Trócaire unveil tapestry to highlight drivers of poverty around world

A powerful hand-made tapestry highlighting the drivers of poverty around the world, including climate change and environmental issues, will be on display in the courtyard at Belvedere House Gardens and Park in Mullingar from Friday, October 6, until the 25th.

Created by 12 Trócaire volunteers from all over Ireland, the piece of solidarity art was developed by Trócaire under the guidance of textile artists Deborah Stockdale and Roberta Bacic from Conflict Textiles in Belfast.

They facilitated four online workshops to guide the volunteers as they created their individual tapestry panels on themes that include fast fashion, land evictions, the impact of tobacco farming, pollution of rivers and brave community leaders from around the world who struggle for justice despite facing grave danger.

The panels, created from scrap and sustainable materials, were then brought together into one large textile.

Joe Murphy from Castlepollard, who has been a Trócaire volunteer for many years, co-ordinated the display in the Belvedere courtyard. “I’m delighted that we are able to display this powerful tapestry in County Westmeath. The volunteers who created this tapestry were all motivated by climate change and environmental issues and how these contribute to poverty levels.

“We are grateful to Belvedere for facilitating the display and hope people will make an effort to come and see it. The display will be launched on Friday at 11am by Cllr John Shaw, mayor of Mullingar.”

Marie-Anne Michel, Trócaire’s volunteer officer, said: “Art can be a powerful tool to help create positive social change. It can shine a light on the challenges so many face and help us imagine a better world. This project aims to do just that. Through their handiwork the volunteers are standing in solidarity with impacted communities around the world.”

“This year marks Trócaire’s 50th anniversary and in that time the lives of tens of millions of people around the world have been changed for the better.

“Trócaire’s history is owned by the people of Westmeath and the rest of Ireland who have for 50 years devoted unyielding solidarity to those who are suffering in our world. We are incredibly grateful for that support,” said Marie-Anne.

Entrance to see the tapestry is free.

Learn more about Trócaire’s work at trocaire.org.