Exciting array of festivities coming to Tipperary as part of Craft Month

August will see craft month return once again, with a host of events set to take place throughout Tipperary.

August Craft Month is brought to you as a partnership between the Design & Crafts Council and Craft NI.

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The celebration is now in its fifth year of promoting, growing and sharing audiences for craft makers.

From Donegal to Dublin and Tyrone to Tipperary, creativity is coming to every corner of the island.

With 450 events, and over 2,500 makers involved, this year’s programme is set to be one of the busiest yet.

Those looking to indulge in the festivities will not be found shy of entertainment in Tipperary.

The Queen of the Castle Festival Community Carnival is one such event, running on August 2, from 12pm to 4:30pm.

The Rathkeevin Macra Na Feirme Queen of the Castle Festival was established in 2024.

It runs in the beautiful picturesque town of Cahir in Co Tipperary and takes place on the August Bank Holiday.

The Sunday features a free family fun day and carnival with stalls from local craft makers and producers along with music, comedy and entertainment.

The festival will see 18 queens representing some of the 31 Macra regions across the country, the UK and the EU compete in a bid to be crowned the Queen of the Castle at midnight, following the coronation banquet on Sunday.

From Fleece to Fabric Art – Wet & Needle Felting Experience is a hands-on felt workshop taking place on Wednesday, August 26, with a morning session offered from 10am to 1:30pm, and an afternoon session running from 2:30pm to 6pm.

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This unique, interactive session offers participants a comprehensive introduction to wool crafts.

Part 1: From Fleece to Fabric Art is led by expert felting maker Liz Martin.

This hands-on session guides participants through the therapeutic, heritage craft of wet-felting. Attendees will learn step-by-step techniques

Including The Natural Base: Laying down the foundational base layers of natural Irish sheep’s wool first to establish the structural backing, Layering the Palette: Applying vibrant, coloured wool fibres on top of the base layer, paint-style, to build depth, texture, and a unique design, Agitation & Fulling: Applying water, soap, and physical friction by rubbing and rolling to shrink, lock, and fuse the loose fibres into a solid textile picture, and Final Product: Completing an A4-sized felted wall hanging. The piece is specially designed with travel in mind, folding easily into an included carry bag for onward journeys.

Part 2 of the demonstration is a Dry Needle-Felting Demonstration.

To finish the experience, Liz will lead a live demonstration showing how dry needle-felting can complement traditional wet-felting. Participants will see how specialised barbed needles manipulate wool fibres to sculpt 3D accents or add fine surface details to finished work. Participants are invited to try the tools firsthand and experience the dry needle felting technique.

To ensure a comfortable, fluid experience during the practical rolling and wetting stages, participants are kindly requested to bring an old towel, to manage excess water during the physical rubbing and rolling process.

All materials are provided, including raw natural Irish wool fleece, vibrant coloured wool top fibres, and professional wet-felting gear.

For more information on these, and the many other events taking place in Tipperary throughout August, visit www.augustcraftmonth.org.