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Creative Churchill woman Léila Worth is months away from becoming a certified weaver after honing her skills on a unique local traineeship.
Léila, 27, began to pursue her passion during the pandemic. She had studied business and sustainable fashion in London, but as lockdowns came and went, she found herself at home and drawn to Donegal’s deep-rooted textile heritage.
At the same time, Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) had launched Ireland’s first ever Donegal Weaving traineeship. Based in Kilcar, the course is aimed at preserving the craft through a new generation of weavers.
Léila decided to take on the traineeship in 2024, after a number of years of mentorship with Master Weaver John Heena in Ardara.
By the time she enrolled she was already designing her own handwoven blankets and coats.
“Weaving is a craft to master over years,” Léila tells Donegal Daily. “When I started selling, I realised that I needed to up my skills. I wanted to be immersed in the environment of weaving and to get the certificate since it’s [development was supported] by Harris Tweed in Scotland.”
The 41 week course was developed by Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service in consultation with Donegal Tweed powerhouses including Magee Clothing, McNutt of Donegal, Molloy and Sons Weaving and Studio Donegal.
Léila is most enjoying the opportunity to explore her creativity while fine-tuning her skills in the classroom and at the loom.
The course is delivered by Valerie Taylor and John Heena, who bring a vast range of experience in weaving, sewing and textiles together along with industry connections.
“It’s been really good for me because it’s given me more time to learn how to warp and use different colourways,” Léila said.
Léila Worth
Students are tasked with creating fabric as well as makeup bags, totes, and fashion pieces like jackets. They train on the hand loom and the mini loom. In doing so, they are gaining the traditional skills such as tuning, warping, and finishing that are at risk of being lost to modern production.
Léila is studying with a view to keep the craft alive and develop her own brand and business in the future.
She has done placements in Donegal Yarns and in the coming months she will travel to Meath to study with handweaver Anna Ní Dhonnchú, one of the first students to complete the certificate in Donegal Weaving.
In early 2024, the Irish Times tipped Léila as one of the top 50 people to watch in Ireland. This media feature, while it was a pleasant surprise, it prompted her to step back and go for formal training.
“It was nice that people saw something in me, but I had never studied textiles or art. I needed these years to explore the craft and hopefully I will develop a business when things feel more grounded,” she said.
“My goal would be to find a studio and set up a website,” said Léila, while she is also keen to be part of the promotion of the craft as a part of our cultural heritage.
“I’ve met so many tourists from around the world. Their faces light up when they see the looms going,” she said.
“There is a market for handwoven Donegal tweed, just like people appreciate other crafts such as basket making and ceramics. There is room for handwoven Donegal tweed.
“That’s why this course is so important, to keep this craft alive in Donegal, and we are so fortunate to have mentors to learn all the ways.
“The weaving we are doing on the course is more of an art form. Things don’t happen overnight. John has been learning for over 50 years, I am only three years in, but I am looking forward to learning more and seeing what inspires me.”
The Certificate in Donegal Weaving is now open for September applications – you can apply online here: https://www.donegaletb.ie/course-detail/?CourseId=486685 or check the wide range of low cost or funded FET options on your doorstep here www.donegaletb.ie/coursefinder.
Traineeships are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. #EUinMyRegion
Gairmeacha suimiúla i ndán don chéad ghlúin eile d’fhíodóirí i nDún na nGall
Níl ach roinnt míonna le caitheamh ag bean de chuid Creative Churchill Léila Worth go mbeidh sí ina fíodóir deimhnithe tar éis di a cuid scileanna a fheabhsú ar thréimhse oiliúna áitiúil uathúil.
Thug Léila, 27 mbliana d’aois, faoina paisean le linn na paindéime. Rinne sí staidéar ar an ghnó agus ar an fhaisean inbhuanaithe i Londain, ach de réir mar a bhí na dianghlasálacha i bhfeidhm agus de réir mar a scoradh díobh, tháinig sí ar a compord agus mealladh chuig oidhreacht teicstíle fhadbhunaithe Dhún na nGall í.
Ag an am chéanna, sheol Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna Dhún na nGall (ETB) an chéad chúrsa oiliúna riamh de chuid na hÉireann faoin Fhíodóireacht i nDún na nGall. Agus é lonnaithe i gCill Charthaigh, tá an cúrsa dírithe ar an cheird a chaomhnú trí ghlúin nua fíodóirí.
Shocraigh Léila go dtabharfadh sí faoin tréimhse oiliúna in 2024, tar éis roinnt blianta meantóireachta leis an Mháistirfhíodóir John Heena in Ard an Rátha.
Faoin am ar chláraigh sí bhí a pluideanna agus a cótaí lámhfhite féin á ndearadh aici cheana féin.
“Is ceird í an fhíodóireacht ar gá máistreacht a fháil uirthi thar na blianta,” a deir Léila le Donegal Daily. “Nuair a thosaigh mé ag díol, thuig mé go raibh orm cur le mo chuid scileanna. Bhí mé ag iarraidh a bheith tumtha i dtimpeallacht na fíodóireachta agus an teastas a fháil siocair gur thacaigh Harris Tweed in Albain lena fhorbairt.”
