THE ‘Knitting the Land’ project will bring women from different community traditions and backgrounds across the Fermanagh-Leitrim Border together in a unique and creative way.

Women are invited to consider the places in their environment that are important to them and the emotive connections and meanings attached to them.

They are then encouraged to imaginatively knit or crochet new wool-based yarn pieces celebrating, representing or reflecting those special places.

It is hoped the newly knitted creations will be publicly displayed in outdoor spaces or publicly accessible indoor spaces and will be part of a ‘wool-based nature trail’ in the summer.

The plan is for the trail to stretch from Tullaghan across to Belcoo/Blacklion including areas such as Belleek, Garrison, Churchill, Springfield, Kiltyclogher/Cashel, the west end of Enniskillen, and Manorhamilton.

The opportunity will be there for others to visit different spaces and places to view the new yarn pieces and hear more about the ideas and stories behind the creations.

The project recognises the history of conflict and the dividing nature of borders as well as the recent isolating effect of the pandemic.

For many people, however, one upside of lockdowns has been a renewal in our appreciation of nature, and the project hopes to enable creative, enjoyable spaces for women to reflect on their relationships with the earth, land, place and each other.

Women will have the opportunity to come together through a series of creative workshops currently being held in the Lakeland Community Centre in Belcoo right through to June – providing an opportunity for women to connect with one another across the region, sharing and building their awareness as to the shared connections to this place.

There will be opportunities to also learn more about natural process in crafting, and caring for the environment, as well as exploring how our relationships with the earth and place can be informative to our relationships with each other.

The ‘Knitting the Land’ project is inviting women and women’s groups to take part. Anyone interested should get in touch with Isobel Cleary, the Support Coordinator helping to take forward the project as part of The Glens Centre’s Across the Lines, International Fund for Ireland-funded peacebuilding programme.

You can contact Isobel at knittingtheland@gmail.com, or contact Ruth at +353 87 166 9951, or 087 166 9951.