History of the Project Ros Tapestry Project

1 history of project

1.1 beginning
1.2 planning
1.3 painting
1.4 stitching

history of project
beginning

the project began in may 1998 idea make tapestry telling story of coming of normans ireland in tapestry form , hang tapestry in historic st. mary s church of ireland church in new ross. idea originated rector of church, reverend paul mooney, consulted alexis bernstorff, art historian , professional in field of tapestry , fabric restoration. on summer of 1998, dr. mooney , alexis bernstorff consulted local artist ms. reiltin murphy create visualisation of how tapestry best displayed in church of ireland parish church. @ time focus of tapestry widened story of norman expansion ireland in latter part of 12th century include founding of port , town of new ross @ beginning of 13th century. provisional list of fifteen themes tapestry panels outlined, measurements panels hung gallery of late georgian, 19th-century church. countess ann griffin bernstorff, professional artist , mother of alexis bernstorff, approached consider designing tapestry , offered paint cartoons fifteen panels. countess bernstorff began experimental pieces in autumn of 1998 , draft plan project produced , circulated @ time.

planning

in spring of 1999, small committee of people began plan project in earnest, , new ross lawyer simon kennedy freely gave of time , services draft articles of association project , register project company limited guarantee without shares. not-for-profit legal status helped pave way applications grants , successful application status project.

painting

meanwhile, following extensive historical research countess bernstorff painted cartoon first tapestry panel depicted hook lighthouse in medieval era. lighthouse oldest continually serving working lighthouse in europe , founded monks in middle ages christianity came southeast ireland. panel given group of volunteer stitchers in fethard-on-sea in 2000, there policy locate creation each panel close historical location, , panel completed on next 3 years. alexis bernstorff supervised training of stitchers , coordination of production of tapestry panel , served in capacity on tapestry panels.

stitching

from 2000 2012, twelve panels have been produced extraordinary commitment, skill , espirit de corp of voluntary stitchers. these panels hook lighthouse produced in fethard-on-sea, william marshal , isabel de clare hunting in forest around new ross produced davidstown-clonroche group, gothic glory panel depicting building of original 13th-century st. mary s church in new ross produced bawnmore-new ross group , italian bankers @ quay in 13th-century new ross port produced davidstown-clonroche group abduction of dervorgila, stitched near ferns, co wexford, siege of wexford, @ wexford town, landing @ bannow , duncannon fort, flower of chivalry @ crossabeg, wexford, marriage of william marshal , isabel de clare @ bunclody, ex voto tintern abbey , @ poulfur, fethard-on-sea , distaff descent; sheaf of corn @ bawnmore, new ross. on last fourteen years 150 voluntary stitchers stitching on panels @ various locations in county wexford , @ 1 location in county kilkenny in ireland. in many cases people have agreed let room of house used 4 or more years location stitching of panels.