Léila Worth ag Aonach Breisoideachais agus Oiliúna ETB Dhún na nGall. Photo Clive Wasson
D’fhorbair Seirbhís Breisoideachais agus Oiliúna (FET) ETB Dhún na nGall an cúrsa 41 seachtain i gcomhairle leis na móreagraíochtaí Bréidín Dhún na nGall lena n-áirítear Magee Clothing, McNutt of Donegal, Molloy agus Sons Weaving agus Studio Donegal.
Is í an ghné is mó atá Léila ag baint taitneamh as ná an deis a cuid cruthaitheachta a iniúchadh agus a cuid scileanna á mionchoigeartú aici sa tseomra ranga agus ag an seol.
Is iad Valerie Taylor agus John Heena a sholáthraíonn an cúrsa, agus réimse leathan taithí acu ar an fhíodóireacht, ar an fhuáil agus ar theicstílí mar aon le naisc tionscail.
“Bhí sé ar dóigh domhsa siocair gur thug sé tuilleadh ama domh foghlaim conas dathbhealaí éagsúla a dhlúthú agus a úsáid,” arsa Léila.
Tá sé de chúram ar mhic léinn fabraic a chruthú chomh maith le málaí smididh, málaí gualainne, agus píosaí faisin cosúil le seaicéid. Faigheann siad oiliúint ar an seol láimhe agus an mhionseol. Agus amhlaidh á dhéanamh acu, tá na scileanna traidisiúnta, atá i mbaol a bheith caillte don táirgeadh nua-aimseartha, á sealbhú acu, amhail tiúnáil, dlúthú, agus bailchríochnú.
Tá Léila i mbun staidéir d’fhonn an cheird a choinneáil beo agus a branda agus a gnó féin a fhorbairt amach anseo.
Tá socrúcháin oibre déanta aici i Snáth Dhún na nGall agus sna míonna amach romhainn rachaidh sí go dtí an Mhí chun staidéar a dhéanamh leis an fhíodóir láimhe Anna Ní Dhonnchú, duine de na chéad mhic léinn a chríochnaigh an teastas i bhFíodóireacht Dhún na nGall.
I dtús 2024, thuar an Irish Times go raibh Léila ar dhuine den 50 duine is mó a bhfuil gealladh fúthu in Éirinn. Cé gur aoibhneas gan choinne a bhí ann ins an gné-alt sin, spreag sé í chun céim siar a thabhairt agus tabhairt faoi oiliúint fhoirmiúil.
“Bhí sé go deas go bhfaca daoine rud inteacht ionam, ach ní dhearna mé staidéar riamh ar theicstílí ná ar an ealaín. Bhí na blianta seo de dhíth orm chun iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar an cheird agus tá súil agam go bhforbróidh mé gnó nuair atá bunchloch níos seasmhaí agam,” a dúirt sí.
“Ba é an sprioc a bheadh agam stiúideo a aimsiú agus suíomh gréasáin a chur ar bun,” arsa Léila, agus tá fonn uirthi fosta a bheith mar chuid de chur chun cinn na ceirde mar chuid dár n-oidhreacht chultúrtha.
Chuir mé aithne ar an oiread sin turasóirí ó achan chearn den domhan. Lastar a n-aghaidheanna nuair a fheiceann siad na seolta ag oibriú,” a dúirt sí.
“Tá margadh ann fá choinne bréidín lámhfhite as Dún na nGall, díreach cosúil le daoine a bhfuil meas acu ar cheirdeanna eile amhail déanamh ciseán agus ceirmeacht. Tá spás ann fá choinne bréidín lámhfhite Dhún na nGall.
“Sin an tuige go bhfuil an cúrsa seo chomh tábhachtach sin, chun an cheird seo a choinneáil beo i nDún na nGall, agus tá an t-ádh linn go bhfuil meantóirí againn chun na bealaí ar fad a fhoghlaim.
“Is cóngaraí d’fhoirm ealaíne í an fhíodóireacht atá ar bun againn ar an chúrsa. Ní tharlaíonn rudaí thar oíche. Tá John i mbun foghlama le breis agus 50 bliain anuas, níl ach trí bliana caite agam féin, ach táim ag tnúth le tuilleadh a fhoghlaim agus le fáil amach cad iad na rudaí a spreagfaidh mé.”
Tá an Teastas i bhFíodóireacht Dhún na nGall ar oscailt anois fá choinne iarratais maidir le mí Mheán Fómhair — is féidir iarratas a dhéanamh ar líne anseo: https://www.donegaletb.ie/course-detail/?CourseId=486685 nó déan an raon leathan roghanna FET ar chostas íseal nó atá maoinithe ar leac an dorais agat a sheiceáil anseo www.donegaletb.ie/coursefinder.
Tá cúrsaí oiliúna á gcómhaoiniú ag Rialtas na hÉireann agus ag an Aontas Eorpach. #AeiMoRéigiún #EUinMyRegion
