Eight artists unite to create unique Tain tapestry

Local efforts now is now part of a combined five panel tapestry on display at An Táin Arts Centre in Dundalk

A TAPESTRY which is the work of eight talented Meath artists is currently on display in Dundalk as part of the Táin March Festival and will later be exhibited here in Meath.

The tapestry which was worked on over many months in the old vocational school in Kells, is now part of a combined five panel tapestry on display at An Táin Arts Centre in Dundalk to mark the launch of the 2022 Táin March Festival, which starts on 10th June.

'Threading The Táin' is a five piece stitch tapestry project that depicts scenes from the Táin Bó Cúailnge or Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Five tapestries were created to depict the progress of the Táin Bó Culaigne from Roscommon to Louth.

Each county through which the Táin passes was involved: Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Meath and Louth.

Groups in each county produced a tapestry 1.5 metres by three metres, which tells its own story, but together tell the whole story of the Tain epic.

"The central image we created in Meath is of Cúchulainn being healed by the god Lúgh. Cúchulainn has been injured in the battle between Queen Medb and the King of Ulster, for possession of the brown bull of Cooley,” says Ina Olohan, the facilitator for the project here in Meath.

Over 40 volunteers across counties Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Meath and Louth worked on the project, which is funded by Creative Ireland, over the last few months.

The famous myth tells the tale of Queen Medb of Connacht and her husband Ailill, who plot to steal the sacred stud bull Donn Cúailnge from Ulster.

A variety of textile techniques were used in the creation of the tapestry including appliqué, embroidery, quilting and hand dyeing.

The stitchers who worked on the Meath tapestry with Ina are Tracey Owen-Griffiths, Cosette Olohan, Sinéad Leahy Fervy, Jenny Richardson, Margaret Dean, Philomena Barrett and Ann Campion.

"We were working on this since last August and there has been a huge time commitment. There was a great atmosphere, a great sense of industry and nice teamwork," says Ina Olohan.

The eight Meath women met every week in the old Vocational School in Kells and used various techniques to create the tapestry including stitch, embroidery, appliqué and textile printing .

"Artist Sophie Coyle designed the artwork telling the story of the great epic, and there was a facilitator appointed in each county to work on the local section of story with a group of local sewers," Ina explains.

"The story is from the Ulster cycle of hero tales and the written versions date back to the seventh and eighth centuries. This story is also found in The Book of Leinster," Ina says.

The group would like to thank the Louth Meath Education and Training Board for allowing them the use of the school.

"The room we used was great, with long tables and great sunlight," says Ina.

While the five panels are now on display in Dundalk, the local panels will later be displayed separately in their home counties.

“We don't know when it will come to Meath yet. “We have asked that the complete five panel tapestry be displayed in each county,” says Ina.