Latest news with #RosTapestry
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Wexford stitchers and visitors rejoice as Ros Tapestry exhibition is officially opened
Guided tours of the tapestries and guided walks of the town introduced the tapestries to a new audience, attended by over 100 people throughout the day from Belgium, USA and France. Indeed there were also many locals present who said they learned the history of their own area that was never taught to them in school. Mary Lou O'Kennedy, Chair of New Ross Needlecraft Ltd, which is charged with holding the tapestries in trust for the people of New Ross, welcomed a great crowd to the launch. She thanked John F Kennedy Trust, Seán Connick and his staff for their great support since opening the Exhibition Centre, Fáilte Ireland in Partnership with Wexford County Council Festivals Grant Scheme 2025 for their support for the festival and New Ross District Council for their sponsorship of the official opening. Most significantly, she also acknowledged the financial support from Clann Credo Community Finance 'which made the opening possible through their loan fund'. Mary Lou also highlighted that the exhibition is a staffed by volunteers and two staff from the New Ross and District Community Employment Scheme and thanked everyone 'who goes above and beyond to keep the exhibition open'. Cathaoirleach of New Ross District Council, Cllr John Dwyer, welcomed the return of the tapestries to New Ross. He commended the work of the Board of the Ros Tapestry and expressed his pride in the developments in the town. The exhibition was officially opened by New Ross native, Prof. Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, writer and producer of the television series From That Small Island. She spoke of the story told in the tapestries, of the journey of Diarmaid McMurrough to Henry II in France and the arrival of Fitzstephens and a small band of Norman knights at Bannow 'at the creek of Baginbun Ireland was lost and won'; the marriage of Aoife and Strongbow; and the marriage of their daughter Isobel to William Marshall, which led to the creation of the thriving port of New Ross and many years of prosperity in the area. She also spoke of her pride in the town of New Ross and her delight in officially opening the Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre. Rosa Ronan, one of the original Ros Tapestry stitchers, who is still stitching with the project after 25 years, thoroughly enjoyed cutting the ribbon on the Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre with Bríona, the new home of the Ros Tapestry at The Waterfront, The Quay, New Ross, opposite the Dunbrody. The Centre is open every Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and guided tours for groups are available at 087 3720274 or info@
Irish Independent
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Ros Tapestry back in Wexford after four year stint in Kilkenny
The exhibition is now open at the Waterfront (opposite the Dunbrody visitor centre), in New Ross, having been returned from Kilkenny Castle where it was on loan and was brought to a wider audience over the past four years. The Bring it Home campaign was started by the Board of the Ros Tapestry to raise funds for the development of its new location, which is now open to visitors. The Festival will include free tours of Medieval New Ross and entrance to guided tours of the Ros Tapestry. The stitchers' workshop will also be open for viewing for those who wish to see the stitchers at work and learn about the making of the tapestry. The exhibition will be officially opened in the evening by New Ross native, Prof. Briona Nic Dhiarmada, writer and producer of From That Small Island series. The Ros Tapestry was the brain-child of Rev. Paul Mooney of St Mary's church, in 1998. It was inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry which portrays the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The panels were created from cartoons painted by local artist Ann Bernstorff, which were painstakingly traced onto Jacobean linen. The stitchers then choose the stitches and colours that reflect the cartoon drawings bringing the tale of our Norman past to life. The stitching of the panels has been done over the past 27 years by 180 volunteer stitchers, and commenting on their work, the Chairperson of New Ross Needlecraft, Mary Lou O'Kennedy said 'their dedication and love of the craft is evident in each and every one of the panels.' Guided tours will take place on the day of the Bring it Home festival, free of charge, and hourly from 11am to 2pm which will included a visit to the various sites throughout the town that are referred to in the Ros Tapestry, led by history guru, Myles Courtney. There will also be a special viewing from 11am to 12pm for those who wish to see the tapestry stitchers at work in their workshop at 14 The Quay. "This exhibition has been made possible by the private donations and sponsorship received for the Bring It Home campaign fund-raising events and the Bring It Home GoFundMe page. Additionally, we received loan funding from Clann Credo Community Loan Finance, without whom it would not have been possible,' Ms O'Kennedy said. 'This festival celebrates all those who have created the Ros Tapestry, telling the tale of medieval New Ross and the South-East of Ireland. It has been created by the voluntary work of the stitchers and the board members who have served as guardians and managers of the Ros Tapestry, its stitching and exhibition, and the planning for its permanent home which will be in the new Norman Centre in New Ross, which is under development,' she added. This festival is funded through Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Wexford County Council under the Festival Grant Scheme 2025. Booking at info@ or 087 3720274, is essential for both tours during the Bring it Home festival.
