28/01/2026
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🌿 Glendalough: Willow Woven into Irish Life 🌿
For thousands of years, Irish communities have woven willow into the fabric of daily life, from baskets and cradles to lobster pots and fencing. In Glendalough, this ancient craft is still thriving thanks to local artists Aoife Patterson and Pat Reid of Wicklow Willow. They are able to create everything from traditional skib baskets to award-winning sculptures, garden tunnels, domes, and even willow playgrounds. Their work continues a legacy visible in Glendalough’s past!
In the exhibition, you’ll see Aoife’s handwoven skib and learn about the Clowanstown Fish Trap, a 7,000-year-old woven artefact made from alder, birch, and rosaceae which proofs that weaving is Ireland’s oldest craft. And now, as environmental pressures grow, willow weaving is making a quiet comeback. A well-made willow basket can last 50 years, replacing thousands of plastic bags and reminding us of our duty to tread lightly on the earth.
🔍 Learn more about Aoife and Pat’s work at Wicklow Willow: https://wicklowwillow.ie/ and search the Glendalough Heritage Forum’s website for their archival material: https://glendalough.wicklowheritage.org/
National Museum of Ireland The Heritage Council Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Our Wicklow Heritage Glendalough Heritage Forum
