The history of Clones Crochet Lace
October 2011
Máire Treanor, Author of Clones Lace
Clones Lace is an Irish Crochet lace, named after the town where it was marketed, developing its own character since 1847. Cassandra Hand, wife of the local Church of Irelnd minister, introduced this lace, inspired by Venetian needlepoint lace, as a famine relief project to the small drumlin region of west Monaghan and southeast Fermanagh, at the height of the Great Irish Famine.
The Clones people soon made it their own, imitating the flowers that grew in the area. By 1850 there were 1500 lace makers in a 30 mile radius of Clones, supplying markets in Dublin, London, Paris, Rome and New York.
What is the Heritage Series?
In its Heritage Lectures the Lismullin Institute seeks to explore various aspects of our local heritage so that visitors to the Lismullin Conference Centre and our neighbours will have a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history and attractions of their surroundings. The Lismullin Institute is pleased to invite you to some or all of these public, stand-alone lectures in Lismullin Conference Centre. The Lectures will begin at 8pm and light refreshments will be served afterwards.
