The first certified weaving course in Ireland has been launched by Udaras na Gaeltachta in Kilcar.
The course was developed by Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training Service to support the preservation of Donegal Weaving as an indigenous craft, to ensure a continuity of skills for the power loom and hand weaving industries and also provide local employment.
The weaving course was developed by the ETB, to support the preservation of Donegal Weaving as an indigenous craft within Ireland.
The ETB say that the average age of a Donegal Weaver is now 75 years old, and that the industry faces a succession crisis, with a lack of people trained in the required skills for traditional weaving leaving the craft facing extinction.
The 41 week course aims to develop the skills and craftsmanship of a Donegal weaver, and also includes a 12 week work placement, with training in the craft partially provided through a partnership with Magee Clothing and Studio Donegal.
The Director of Further Education and Training, Cróna Gallagher said it “was a huge collaborative effort by all the stakeholders”, and that she believed the result is “something very special – a course which preserves the unique and special skill of Donegal weaving while at the same time meets the challenge of responding to skills’ shortages through employment-focused training.”
