NEWSLETTER MAY/JUNE 1979

CRAFTS COUNCIL OF IRELAND.

Thomas Prior House, Merrion Road, Balisbridge, Dublin 4 Telephone 01 680764

New Chairman for Crafts Council Mrs. Patsy Duignan was elected Chairman of Crafts Council of Ireland at the first Management Committee meeting after the Annual General Meeting.

Mrs. Duignan is well known in the crafts world, being herself a craftswoman in a number of the traditional native skills, and Chairman of Slieve Bawn Co­operative Handcraft Markets Limited for some years. Mrs. Duignan is also a member of the Art and Design Studies Board of the NCEA and a long standing member of both the Irish Country­women's Association and Country Markets.

New Studio Glass Workshop

It is not a secret any longer that Kieth Ledbetter's workshop at Jerpoint will be in operation in the next few months. This will be the second studio glass work­shop in Ireland, Simon Pearce's, of course, being the original. It is good news to see this part of the crafts scene beginning to grow, and the fact that Kieth Ledbetter is visiting tutor to the National College of Art and Design, Glass Department, is an encouraging factor for those students studying studio glass. We hope to have photo­graphs of designs from the new work­shop in a future issue of the Newsletter.

Annual General Meeting The second Annual General Meeting of Crafts Council of Ireland Limited was held on 25th April at Thomas Prior House, Dublin 4.

The Chairman, Mr. James Warwick, introducing the Annual Report, drew attention to a number of specific achievements during the year 1978, in particular the enlargement of the successful National Crafts Trade Fair and the Wexford Conference which had been such an inspiration. He referred also to other work of the Council, such as the crafts educational research project, the report of which would be published shortly, and the new book for craftsmen setting up their own business, as well as the many other activities for the year reported.

Both the Annual Report and the Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet were adopted after brief discussion.

As an innovation, representatives of the various member organisations reported on their activities during the year, some of which have already been reported in the Newsletter.

The full membership of the Management Committee is now as follows: Mr. James Warwick

Miss Betty Searson, Royal Dublin Society

Miss Blanaid Reddin, Bord Failte Miss Cecil O'Donohue, National College of Art and Design Mr. Tony Courtney, Coras Trachtala Miss Mary Coleman, Country Markets

Mr. Gerald Tyler, Kilkenny Design Workshops

New Management Commi t te Members At the Annual General Meeting the following were declared elected to fill the vacancies caused by non-statuto'y retirements: Mrs. Alison Erridge of Ballycar Design, Newmarket-on-Fergus, who is a member of Clare Craftwor ker s Association and is herself a skilled teacher and craft worker; Miss Angela O'Brien, who has for a number of years been Secretary of the Irish Society for Design and Craftwork and has previously been a member of the Committee; Mr. John Donovan who was, until his retirement, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy and is a member of the Board of SFADCO; Mr. Dermot Stokes, Chairman of Wicklow Craftworkers Association, who is also a craftsman in copper.

The composition of the Management Committee now includes three full time craftworkers, three whose full time involvement is with crafts, two educationalists, and seven who could more accurately be described as administrators with an involvement in the crafts sector.

Mr. John Verling, Cork Craftsman's Guild Mr. Tom Sheedy, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

Mr. Tom Broderick, Country Development Officers Association Mrs. Patsy Duignan, Slieve Bawn Cooperative Handcraft Market Limited

Mr. Dermot Stokes, Wicklow Craftworkers Association

Mrs. Alison Erridge, Clare Craftworkers Association

Mr. John Donovan

Miss Angela O'Brien, Irish Society for Design and Craftwork

The Muriel Gahan Scholarship The Scholarship, which was created by Crafts Council of Ireland on the retirement of Dr. Muriel Gahan as Chairman in 1978, is now officially set up and it is hoped that the first student chosen to avail of it will attend the special Silver Jubilee Meitheal at An Grianan beginning 12th October this year, and the formal presentation of the Scholarship will be made during that week.

Details of the Scholarship are as follows:

1. The Scholarship will be known as the Muriel Gahan Scholarship.

2. To provide for the Scholarship, Crafts Council of Ireland has entrusted to the Irish Countrywomen's Association the sum of £500 which has been invested by the ICA to maintain the security of the capital in trust for the Scholarship.

3. The annual income from the capital is intended to be sufficient to cover the cost of an annual two-week course at the ICA adult education college, An Grianan.

4. The Scholarship is to be linked with and be a follow-up to the Country Markets/ RDS Craftsmanship Scheme which is concerned with assisting local effort and enterprise in the development of traditional country crafts and the use of native raw materials.

