Hand-Stitched Tapestry That Weaves Tales Of Medieval Life Goes On Display In New Ross

THE STATE’s newest tourist attraction was unveiled yesterday when the Ross Tapestry went on public display in the Co Wexford port town of New Ross.

Organisers of the permanent exhibition predict that the series of elaborate, hand-stitched tapestries depicting scenes of Irish medieval life will attract 60,000 visitors in year one.

Work on Europe’s biggest embroidery project began in 1998. For the past decade, more than 100 volunteers, from Co Wexford and neighbouring counties, have created 15 large, 6ft by 4ft, needlework panels which record the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland and its aftermath.

The exquisitely coloured, intricate tapestries include Arrogant Trespass: The Normans Landing at Bannow – a reference to the nearby strand where the invasion by 30 knights and 360 soldiers in 1169 led to 800 years of British rule in Ireland.

The Ross Tapestry is based on original paintings by Countess Ann Griffin Bernstorff, the Limerick-born artist who married a Danish aristocrat and settled on a farm in Co Wexford.

Yesterday, she praised volunteers who had devoted “thousands of hours and millions of stitches” and said, “we turned on a switch in the community and they responded”.

She explained that the original idea for the project had come from a Church of Ireland rector, Paul Mooney, who has since moved to Malaysia.

Project chairman Seán Reidy hailed “a world-class work of art” created by “the best example of volunteerism that Ireland will ever see”.

He thanked patrons, who include financier Dermot Desmond, newspaper magnate Tony O’Reilly and AIB’s Gerry Murtagh, for each making personal contributions of “significant five-figure sums”.

He also revealed that the project has attracted the attention of former US ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy-Smith who was “completely blown away by it”. She has asked that at least some of the tapestries be temporarily shipped to Washington in 2011 for celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of John F Kennedy’s inauguration.

The late president’s great-great-grandfather emigrated from the town and the Kennedy family maintains strong links with New Ross.

Yesterday’s opening was a low-key affair, with pride of place given to the volunteer embroiderers who expressed delight and pride at seeing their work hung permanently for the first time.

Mary Maher, a former secretary who had “stitched for two mornings a week” said it was “a fantastic achievement and brilliant to see on permanent display”.

All the embroiderers were women except John Ronan whose “wife encouraged me to have a go”. He was “uncomfortable in the beginning with all the women” but drew inspiration from his grandfather, “a tailor who had stitched his way into the fabric of the town”. Mr Ronan decided to “do the same” and yesterday said, “I’m so proud.”

Seán Connick, the local Fianna Fáil TD and a director of the project, was given a tour of the exhibition by Countess Bernstorff.

Afterwards, his “heart was thumping with pride” and he said, “This is what the community and the people of Ireland are capable of.”

The permanent exhibition is open to the public, seven days a week, from today at Priory Court, The Quay, New Ross.

A Fáilte Ireland spokesman said the exhibition was “destined to become a must-see attraction in Ireland”.

Taken From IrishTimes.com