Schiesser Film and Paddington Bear Exhibition Photoshoot in the Carrick-on-Suir Library with photographer Noreen Duggan, Paddington Bear stylist Elaine Carroll and project producer Linda Fahy, Tudor Artisan Hub.
Culture Night Performances 'It Started with a Stitch' written and directed by Mary McGrath.
Cast: Paula O'Dwyer, Maria Clancy, Jayne Tennyson, Sheenagh Raggett, Helen Murphy & John Corcoran
Produced by the Tudor Artisan Hub
Photographs by Noreen Duggan
"It started with a stitch..."
Dress Rehearsal, Carrick-on-Suir, Library 20th September 2023
Photographer - Noreen Duggan
Having a bit of fun creating an informational video on the manufacturing processes in the factory with former Schiesser machinists - Paula O'Dwyer, Margaret Maher and Elaine Carroll. This footage is embedded into the main Film remembering and celebrating the textile era in Carrick-on-Suir for Culture Night and can be viewed until 30 September, 2023
'Schiesser-styled' Paddington Bears - outfits and accessories designed, upcycled, crafted, sourced
by former Schiesser machinist Elaine Carroll -
capturing the social history of the textile era in imaginative ways!
(Elvis - outfit designed and crafted by Hub artist Renée Ní Gig)
THE SCHIESSER MEMORY INSTALLATION PROJECT
You are welcome to get involved
If you worked in Schiesser, Carrick-on-Suir we would love for you to get involved in two very special memory installation projects that will form part of the #Herstory memorabilia exhibition for Culture Night 2023 in the Library !
1)The Memory Box - sharing your unique textile stories
2) #Herstory Paddington Bear Showcase - Schiesser-styled!
Intrigued?...please read on
We are reaching out to former Schiesser, Carrick-on-Suir employees inviting you to create a memory box (a shoe box will work) that will form part of the memorabilia exhibition in the Library for Culture Night 2023 - 22 September, 2023.
Your Schiesser memory box may be filled with items/symbols/stories - tangible reminders of a cherished era that holds significance for you. When opened it will tell a story to the viewer, transporting them back in time, evoking memories and a window into your individual experience. The box may contain photos, letters, music, money/paycheck, a watch or something representing time & minutes, fabrics, threads, scissors, cigs, snacks, trips, parties, parades, the craic & friendships...also if you like, please add Ireland and/or World defining effects eg Pope’s visit, Berlin Wall coming down, Live Aid etc. It will be a physical representation of that pivotal social history period for you, whether you worked in Schiesser factory for just a few months or over 20 years. Be as creative as you like, decorate the box in any way, or keep it simple...get together with friends and have fun doing this project!
Please also include a short story in the memory box that tells the viewer 1) what year you began working in Schiesser, 2) how old you were when you started, 3) how long you worked there, 4) things you liked about working in Textile and 5) things you didn’t like, 6) the radio & music was significant for many, if it was for you, please let us know maybe a song you loved or something related to radio/music and most importantly 7) did you make your minutes! And any other words/snippets you would like to include to inform the viewer what the symbols represent for you. Please use your Employee Number to ID the box, if you can’t recall it, we can try and find it or we can assign a new unique one!
After filling your memory box please drop it off to the Carrick-on-Suir Library on 11th September, 2023 in the afternoon after 2pm. Please complete sign-in sheet with your contact number. We will be delighted to accept memory boxes from 11th September until Culture Night - Friday 22nd September, 2023 - Thank you!
The Schiesser Textile #Herstory showcase with
Paddington Bears and Aunt Lucys
We would also like to invite you to participate in a special 'collaborative arts installation' that best captures the complete pivotal textile social history era of the Carrick-on-Suir people, mainly women and a small percentage of men who worked in Schiesser over the 25 years from 1971-1996! ...
For this we are planning on a quirky Schiesser Textile #Herstory showcase with Paddington Bears and Aunt Lucys! ...dressing the bears up to represent various aspects of the 25 years of Schiesser Factory in Carrick-on-Suir. Former Schiesser employee Elaine Carroll has 19 Paddington Bears and 3 Aunt Lucys that we need help making wee outfits and accessories for to represent what life was like during that era! This will be so much fun! See sample of a Schiesser St. Patrick's Day Majorette Bear that Elaine created to get the ball rolling...
This #Herstory Paddington Bear collaborative arts installation will be unveiled to the public on the 22nd September in the Library!...guaranteed to generate quite a stir!
Elaine can be reached on 085 8587959
For further information, contact Linda, Tudor Artisan Hub on 086 2560609.
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To bring you back to what life was like working in Schiesser Factory in 1992 - check out this wonderful video - extracts from footage and more that videographer Liam Barry captured when the Mayor of Derry visited Carrick on Suir, such a treasure to have this footage, thank you Liam!.
It started with a stitch…
This arts project, about the 'Textiles' era in Carrick-on-Suir with German clothing company Schiesser, recounts pivotal social history in the town. The company manufactured men’s underwear in Carrick-on-Suir for 25 years, (1971 - 1996), employing 150 people, mainly women. The payroll from this significant employer played a key role in supporting families and businesses in Carrick-on-Suir over that period, which became more crucial after the closure of Irish Leathers (‘the Tannery’) in 1985.