Dun Laoghaire Festival Week From June 23rd to July 1st Dun Laoghaire Borough will be running a fast'val week. While this will embrace manv cultural and other activities, it is interesting to note that it will have a strongly craft flavour. Craft Potters Coeity of Ireland will again participate in force and other craftsmen will also take part at various levels.

Crafts Council are mounting a continuous slide show in the Shopping Centre, showing crafts of excellence, both Irish and foreign, aimed at encouraging the general public to a greater awareness of good craftsmanship.

5. The Scholarship is to be linked to the particular form which the Craftsmanship Scheme may take as it develops but the essential terms of reference are that a member of a participating group in the Craftsmanship Scheme will be enabled by the Scholarship to attend a course at An Grianan in a traditional craft, using native raw materials, and on completion to use the skills learned to help others in the group towards greater proficiency and improved standards.

6. The choice of candidate for the Scholar­ship will be made annual by Country Markets in such a manner as will ensure that the aims of the Scholarship will be fulfilled.

7. ICA, and the Board for the time being of An Grianan, will cooperate with Country Markets in such a manner as will ensure that the aims of the Scholarship will be fulfilled.

8. Crafts Council of Ireland would be notified of the choice of Scholarship winner each year.

Woven Linen Excellence Alice Roden opened a selective exhibition of her work at her studio in Appian Way, Dublin on May 8th. On show were tapestries, rugs, evening bags, cushions and scarves. Each in their own way show the meticulous craftsmanship which is the hallmark of Alice Roden's work. Weaving, as she does, almost exclusively in linen, she has created not only tapestries of great perfection, and of a simplicity of design which could be overlooked because of its subtlety, but also purses and evening bags which are miniature works of individual craftsman­ship of a high order. A new departure for Alice Roden is a series of hand-wover alpaca scarves dyed in editions of twenty each with a quite individual design.

Guinness is....

The Committee of the Guinness Workers Employment Fund Limited were delighted to be asked to write in your Newsletter. You will all have heard of GUINNESS stout, but did you know that twenty years ago, a group of employees in the Guinness Brewery started a company called "The Guinness Workers Employment Fund Ltd."? The idea was that we, in steady jobs, should assist small firms to create new employment or at least to maintain their existing level.

We have about 1,000 members, each contributing ten pence per week to build up a fund to finance employment in Ireland. No financial return is received by our members.

Almost £200,000 has been advanced to firms all over Ireland and many thousands of this finance have gone towards helping craftsmen. Sixteen different crafts have been assisted and we like to think that because of help from our Fund, some people are working in Ireland today and preserving their skills for passing on to future generations who might otherwise have emigrated.

The Committee administering the Fund works voluntarily and is always glad to receive requests for loans which meet the Fund's objective of creating or maintaining employment in Ireland, in cases where sufficient finance cannot be obtained through normal channels.

If you would like an application form for a loan, preferably to enable you to take on another worker or, indeed, for certain working capital needs, please write to the Executive Officer, Crafts Council.

Weaving Workshops in County Cork The old Convent in Rossmore in Clonakilty is the setting for a series of four two-week hand-loom weaving workshops, initiated by Rossmore Weaving Workshops. The courses are very intensive, residential and instruction is over a period of eighty hours. Each student will have continuous use, during the course, of a four shaft loom. Courses begin on 30th June, 14th July, 4th August and 18th August.

Outline of Help now Available AGM Report

for Craft Enterprises

Craft Centres, workshops and small advance factories: these are special buildings constructed by IDA through­out Ireland which are designed to suit the accommodation needs of small industries such as crafts.

Capital Grants: capital grants up to a maximum of 45% (non-designated areas) and 60% (designated areas) towards expenditure on eligible fixed assets-site buildings, new equipment—are approved for commercially viable craft enterprises.

Rent Subsidy Grants: grants towards the reduction of factory rents at the same rate as above can be applied for a period of five years.

Grants towards building renovations/ modification: in cases where old buildings are being modified/renovated, grants at the rates described above can also be approved.

Training Grants: grants of up to 100% are given where master craftsmen recruit trainees. These grants cover the cost of courses, travel and subsistance for apprentices. The craftsmen, themselves, are also compensated for the time spent training their apprentices in order to up-grade their skills.

The County Development Officers, acting as agents of the IDA'S Small Industries Division, are usually the initial contact for a craft promoter seeking advice on grants under the Small Industries Programme.

Contact may also be made directly with the IDA's Regional Offices in areas where a County Development Officer is not located, or direct to the Small Industries Division at the IDA Head Office.

