A unique exhibition will be launched in Belcoo today (Thursday) as part of the crossed border project "Women Along the Border".

"Stitching "Stories" illustrates how women across tell their stories through the art of needlework.

Women have worked with fabrics and textiles throughout time, but interwoven into this is their own stories and the stories of their families and their communities.

Women from Fermanagh border villages such as Belcoo, Garrison and Cashel along with women from Kinlough, Glenfarne, Kiltyclogher, and Rossinver in Co. Leitrim worked together as part of the project which was an initiative of North Leitrim Women’s Centre, with the support of the Leitrim County Council through the Leitrim County PEACE IV Partnership.

The idea came about through one of the opening events of the "Women Along the Border" called "Stitching Stories - The Power of the Needle and Thread" a talk by Roberta Bacic, born in Chile and resident of Northern Ireland, who is the founder of Conflict Textiles, an international collection of ‘arpilleras’ or ‘story quilts’ from around the world.

“From this came the idea of creating a story quilt of our border region, showing the villages, landscape, history, memories and what is important to us as women living here. At a time when the Border is receiving so much attention, this was our opportunity to depict our communities by people who live here. You could say we have story quilted our own ‘soft border’," explained cross border Development Worker, Isobel Cleary.

As well as the many crafts involved in the making of the quilt (such as screen-printing, quilting, knitting, sewing, wet felting, needle-felting, embroidery, cross-stitch etc.), women involved in the programme have also had opportunities to take part in a wide range of other activities – Cookery from Around the World, Rope-making, Peg loom Weaving, Health and Nutrition, Jewellery Making, Mindfulness, and Tibetan Sound Bath.

The Story Quilt has already attracted much interest, featuring on RTE National news, and was recently filmed by a team from German ZDF television.

All are welcome to the launch and closing event on Thursday, June 6 to see the pieces of the quilt come together for the first time and to hear stories of the area from local storyteller, Seamus MacAnnaidh.

This project has been supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

For further information about this project, please contact Isobel at North Leitrim Women’s Centre: Phone +353(0) 719856220 or email womenalongtheborder@gmail.com