Women seek home for 12ft by 11ft woollen map of Ireland
A group of up to 18 women in Co Wicklow, consisting of skilled knitters, sewers and crocheters, started the project in 2019 before it paused during the pandemic and resumed again in late 2022.
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The women met every Wednesday at Carnew Community Care centre where they came up with ideas of landmarks and historical sites across the island of Ireland that they could sew and knit together.
The knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Carnew, Co Wicklow. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.
While 18 people started off the project, three of the women died over the years and two others went in to nursing homes.
The youngest member of the group is aged 65 while the eldest is soon turning 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.
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The woollen map project quickly took off and now features prominent landmarks and sites across the island, including Glendalough, Croagh Patrick, Phoenix Park, Giant's Causeway and Fungie the Dolphin.
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.
'Then we started with Leinster, and somebody said, I'll do Mount Leinster, and someone else started on Hook Head (lighthouse), and different people did different parts. We worked together on everything,
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'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.
Blarney Castle, which features on a knitted map of Ireland in Carnew Community Care centre in Co Wicklow. Photo: Carson/PA.
'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 so decided to add bits in to represent her life close to the Shannon.
'We couldn't do something to represent every county but we did places like Glendalough, the Japanese Gardens in Kildare, Hook Head, a Viking ship, the Guinness gate, Phoenix Park, Dublin Zoo.
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'We also have Harland and Wolff, the Titanic ship with parts of it sinking, Theresa's cottage in Donegal, the Ulster Museum, we have loads of animals in it, Giants Causeway, which we made out of Smarties boxes.
'We have lots of fishermen, the Aran Island, windmills, Croagh Patrick, Galway Races and best dressed lady, the Shannon, Sherkin Island, Blarney Castle, and Fungie.
'Some people sewed, some people crocheted, and some people sewed things together.
'One of our ladies is going be 90 next year and I'd say the youngest person we have is over 65.'
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She added: 'It gives people a purpose. We also knit blankets for local hospitals.
Mary Blake points to a boat in memory of Margaret Dowse, who died during the creation of her group's knitted map of Ireland. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.
'We were all really excited to take part in this project and seeing it finished was amazing.'
Ms Blake said those involved would like to see it go 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 added.
'I'm so excited to see it finished and would like others to see it too. It would look great in one of the airports.'
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.
'They were difficult to do. I worked on the Vikings. It was interesting and enjoyable.
'We dug into the memory bank and came up with ideas and what things would have looked like.'
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