Craftsmen will find discussion with the Crafts Council helpful at an early stage and the Council's familiarity with the application valuable in helping to smooth out possible later problems.

Representatives of the various member organisations gave brief accounts of their 1978 activities, many of which have appeared in previous editions of the Newsletter. There were, however, a number reporting for the first time about activities not previously mentioned.

Miss Flannery, Chairman of the North Tipperary Craftworkers Association, which was formed in June 1978 with the help of Crafts Council, spoke of their recent successful exhibition in Nenagh at which a whole variety of North Tipperary crafts were shown and which ranged from crochet and knitting to pottery, glass etching, copper and woodwork, porcelain flower pieces and other crafts, by both individuals and small groups. As with all such new Associations, it was not until the formation of the Association that craftsmen were dis­covered who were working locally and prior to that had been working in isolation

Clare Craftworkers Association reported on some new initiatives: the third secondary schools crafts competition and a seminar on basketry and rushwork to be held later in the year at Bunratty Folk Park. Dr. Gahan of Country Workers spoke of the craftsmanship scheme and of the classes held in Leitrim in 1978. Country Workers would like to hear from those who would like classes under the scheme which encourages traditional and home craft and the use of native materials, and which is based largely on self-help.

Pat Dolan told how Wexford Craftworkers Association found a shop premises in 1978 for one of their fourteen active members, which is thriving by selling Wexford crafts.

Cork Craftsman's Guild, now with over 100 members, is the original guild member of Crafts Council and John Verling, in speaking of their highly successful shop in Cork, said that the Guild is willing to help other organisations to initiate similar ventures.

Donegal Craftworkers Association's second craft fair did excellent business and they plan an open-air craft market this year.

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park intends to expand their Rural Village over the next five years, aiming at fourteen workers in the village. Workshops would be leased to craftworkers who could sell from them.

"BRANCHARDIERE LACE SCHOLARSHIP" HELD AT AN GRIANAN FROM APRIL 20th TO 27th 1979.

On ai rival on Friday evening, we were warmly welcomed by Mrs. K. Hogan who was acting hostess for the weekend and also standing in for Mary Coleman who was absent.

Ten students attended. Irish Crochet and Carrickmacross Lace were being taught, as it was discovered that three days were not enough to learn any one lace.

I asked for a place on Carrickmacross with a view to keeping an eye also on the Crochet class. Six students started class on Saturday morning, our teacher being Mrs. Nora Broderick from Limerick. Three knew quite a bit about lace but we all started at the beginning, as we could be classed as knowing very little.

Two years ago we worked on a small mat which we did not finish. We got no designs or materials where we were learning, so we were not able to continue at home.

This time, thanks to our very good teacher, we were not rushed to finishing the tray-cloth we set out to do, and nobody did get it finished as it is vei y tedious work. Instead we weie all made to do flowers, shamrocks, embossing, and filling stitches on pieces of net lor a sample board. Having those for refeience and also notes and information and many designs, we can continue at home.

On Saturday afternoon, Dr. Gahan, secretary of the Lace Committee, came to a meeting and all students had to give a report on what they had done since the last scholarship.

This being a new venture, many unfore­seen problems arose and many mistakes are being righted. No scholarship is being given next year but hopefully will be the year after. We worked at least eight hours every day, and also all Sunday afternoon. There were numerous demonstrations during the week: rush work, skin curing, leather work, gloves, macrame, toys, Irish crochet, knitting and Carrickmacross. Ten teachers sat for their tests.

It was a very enjoyable and rewarding week and I learned much, not only about lace but all crafts.

Ita Morahan

IDA Announces Extra Support for Irish Crafts At press conferences in Strokestown and Marlay Park Craft Centre in early June, Mr. M. J. Killeen, Managing Director of the Industrial Development Authority, announced new measures to encourage more people to start craft production, to help with the expansion of existing craft firms and to prevent the extinction of some crafts now endangered.

The IDA, which has been helping craft industries for some years, gives this special consideration to craft industry because:

(a) Ireland has a long tradition of craft skills which is worth developing.

(b) A number of craft products which are produced in a 'cottage industry' environment have penetrated world markets and are recognised inter­nationally as Irish products, e.g. lace, hand knits, hand woven fabrics and tweeds.

(c) Craft production provides worth­while and satisfying jobs which are particularly beneficial in the smaller towns. Irish craft products have acquired a deserved reputation for distinctiveness and quality and the market for these crafts continues to expand due to increased awareness at home and abroad.

Cooperation with

Crafts Council

The close cooperation which exists between IDA and Crafts Council of Ireland has helped to underline the importance of the crafts sector and Crafts Council particularly welcomes the flexible attitude towards the craftsmen's needs being adopted by the IDA.

