The atmosphere is pleasant, friendly and informal while at the same time the standard of teaching is very high.
Why not come and join us and start on your own “family heirloom”.
Information about the Guild can be obtained from:
The Membership Secretary,
9 Beechfield Close,
Walkinstown
Dublin 12
Click Here for Application Form
Guild of Irish Lace Makers
The Poor Clare nuns came to Kenmare in 1861 they were brought there by the parish priest Fr. John O’Sullivan to open a school. They saw that once the girls left the school they had no way of earning a living so they gave them a skill. That skill was lace-making.
