Following the career of the Irish lace designer and inspector Emily Anderson (1856-1948), Irish Lacemaking: Art, Industry and Cultural Practice (Bloomsbury, 2025) by Dr. Molly-Claire Gillett traces a network of designers, makers, organizations and institutions involved in the late-19th and early-20th-century Irish lace industry and explores their contemporary relevance.
Dr. Gillett maps the Irish lace industry's connection to stakeholders such as the British Department of Science and Art, the Cork School of Art, The Irish Agricultural Organisation Society and the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, pairing a close study of patterns and techniques with an investigation of broader issues in design education, philanthropy and women's professionalization. Concluding with a consideration of contemporary Irish lacemaking – now proudly claimed as an element of Ireland's intangible cultural heritage – Gillett tells the story of a 20th-century shift in the conception of lace design as 'art for industry', and lacemaking as an economic necessity to both practices as expressions of identity, creativity and community-building.
Richly illustrated and framed within the narrative of Anderson's life and career as a woman designer and civil servant during a pivotal moment in Irish history, Irish Lacemaking is an essential resource for students and researchers in craft, women's history and Irish Studies.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.
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