The Yarns Once Spun: A Tribute to Ireland's Craft and Legacy
Ireland’s rich history is spun into every fiber of this land — quite literally. From the bustling wool mills of yesteryear to the intricate artistry that defined our linen industries, generations of Irish hands shaped the fabric of our identity. With my latest sculpture, "The Yarns Once Spun," I aim to bring that legacy back to life.
This sculpture started with the wheel of an old spinning wheel, estimated to be over 120 years old, its wood twisted and cracked but still resilient. I painted the spokes in Saint Patrick’s blue, a color that was once Ireland’s national color long before green took over the cultural imagination. On the wheel, I engraved the words “The Yarns Once Spun” along the top and “Rotha Mór an tSaoil” — meaning "The Great Wheel of Life" — along the bottom, an homage to the ever-turning cycle of life and time.
On either side of the wheel, the ancient Celtic spiral symbol is etched into the wood, representing continuity and growth. The wheel is mounted on a custom base, and it includes a working pedal, made from mahogany and an antique brass hinge, that brings the wheel back to motion. This interactive feature is meant to give people a sense of connection to the past — a chance to feel, quite literally, how the great wheel of life turns through our hands and actions.
But this sculpture goes deeper than its materials. It’s a reflection on the lives of Irish women, the weavers and mothers, who, for centuries, spun more than just thread — they wove the stories of our people, turning the wheel of life itself. I wrote a poem to accompany this work, inspired by their enduring strength and the perseverance of Irish culture.
“Rotha Mór an tSaoil”
(The great wheel of life)
Through hands of women, strong and wise,
Life is spun, beneath the skies.
Their labour turns the wheel of life,
Mothers, weavers, enduring strife.
Spirals carved in wood and stone,
Whisper of lives and hands long gone.
The spokes may break, the wood may crack,
But Ireland’s heart will not turn back.
For though we’ve traded thread for steel,
In every wheel, our past we feel.
The yarns we spin, the lives we mend—
The wheel of life will never end.
By Ashley Curran
The phrases "Thwacking" and "Snapping" — techniques used in wool preparation — are etched onto the pedal, terms that have faded from memory yet played such a vital role in our craft industries. These were words spoken by hands that shaped wool into something strong and enduring, much like the traditions they carried.
Today, we find ourselves at a different kind of turning point. The old ways fade into the background as the world moves forward, but with pieces like this, I hope to bring some of that heritage back into the light. To remind us that, like the great wheel of life, what we once created with our hands still echoes in the work we do today.
What does “The Yarns Once Spun” say to you? Does it bring back memories of Ireland’s woolen mills, the craftsmanship of our ancestors, or the strong hands of Irish women?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below! Thanks for being part of my artistic journey. Stay tuned for more pieces that explore the connection between our heritage and the present day.
#IrishArt #IrishHeritage #CelticArt #HandCrafted #SpinningWheel #WoolAndLinen #CelticSymbols #RothaMorAnTsaoil #CelticCrafts #WomenOfIreland #ArtInMotion #SaintPatricksBlue #ArtAndPoetry #AshleyCurranArt #HandWelded #IrishPoetry #ArtOfIreland #StoryInSculpture #LifeAndArt
Made with love and thought by Ashley Curran.