The community based voluntary group has spearheaded the ‘Save Muings lace school for the community’ campaign in recent years, and is solely responsible for raising awareness of the great lace-making tradition in the Barony of Erris.

Ms Helen Moreau, chairperson, Fis Na Muingi Iorras, told the Western People that the group continues its negotiations with Udaras Na Gaeltachta which currently owns the old lace school at Muings. Their objective is to preserve the heritage of the lace schools of Erris by saving Muings Lace School for the community. Fis Na Muingi Iorras has applied to Bord Fáilte for funding for the project.

Ms Moreau said the group’s proposals are very timely given the universal revival of interest in the fibre arts like crochet, lace-making, knitting and felting. Already, similar projects are being strongly supported by local authority heritage officers, arts officers and various funding agencies in Sligo, Cork, Kerry and Monaghan.

The campaign to save Muings Lace School for the community is being strongly supported throughout Ireland and further afield.

“We have met some absolutely fabulous people who want to support us and we have had a lot of interest from museums, institutions and fibre arts organisations from around the world,” Ms Moreau said.

She pointed out that in addition to securing the heritage of Erris’ lace-making tradition, the local campaign also plans to make lace-making an authentic Erris tourist experience through summer schools and year round workshops.

The exhibition by Fis na Muingi Iorras for Belmullet Heritage Day yesterday reflected the success and impact of the campaign to date. The group coordinated an action-packed day featuring internationally renowned authorities on lace-making and other fibre arts.

Demonstrations and teach-ins were provided by local experienced Irish crochet and lace making teachers, Mary Bradley and Rose Ellen Corduff; Erris crochet maker and teacher, Eva Healy, traditional knitted sock-maker Susan Coyle and felting expert Clare Ballard.

Special guest on the day was internationally acclaimed teacher of Clones crochet lace, Clones lace historian and writer, Maire Treanor, who gave a free demonstration and a lace making class.

The award-winning Grange Crochet Workers’ Group from Co Sligo was also in attendance with their teacher, Karen McCullagh, to share their experiences and show samples of their work.

Fis Na Muingi-Iorras also mounted an exhibition for Heritage Day which featured fine Irish crochet lace by former managers of Muings Lace School, Mrs Breege Burke and Miss Breege Burke, along with examples of Irish crochet lace from Erris which were supplied from private collections, crochet, knitwear and photographs.

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