The Arts project has two components, an original performing arts piece by writer/actor Mary McGrath in collaboration with actor Paula O'Dwyer, who both worked in Schiesser. This performance will be a blend of their own personal memories, with dramatized extracts from recorded stories from 21 other former employees, supported by acting consultant Maria Clancy.
The project will also showcase a mixed media exhibition, with an innovative collective response from former Schiesser staff, supported by artists in the Community.
Date: Friday September 22nd
Time: 2 Performances 6.30pm and 7.30pm
Time: 2 Performances 6.30pm and 7.30pm
Venue: The Seán Healy Memorial Library, Fairgreen, Carrick-On-Suir, Co. Tipperary, E32 X860
Pre-booking required: tudorartisanhub@gmail.com / 051 640921/ 086 2560609
Pre-booking required: tudorartisanhub@gmail.com / 051 640921/ 086 2560609
'It started with a stitch...' the performing arts component of the Schiesser Project is now fully booked out!
Meet the Team behind the performing arts project 'It started with a stitch...'
Linda Fahy, Owner Tudor Artisan Hub. This is is our 10th Anniversary producing innovative creative projects to celebrate Culture Night in Carrick-on-Suir. Over the years, we have produced a range of original works from film, drama, spoken word, visual art, photography and music - each production has been totally unique, created from scratch on a shoe string budget! It has been such an exciting journey collaborating and working alongside the most amazing creatives down through the years making these wonderful productions. The Schiesser Project seed was born earlier this year ...on 30th March, through conversations with Paula O' Dwyer, Mary McGrath and Maria Clancy. It was my very first time learning about 'Schiesser' the textiles in Carrick-on-Suir, though I have lived here since 2007...so I thought it was time to change that and tell everyone about this wonderful pivotal era and what it meant to our town.
I wish to thank the Tipperary Arts Office team and Culture night funding bodies for all their support over the last 10 years - enabling us to produce these original works. Thank you to Carol, Jacinta and Sandra in the Seán Healy Memorial Library, Carrick-on-Suir for providing the exhibition and performance space for this very special Arts project. And a big thank you to the amazing creatives involved in this project!
Writer and Director - Mary McGrath. Mary has been involved in a number of collaborations with the Tudor Artisan Hub and is a long time member of Brewery Lane Theatre. This is her second involvement in a performing arts project for Culture night. As a former employee, the Schiesser project is very close to her heart and she is thrilled to be back on the factory floor for this very special project.
Paula O'Dwyer - Paula is one of the lead collaborators on this project. She is a long-time member of Brewery Lane Theatre, playing lead and supporting roles in numerous productions since the age of 12. Paula worked in Schiesser Textile factory from 1984-1996 (and in Clonmel til 1999). This is her first time working on a Tudor Artisan Hub production and is delighted to be part of this social history arts project telling the story about such a pivotal era in Carrick-on-Suir ..."it's bringing back wonderful memories, the music and the craic, they were great times!"
Maria Clancy Maria has been a member of Brewery Lane Theatre on and off for most of her life and more consistently over the last 20 years. During that time she considers herself lucky to have been involved with many of the Brewery's prestigious productions and to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from her local heroes in the company. In recent years Maria has been very pleased to be invited to contribute to a number of projects with The Tudor Artisan Hub acting as Drama Consultant. She has said that she has really appreciated the opportunities offered to her in her work with the Hub moving into areas she hadn't previously explored such as script consultation and actor coaching for Film, Radio Plays and Experimental Acoustic Dramas. Maria has been part of the Schiesser creative team from the beginning and looks forward to wearing many hats supporting this wonderful production, remembering the Textile era in Carrick-on-Suir.
Helen Murphy. Helen worked in Schiesser for a short time in 1996..and has good memories and friends made from that short time. "Really enjoyed it!" Helen is also a long time member of Brewery Lane Theatre and enjoyed her time there when she took part in some great plays in her younger years. Especially Steel Magnolias where she met such great women. Helen is delighted to now take part in this lovely memory of Schiesser and be part of a Tudor Artisan Hub production.
Sheenagh Raggett - Sheenagh is an active member of Brewery Lane Drama since 2013. She has been involved in several plays such as Noel Coward's 'Blythe Spirit' and Lennox Robinson's 'Drama at Inish', Patricia Burke Brogan's 'Eclipsed' as well as closer to home productions like Jack Ryan's 'The Snug'. Sheenagh has been involved with The Tudor Artisan Hub and Culture Night collaborations in the past including the short films 'The Lynch Mob' and the film series 'If Anyone Asks...' "When I heard about this Schiesser project I was immediately interested, I love any kind of history especially local history and think it's very exciting to be involved in the re telling of the textile era in Carrick-on-Suir".
Jayne Tennyson - Jayne is from Templeourm, near Piltown and is a new member to Brewery Lane Theatre having taken part in my debut performance this Spring in Hugh Leonard's "Love In The Title". I am very excited to share the stories of some of the workers from the Schiesser Textile factory in this upcoming performance. Thank you to the Tudor Artisan Hub for inviting me to take part.
