The ICA held its annual Skills of the Year contest at this year’s Virginia Show in Cavan. Each group displayed a number of different crafts from knitting and felt design to photography and jam making.
Mary Mannering joined her group in Aghabog, Co Monaghan when she moved to the village many years ago. “It was a way to get to know people in the area” she explained, “for a while it was my only social outlet but I also enjoyed the activities, arts, crafts and baking. The friendships you make are the most important thing for most.”
All the crafts are handmade by different members of each guild. These skills are mostly passed down from family members and some of the members learned the crafts while at school and kept the practice up. Many of the skills, however, are also taught in the guild.
Monaghan’s Smithboro took the overall prize with its selection of unique crafts. Crosserlough and Rockcorry took second and third place respectively.
Smithboro also took first place in the individual award for their collage on the theme of ‘Spring’. Crosserlough came second with their buttonhole piece and Maudabawn took third place with a selection of preserves.
By Brosna O’Donovan
