Diverse communities display their craftwork at Tipperary Museum of Hidden History

Tipperary Museum of Hidden History, were awarded €30,000 by The Heritage Council and its Stewardship Fund, to develop a traditional Irish skills programme working with diverse communities in Tipperary.

Using natural materials, understanding bio-diversity and the importance of sustainability were all at the core of this project.
The project is in its second year, and it builds on the strong relationship with our diverse communities into 2024.
The project was developed and conceived by Marie McMahon, Tipperary Museum’s Managing Curator.

She was inspired by the museum’s traditional artefacts such as baskets, textiles, grave slabs and the beautiful collection of vernacular furniture in the museum.
Many of the traditional Irish skills in stone and wooden carving, basketry, sewing, embroidery, thatching, harness making are a dying craft.

Marie wanted to share the techniques and skill of working with natural materials and commissioned artists and stone masons to work with each group.

OPPORTUNITY
On the day Marie stated, “It’s important to introduce new experiences to our local communities. To present people with an opportunity to work with their hands and produce their own piece of work. To bridge the skill gap and offer the possibility to work with natural materials and continue the traditions of previous craftsmen and women across Tipperary.

The Heritage Council offers apprenticeships in Traditional Skills, wouldn’t it be incredible if one person, decided to forge ahead and preserve our sustainable traditional Irish crafts. That would be so rewarding.”
Marie is the Chairperson of the Local Authority Museums Network and she will be presenting a three-year evaluation to eleven Local Authority Museums in 2024, in the hope that they will continue this programme of learning in the years to come, with the support of the Heritage Council.

The result is this beautiful exhibition, Rock Paper Scissors.
Philip Quinn, stone mason, Ciara Connolly, textile artist and Lynn Kirkham Basketry all participated.
The Museum then commissioned Michael Hughes of Clingfilm Productions to record and film the two diverse groups learning new traditional Irish skills and crafts.

The participants began a journey of discovery in their ability to sculpt, carve, craft and create inspired pieces, unearthing an awareness of themselves and their own capabilities.
Created by communities who live and work in Clonmel and Tipperary, the exhibition explores craft as a universal tool that celebrates our shared experiences of identity, place and nature.

Built on the innovation of past generations, this exhibition looks forward to the enrichment of our traditional crafts in our communities.

Traditional skills were explored in a series of workshops in stonemasonry, woodcarving, basketry and sewing.

In passing on these skills, they are preserved but thanks to those who participated they are presented to us from new and fresh perspectives.
Participants included students from Coláiste Shliabh na mBan, Clonmel, Michael Keenan, Jack Commins, Kieran Morrissey, Joe Hughes, Jack Johnson Reggie Carthy, Joe Hughes and Johnny Gilligan
Skill: Stone Masonry and Wood Carving – Philip Quinn Artist & Stone Mason
Ukrainian community liviing in Clonmel. The participants were Nataliia Verkhovna, Liudmyla Didukh, Olha Konovaliuk, Kseniia Yeslina, Inna Sosnovska, Yuliia Tytarenko, Kyrylo Zoroliak and Diana Zviriaka
Skill: Embroidery, Sewing, Textiles – Ciara Connolly
Skill: Basketry – Lynn Kirkham