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| Irish crochet lace collar, maker unknown, circa 1850, in the Victoria and Albert Museum. |
The inspiring story of
Thornton Crochet Lace is the focus of a
National Heritage Week event at
Kilcullen Library on Wednesday evening,
writes Brian Byrne. It's a remarkable example of grassroots ingenuity and compassion during a time of great hardship.
The evening is hosted by Mary Barber, who will share how Mrs Roberts, the wife of a local clergyman in the townland of Thornton near Grangebeg, taught impoverished women to make lace around the 1840s to help ease the suffering caused by the Great Famine. This effort quickly evolved into what we might now call a cooperative, where lace-making — then extremely fashionable across Europe — provided a vital income for many households in the Kilcullen area.
"I grew up about a mile from Thornton but had never heard about the lace," Mary Barber says. "As an adult, I crocheted as a hobby, but was unaware that crocheting lace played a significant role in famine relief. What struck me most in the story of Thornton Crochet Lace is that it wasn't a government scheme, an expertly orchestrated endeavour, nor did it build on any pre-existing foundation. It was a new endeavour born from the best of human kindness." She describes it as a 'real miracle of the loaves and fishes.' "In terms of people's abilities, Mrs Roberts brought what she had to help suffering women, who used their skills and created a product worth more than its weight in gold."
She says she first read about Thornton Lace in the Kilcullen Diary, referencing a history written by Chris Lawlor. As Mrs Roberts wrote herself, "I then taught five poor women to copy the crochet spiders, and then lent them different pieces of old lace, and of their own ingenuity they brought it to its present perfection."
An important part of the story is that each person taught to make the lace had to pass the skill on to three others. Soon, up to 100 women in the Kilcullen area were earning money, and others were bringing the skills to other parts of the country.
On the night, Mary will discuss the history of the famine in this region, explore the general significance of lace, and tell the story of Thornton Crochet Lace. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to try crocheting afterwards.
"I'm hoping Kathie Earle will attend. She is an expert at crocheting lace and an avid enthusiast of Thornton lace specifically. She turns the academic into an actual creation."
The event starts at 7pm, is free, and will include a chat and refreshments afterwards.
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