Rugs for the royals

FIT FOR A PRINCE ?A Clare Island rug will be presented to Prince Charles on his Irish visit.

Clare Island rugs to be presented to Royals


Áine Ryan

THEY may be missing out on Mayo but Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, will be bringing back homegrown yarn fashioned from the best Clare Island sheep into royal rugs by weaver, Beth Moran of Ballytoughy Loom.
Part of their whistle-stop itinerary which starts in Galway today and continues in County Sligo tomorrow (Wednesday) includes a visit to historic Lissadell House where owner, Constance Cassidy will present the couple with the naturally-dyed, hand-spun and woven rug and a 100 percent silk shawl with an incidental inclusion of 24 carat gold and sterling silver threads.
Ms Moran has previously been commissioned to weave gifts for former presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese and the late Taoiseach Charles Haughey. She told The Mayo News: “Getting such a commission validates the worth of your work and craftsmanship and there is a bit of the fairytale element when you think about the royal family owning something that you personally made. Of course, helping put  Clare Island on the map is always a good thing and I made a little booklet to go with each present telling them about the island, my little cottage industry and the process undergone for each piece.”