The St. Angela’s College Lily Yeats Embroidery Competition prize giving took place in Sligo Education Centre on Monday the 20th May. The Competition, run as part of the Lily Lolly Craft Fest which will take place in Sligo from June 13th -22nd, was sponsored by The Craft and Sewing Basket and the Cat and The Moon. The winning entry, featuring an abstract batik with hand embroidery crafted by Home Economics student Mariosa Freil, from Mulroy College, Milford. Co. Donegal. Mariosa’s teacher is Aisling McAteer. This was the first year of the competition which was inspired by W.B Yeats’ sisters Susan and Elizabeth � Lily and Lolly � as they were affectionately known by their siblings, who were artisans of embroidery and print. They were highly accomplished and deeply creative women who through a lifetime of endeavor made a unique and lasting contribution to the continuance and evolution of Irish craft.
The winning entry will be on display in the shop window of Easons, O’Connell Street, Sligo from June 13th to June 23rd during The Lily and Lolly Craft Fest. The Festival opens on Thursday the 13th June in the Atrium, Nazareth Care Village at 5.30pm with a Crafts Council of Ireland Exhibition followed by a lecture at 6.30pm from Dr. Nicola Gordon Bowe - Unsung Heroes: The Yeats Sisters and the Arts. There are some great exhibitions and master classes along with craft workshops for families and friends throughout the festival. For the full details of the Lily Lolly Craftfest see the Craftfest Northwest Facebook page.

Pictured above from left to right are: Martina Hamilton ( The Cat and the Moon and Craft Fest organiser), Mariosa Freil, 1st Prize winner, Ursula O’Shea and Helen Maguire ( St. Angela’s College Textiles Team). St Angela’s College has a long history of promoting textiles and design in the North West of Ireland and this September will the first intake of students on its new three year Bachelor of Arts in Textiles, Fashion and Design with Business Management.