New Support Measures

Craft Centres 1. The IDA has bought a 2 acre site from Slieve Bawn Cooperative Handcraft Markets Limited at Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, for a new craft centre and workshops.

The Strokestown centre will have seven workshops totalling 5,000 square feet of space. In addition, three houses for the craftspeople will be constructed initially on the site to enable them to live near their workshops. Construction is due to begin on the development this autumn and is expected to be completed early next year.

2. Because of the interest in craft centres, the IDA is actively investigating other locations throughout the country for further craft centres.

The Strokestown centre will be the third in which IDA has participated. The concept was first introduced for craft industry in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, where Dublin County Council, following discussions with the IDA, decided to renovate the courtyard beside Marlay House, and make the accommodation available as craft workshops. To date, approximately half the courtyard has been renovated and eight craft industries have located there. These industries comprise weaving, glass ware, musical instruments, pottery, stained glass, silverware and antique book restoration.

The County Council is currently restoring the remainder of the courtyard for additional workshops.

In Roundstone, construction will soon begin on a craft and small industry development incorporating factory units for small scale manufacturing operations, workshops for craftsmen and tourist housing. The overall development was the subject of a national architectural competition and the promotion of Roundstone as a location for suitable industries is now under way.

Training in Craft Skills

At the heart of craft workshops are people trained in highly individual skills. To help with this training, the IDA is to extend its present training scheme which helps master craftsmen to recruit apprentices and pass on their skills.

The IDA will now give generous grants of up to 100% to cover:

(a) The cost of the time spent by the craftsmen and women in training apprentices.

(b) The attendance of apprentices at special courses for crafts which AnCO (The Industrial Training Authority) will organise.

(c) Attendance by master craftsmen at courses aimed at up-grading their skills.

Post Graduate

Training Centre

A post graduate training centre is to be set up in the village of Kilworth, Co Cork. Here the Crafts Council of Ireland will rent a renovated market house from the local community and will maintain a number of graduates from the Regional Technical Colleges and the National College of Art and Design in a production environment for one year. This course, which is expected to begin operation in the autumn, will be organised with the support of IDA, AnCO and sponsoring firms and, if it proves successful, will be extended to other areas of the country.

Incentives for Special Crafts IDA will make a special attempt to revive key craft industries, such as Irish silk poplin and Irish lace, which are in danger of extinction. In these cases, maximum IDA assistance under existing legislation will be made available for suitable projects.

Survey

In cooperation with the Crafts Council of Ireland and Bord Failte Eireann, IDA has commissioned a survey of the craft industry in Ireland, to be carried out by Irish Marketing Surveys Limited in the summer of this year. The findings are expected to be available in the late autumn, and the data compiled in the survey will be of particular interest to all organisations involved in the craft industry. The IDA will use the results of the survey in formulating its future policy on crafts.

Letter Ceramic Sculpture Success

Dear Sir

With reference to the front-page photo-graph of a cane-handled teapot in theMarch/April 1979 issue of the CraftsCouncil of Ireland Newsletter, and fromlooking at many teapots in craft shopsthroughout the country over the lastfive years, it is obvious that a lot ofpotters (but by no means all) never con-sider the functional requirements of thepots they make before setting aboutcreating them. Too many pots are justmade and not designed. Design appliesnot only to industrial products, but tocraft work as well. Of course rules aremade to be broken, but not if they areabsolutely necessary to the successfulfunction of any article. We must workwithin the framework of necessity andfunction.

The following points relating to thedesign and production of teapots maybe of some help to some potters whenmaking teapots:

1. The level of the effective top of thespout should be above the top level towhich the teapot can be filled, otherwisetea will come out of the spout of its ownaccord when the teapot is being filled.

2. Steam inside the teapot will condenseon the underside of the lid; and soconsequently the gallery for the lid andthe lid itself should be designed so thatcondensed water will not collect underthe lid and run down the outside of thepot.

3. The shape of the spout should createa constriction in the flow of tea whenpoured from the pot. To achieve this,the maximum difference possible shouldbe created between the total area of thetea-straining holes and the area at thetop of the spout. Also a nice roundshape to the bottom of the pot will helpcreate a nice flow to the spout.

There are many more points about theproduction of teapots, not least of coursethe question of a non-drip spout!

The information in this letter is offeredin good faith rather than as a personalcriticism.

