Irish People, Irish Linen
Irish People, Irish Linen
Into the cultural history, Wilson weaves personal narratives, giving the story a voice: words and songs of individual spinners, factory workers, and out-workers like Sarah McCabe, who created fabulous linen lace; Sarah Leech, who wrote poetry as she spun fine thread; three sisters, who worked in Mossley Mill for a total of one hundred years; and the Herdman brothers, who settled in County Tyrone to build a mill and a utopian community.
More than 100 exquisite images of linen as quilts, clothing, and decorative items create visual beauty to the story of Irish linen. The coffee table book is a 400-year journey traveled by many thousands of men and women who made Irish linen a global product and an international brand. From delicate beauty to workhorse reliability, Irish People, Irish linen completes the circle of life for mankind.
For artists and historians alike, Irish People, Irish Linen is a scrumptious feast for the eyes and mind.
Photographs from the Book - Irish People, Irish Linen
“Irish People, Irish Linen is a magnificent history of the Irish people and their association with linen, a tie that dates back to the eighth century. As 10 million Irish moved from their homeland during the past four centuries, they carried their love for Irish linen with them. Kathleen Curtis Wilson eloquently describes this saga in her beautifully illustrated book on linen, the queen of fabrics.”
William R, Ferris
Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, 1997-2001.
“Kathleen Wilson is a deeply observant historian whose examination of the Irish textile industry connects the fine details to stunning effect. With supreme intelligence and wit, she tells the riveting story of Irish linen, the elegant craft practiced by a proud people for centuries. This is art history at its artistic best.”
Turlough McConnell
Special Features Director, Irish America magazine.
“An extraordinary book, well researched, beautifully written, stunningly illustrated.”
Robert C. Vaughan
President, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
