‘Threads that Bind Us’ – St Joseph’s LGFA artist explores ladies GAA

‘Threads that Bind Us’, a graduate show project by Ciara Maxwell, a final year graduate of the joint Textile Art and Education programme at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, was on display last week.

Ciara’s project research is centred on ladies Gaelic football, and in particular her club team, St Joseph’s LGFA in Streamstown.

Explaining her work, she wrote: “My practice explores the place of the GAA and LGFA in my rural home village in Westmeath.

“It presents a table setting that reflects the rituals of our ladies Gaelic football team: pre-game breakfasts and after-game celebrations with family and friends.

“The accoutrements on the table describe the undocumented story of our ladies football team; offering a rare glimpse into the building of a community through female amateur sport.

“The setting acts as an archive of the past, present and future of St Joseph’s Ladies football club, and uses textile objects to show how the team is built not just on players, but on a whole community.”