Donegal's Timeless Beauty Reflected in Magnificent Tapestries
By BILLY BENNETT
Donegal's proud tradition of weaving and spinning is today uniquely expressed in the magnificent tapestry art of a small group of weavers in south-west Donegal. Nestled in the rugged hills overlooking the wild Atlantic, the Taipéis Gael art studio captures the imagery and symbolism of Donegal's landscape and history in a special way. Since1993, eight artists have lived the Taipéis Gael dream and delighted a national and international audience with their wonderful creations.
Joint funding from the EU's Horizon programme and Údarás na Gaeltachta allowed an initial group of six people undertake a two-year training program which included learning the traditional skills of spinning and natural dyeing from older people in the area. Weaving, which together with fishing was once the mainstay of the local economy, has been revitalized through the medium of tapestry art by the inspirational artists at Taipéis Gael.
Since then the artists have moved from their first home in Oideas Gael, Glencolmcille to new studios at nearby Malinbeg. Hundreds of their artworks, meanwhile, have found new homes all over the world and thousands of devotees have learned the traditional skills through workshops and courses at Taipéis Gael.
Máire McGinley from Glencolmcille, one of the original group of six apprentice weavers, today is the artist-in-residence and speaks with passion about her work. “My inspiration stems from the landscapes and seascapes of West Donegal. I am particularly moved by the fantastic natural colour contrasts all around me which I feel give my work a further dimension.”
The artists use naturally dyed and handspun local yarns to develop tapestries that are expressive of this beautiful region. Inspiration is not hard to come by at the Taipéis Gael studio in Malinbeg – overlooking the majestic Atlantic and Rathlin O Beirne island there is a timeless beauty about this delightful setting. The area around Glencolmcille is also steeped in a wonderful archaeological heritage of megalithic tombs, standing stones, dolmens and forts.
Today the winding roads around Glencolmcille meet the information superhighway as Taipéis Gael embrace the virtual marketplace that is the world wide web. Connoisseurs from far and wide can now marvel at their creations in the virtual art gallery at www.taipeisgael.ie.
The desire to inform and inspire others manifests itself in the running of workshops and training courses for aspiring hobbyists and artists. Tourists, students, art and crafts groups and individuals flock to the studio in Malinbeg to learn this new skill.
Summer courses range from a half-day to one week in duration. All programs are hands-on and fun and participants come away with a completed tapestry and the skills of tapestry weaving. For further details, call 011-353-74-9730325, or e-mail: taipeasgael@eircom.net.
[LION OF ST. MARK by Máire McGinley was sold to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.]
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