Erin go baaa: Woolly map of Ireland seeks home
And, in case you think it was made by a crowd of knitwits, the map was created in Co. Wicklow by a group of up to 18 women skilled in knitting, sewing and crochet.
They started the project in 2019 before work paused during the pandemic and resumed again in late 2022. The women met every Wednesday at Carnew Community Care centre, where they came up with ideas of landmarks and historical sites across the island that they could knit together. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
While 18 people started off the project, three of the women died over the years, and two others went into nursing homes. The youngest member of the group is 65, while the eldest is soon to turn 90. Group member Mary Blake said that after creating a number of other woollen projects, a member of the community centre suggested knitting a map of Ireland.
The woollen map project quickly took off and now features prominent landmarks and sites across the island, including Glendalough, Croagh Patrick, the Phoenix Park, the Giant's Causeway and Fungie the Dolphin. By the time it was complete, it measured 12ft by 11ft.
Ms Blake said: 'We all decided which bits would represent areas of significance and we put it all together like a jigsaw. We covered the whole of Ireland in green squares, all different shades of green, before we started doing any of the knitting. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
'Then we started with Leinster, and somebody said, 'I'll do Mount Leinster', and someone else started on Hook Head, and different people did different parts. We worked together on everything. Most of it took place in Carnew Community Care, which is a centre for older people.
'We meet every Wednesday morning and whatever we don't get finished, we bring home the bits to get done. We started in 2019, and then Covid came and put a stop to that. So we couldn't get wool, and we couldn't meet either.
'We got back together at the end of 2022, but we'd lost a few people in the meantime, during Covid. We lost one of our members, Margaret [Dowse], so decided to add bits in to represent her life close to the Shannon. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
'We couldn't do something to represent every county, but we did places like Glendalough, the Japanese Gardens, a Viking ship, the Guinness gate, Phoenix Park, and Dublin Zoo. We also have Harland and Wolff, the Titanic ship with parts of it sinking, Theresa's cottage in Donegal, the Ulster Museum… and we have loads of animals in it, the Giant's Causeway made out of Smarties boxes.
'We have lots of fishermen, the Aran Islands, windmills, Croagh Patrick, Galway Races, the best dressed lady, the Shannon, Sherkin Island, Blarney Castle, and Fungie,' she said.
'One of our ladies is going to be 90 next year and I'd say the youngest person we have is over 65.' She added: 'It gives people a purpose. We also knit blankets for local hospitals.'
Ms Blake said they would like to see it on public display.
'We don't really mind, whoever wants it is welcome to have it, but we would love to see it in a public place, somewhere that it can be viewed and give everybody an opportunity to see it. We're open to whoever wants to take it,' she said.
One of the members, Ann Edwards, said it was a fun experience. 'I have lots of favourites, but I think Hook Head and the Viking ship are particularly nice and colourful and great to work on,' she said. Fungi the Dolphin from Dingle which features on a knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew Co. Wicklow. The 12 foot by 11 foot wool map of Ireland, which took four years of knitting and crocheting to complete, is in search of a new home to go on public display. Picture date: Monday July 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Some of the knitters in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew Co. Wicklow, with their knitted Map of Ireland. The 12 foot by 11 foot wool map of Ireland, which took four years of knitting and crocheting to complete, is in search of a new home to go on public display. Picture date: Monday July 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire The Giant's Causeway in Co Antrim made from boxes of Smarties sweets, which features on a knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew Co. Wicklow. The 12 foot by 11 foot wool map of Ireland, which took four years of knitting and crocheting to complete, is in search of a new home to go on public display. Picture date: Monday July 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Mary Blake points to a boat in memory of Margaret Dowse who passed away during the creation of her group's knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew Co. Wicklow. The 12 foot by 11 foot wool map of Ireland, which took four years of knitting and crocheting to complete, is in search of a new home to go on public display. Picture date: Monday July 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Hook Head lighthouse which features on a knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew Co. Wicklow. The 12 foot by 11 foot wool map of Ireland, which took four years of knitting and crocheting to complete, is in search of a new home to go on public display. Picture date: Monday July 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire A stone tower from Glendalough in Co Wicklow which features on a knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew Co. Wicklow. The 12 foot by 11 foot wool map of Ireland, which took four years of knitting and crocheting to complete, is in search of a new home to go on public display. Picture date: Monday July 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
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