Peter WolstenholmeCourtmacsherry CeramicsCo. Cork

Pat Connor, the Schull based ceramicsculptor, had another very successfulexhibition in the Davis Gallery in Dublinin early May. The latest exhibitionshowed continued progress in this mediumwhich Pat Connor has made very muchhis own, and the profusion of red dotsafter the opening night is indicative ofthe fact that collectors are recognisingthe quality and depth of this work.

Four ceramic sculptures from the recentPat Connor exhibition at the DavisGallery.

AMOXQII A U T O ? wM etunL© MHWI GEORGE ELLIOT AT NCAD

A hot glass Seminar was given at the NCAD by George Elliot of Stowbridge who is well known to TV viewers in the Pale for his work on the BBC craftsmen series. He is, of course, internationally known, exhibiting regularly.

Glass is developing well at NCAD not only in blown studio glass but also in stained glass in which Michael Timlin, a second year student, is working on designs for a scheme of windows for a new church in County Clare, which will be incorporated into his Diploma course.

TAPESTRY TROPHIES

A welcome breakthrough in the choice of prizes for competitions or awards was made by Futura Magazine when they commissioned trophies for the Futura/ International Wool Secretariat retail window display competition made by students of the National College of Art and Design. The only specification was that the material used in the trophies should be pure wool.

Both Jacqueline Corbiere and Frances Sullivan created tapestry trophies and these were presented to the winning store managers.

It is time that there was a change from the inevitable glass and silver and while these will obviously continue to provide acceptable trophies, the fact that winners of competitions may receive other hand-crafted objects is not only good for crafts design but also as an exercise in public appreciation of the use of crafts in other ways, and appreciation of the tapestry wall hanging as something to be proud of

DIPLOMA GRADUATE FREE LANCING

The first Diploma graduate from NCAD to practise fully as a knitwear designer is doing f-ee iance work for Irish firms. Liz Spillane is using both hand knitting and domestic machine knitting for her prototypes.

HOT GLASS SEMINAR

The 1979 "Hot Glass" seminar in England will be held at Banbury. Full details are not yet available because of the postal strike but the seminar will be in September and anyone interested might note the date and place at this stage. When details are available they can be got from Crafts Council's office. A number of Irish participants took part in the 1978 seminar in Sunderland and Ireland will again be represented at Banbury.

NORTH TIPPERARY CRAFTWORKERS ASSOCIATION

On 20th April, North Tipperary Craft­workers Association, which had its first meeting to discuss its formation less than ten months previously, held an exhibition of members' work in the Vocational School in Nenagh.

There were over forty exhibitors, from individuals to small craft industries, and in general the work was of a good standard and excellently mounted with the help of Limerick School of Art.

The exhibition was introduced by Miss Pauline Flannery, Chairman of the North Tipperary Craftworkers Association, and was opened by Mr. T.A. Callanan, Deputy General Manager of SFADCO. The Executive Officer of Crafts Council of Ireland attended the opening, as did Manage­ment Committee member Mr. Tom Sheedy.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Michael Kennedy, TD, visited the exhibition during the evening.

The initial impact.of this exhibition was important to craftworkers in the area, especially to bring to the attention of craft and gift shops the potential of North Tipperary craftsmen and the excellent work many are producing.

APPRENTICES

Conscious of the fact that good quality crafts are in short supply, Crafts Council initiated discussions with IDA and AnCO .last year towards creating a climate in grant terms favourable to the encourage­ment of craftsmen to take on apprentices and to increase their output.

One of the difficulties was the length of training required in certain cases, to ensure that an apprentice would be trained to a point that he or she could contribute sufficiently in skills to the workshop to enable a worthwhile salary to be paid and some permanence of employment envisaged.

The discussions have resulted in a broadly based scheme which is now in operation in the case of a number of craftsmen and under examination in the case of others.

In simple terms the craftsman wishing to expand his studio employment should firstly discuss the matter with Crafts Council.

Before grants can be considered, a detailed training programme will have to be prepared to presentation for agreement by AnCO, who will monitor the programme.

Grants, both in terms of a training fee and apprentice maintenance, are being treated generously and it is hoped that the present programmes will be sufficiently successful to widen the scope of the scheme.

POTTERYCRAFT - MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Lister Machine Tools, for many years the agents of Wenger, Stoke-on-Trent (manufacturers and suppliers of pottery equipment and materials), now offer an increased and expanded service to customers with the opening in June of their new shop "Potterycraft" at 69 Dorset Street, Dublin 1, where as sole agents for Wenger in Ireland they have available a wide selection of pottery equipment and materials now displayed in attractive and comfortable surroundings.

A new catalogue is now available, listing the comprehensive range of materials and equipment currently in stock.

Telephone 302299, 69 Lower Dorset Street, Dublin 1.