Irish Independent
08-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Ros Tapestry exhibition reopens to public
The Ros Tapestry now sits in The Waterfront, The Quay, New Ross, opposite the Dunbrody, which is more than just an intricate story told in thread, it is the living history of the town and the surrounding counties, capturing the arrival of the Normans to Ireland's Ancient East. This monumental work, crafted by 180 dedicated volunteer stitchers over twenty-five years, is a testament to shared heritage. Like the Bayeux Tapestry, the masterpiece is embroidered on linen with wool, preserving history through the same materials that have endured through the ages. A GoFundMe has been created to raise funds for such exhibitions and preservation of the delicate items, and a target of €10,000 has been set for those involved in the tapestry to continue their work. 'These stitchers have left a legacy that will last for generations, just as the Normans did centuries ago. We hope this Tapestry continues to inspire and educate long after the grandchildren of the original stitchers have grandchildren of their own,' said Mary Lou O'Kennedy, the organiser of the GoFundMe. Commenting on the return of the Ros Tapestry to the town, Marguerite Ahearne said: 'We are so grateful to our friends, sponsors and supporters who helped us make this happen.' The GoFundMe remains open for donations, while the exhibition currently operates on limited opening hours, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission fees apply.
Irish Independent
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
New Ross strengthens Normandy connections as French visitors add to the Ros Tapestry
The stitchers of the Ros Tapestry welcomed two visitors from Region Normandie recently who contributed to the ongoing workshop by adding stitches to the pieces that are currently being worked on. Under the watchful eye of Manon, Candice Rousseau and Jean-Gabriel Guyant added to the section of 'Arrogant Trespass - the Normans landing at Bannow Strand' which shows the heavily armed Normans meeting Diarmaid MacMurrough at the beginning of a turbulent period of Irish history. The visit on Tuesday, April 29, was a friendly one, as they represented Region Normandie, unlike that depicted in the panel. Candice and Gabriel are preparing for the Year of the Normans in 2027, when there will be a series of events celebrating the millennium anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror and the links created between the countries influenced by the Normans. The Norman legacy is a complicated one and can be viewed through the lens of conquest but also the lens of building and development. The Year of the Normans is an opportunity to increase our appreciation of the cultural ties that link the countries of Europe. Representing New Ross and Wexford, the Ros Tapestry will take part in these activities, visiting Normandy and welcoming visitors from Normandy to view the tapestries in the new Norman Centre on the Quay which is expected to open in 2027. In the meantime, the tapestries are back in New Ross and the group is preparing a temporary home for them opposite the Dunbrody, in which an opening will be pencilled in for later this month.
Irish Independent
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Normandy connections to New Ross are strengthened
New Ross Standard Today at 06:00 The stitchers of the Ros Tapestry welcomed two visitors from Region Normandie recently who contributed to the ongoing workshop by adding stitches to the pieces that are currently being worked on. Under the watchful eye of Manon, Candice Rousseau and Jean-Gabriel Guyant added to the section of 'Arrogant Trespass - the Normans landing at Bannow Strand' which shows the heavily armed Normans meeting Diarmaid MacMurrough at the beginning of a turbulent period of Irish history. The visit on Tuesday, April 29, was a friendly one, as they represented Region Normandie, unlike that depicted in the panel. Candice and Gabriel are preparing for the Year of the Normans in 2027, when there will be a series of events celebrating the millennium anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror and the links created between the countries influenced by the Normans. The Norman legacy is a complicated one and can be viewed through the lens of conquest but also the lens of building and development. The Year of the Normans is an opportunity to increase our appreciation of the cultural ties that link the countries of Europe. Representing New Ross and Wexford, the Ros Tapestry will take part in these activities, visiting Normandy and welcoming visitors from Normandy to view the tapestries in the new Norman Centre on the Quay which is expected to open in 2027. In the meantime, the tapestries are back in New Ross and the group is preparing a temporary home for them opposite the Dunbrody, in which an opening will be pencilled in for later this month.