John Corcoran John lives in Clonmel, he is a writer/poet and a longtime member of Poetry Plus, open mic spoken word in the tea room, Brewery Lane run by writer Margaret O'Brien. John has had his poetry work appear in poetry collection publications such as 'Around Each Bend', 'Wild and Wonderful' along with the collaborative art project 'Only Connect' with Margaret. John was a contractor to Schiesser factory in Carrick-on-Suir and remembers the factory floor well! John has been involved with numerous Tudor Artisan Hub productions, the most recent was the Bealtaine Festival - performing alongside Patricia Cantwell, writer of the wonderful 'Kintsugi' Radio Drama. John was delighted to be invited to take part in this pivotal social history project with a great creative team of people. John is also a musician and songwriter. When he is not writing he practices yoga and white water kayaking!.
Performance Rehearsal Photographs in the Library Carrick-on-Suir
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Paula O'Dwyer, Rolf Bohner and Mary McGrath, Tudor Artisan Hub
On 11th July 2023, we had a lovely gathering in the Hub Rolf Bohner, former Production Manager, Schiesser, Carrick-on-Suir.
Rolf first came to Ireland from Germany in 1966 at the age of 23, working as a head mechanic in Schiesser, Clonmel and went back to Germany in 1972 to train as Production Manager and took up position as Manager of the Carrick-on-Suir plant until it closed its doors in December 1996. Rolf married an Irish girl in 1972, raised a family here and is currently living in the Clonmel area.
Rolf first came to Ireland from Germany in 1966 at the age of 23, working as a head mechanic in Schiesser, Clonmel and went back to Germany in 1972 to train as Production Manager and took up position as Manager of the Carrick-on-Suir plant until it closed its doors in December 1996. Rolf married an Irish girl in 1972, raised a family here and is currently living in the Clonmel area.
Paula O'Dwyer and Mary McGrath shared fond memories with Rolf who had such wonderful happy stories from his time in Schiesser, Carrick-on-Suir. Rolf brough along some precious memorabilia- that will form part of the exhibition for Culture Night 2023- which will be celebrated on Friday 22th September in the Carrick-on-Suir Library.
The Textile Era in Carrick-on-Suir Remembered
To celebrate Culture Night on Friday 22 September 2023 - the Tudor Artisan Hub is planning a wonderful ‘walk down memory lane’ project, telling stories through the Arts about the pivotal 'Textiles' era in Carrick-on-Suir. The renowned German clothing company Schiesser, which had a sister plant in Clonmel, operated in Carrick-on-Suir from 1971 until December 1996, employing 150 people - mainly women. Schiesser played a key role in supporting many families and indeed businesses over that period, which became even more crucial after the closure of Irish Leathers, more commonly known locally as the Tannery, in 1984. When Schiesser closed its doors here in Carrick-on-Suir in 1996, it was the end of an era for key manufacturing employment in the town, with very challenging consequences that impacted many.
For Culture Night, the Hub is planning to offer a few creative components to this very special social history project - including a short drama piece led by writer/actor Mary McGrath and actor Paula O'Dwyer who both worked in Schiesser, with the support of director/actor Maria Clancy - all long-time members of Brewery Lane Theatre. We are also planning a memorabilia exhibition, both digital and tangible, and a mixed media response from local artists in the Community.
In order to build this special legacy project on the Textile Era in Carrick on Suir, which spanned over 25 years, we need your help. We are currently gathering stories, memories from people in the community, told from various perspectives. So if you worked for Schiesser in any capacity, for any timeframe, we would love to hear from you. We would like to also hear from local businesses about their connections to Schiesser and the impact on the economy of the town after its closing.
For Culture Night, the Hub is planning to offer a few creative components to this very special social history project - including a short drama piece led by writer/actor Mary McGrath and actor Paula O'Dwyer who both worked in Schiesser, with the support of director/actor Maria Clancy - all long-time members of Brewery Lane Theatre. We are also planning a memorabilia exhibition, both digital and tangible, and a mixed media response from local artists in the Community.
In order to build this special legacy project on the Textile Era in Carrick on Suir, which spanned over 25 years, we need your help. We are currently gathering stories, memories from people in the community, told from various perspectives. So if you worked for Schiesser in any capacity, for any timeframe, we would love to hear from you. We would like to also hear from local businesses about their connections to Schiesser and the impact on the economy of the town after its closing.
If you are able to dig out any photographs, videos, payslips, timesheets, letters, overalls, scissors, garments, publications, adverts, songs... anything you think might fit into the storyline we would greatly appreciate it. Please reach out to Linda, Tudor Artisan Hub on 086 2560609, 051 640921 or call into the Hub at 42 Main Street, beside the Strand Theatre and let us know how you would like to get involved. Any items dropped off will be logged, secured and will be returned to you. It is very exciting to us to be researching the very first creative project on ‘the textiles’ in Carrick-on-Suir and we look forward to this being an amazing collaboration.
