400 crochet hearts to hang in Cork city venue in memory of loved ones

The first annual remembrance ceremony for loved ones who have passed on was due to take place today (Friday, November 1) in the garden of Nano Nagle Place, on Douglas Street, in Cork city, at 11am.

And if you couldn’t make today’s ceremony, you can visit the remembrance tree which, for the month of November, will have 400 crochet hearts displayed on it.

A dedication ceremony was due to take place this morning whereby the crochet hearts, representing those who have died and are remembered in the memoriam section of the Nano Nagle Place website, will be placed on the tree.

The tree will be blessed by the three resident presentation sisters; Sister Mary, Sister Margaret and Sister Prena at the Douglas Street gardens and museum.

The magnolia is the site of a shared experience of love and loss that “resonates with all who participate,” according to Nano Nagle Place.

The handmade crochet hearts have been created by women from the Lantern Community Project.

Helen Geary, ministry manager of the Lantern Project, the Cork Migrant Centre, the Men’s group and spirituality programme, says: “We invite friends from near and far to join this heartfelt tribute to loved ones who are gone but never forgotten. 

Our remembrance tree is a symbol of the deep connections that unite our global community and we are honoured to create this space of reflection and memory at Nano Nagle Place.

The crochet hearts were Helen’s idea.

“We get a lot of requests for people to be remembered, through plaques and dedicated benches. There are different ways of remembering people globally because the reach of the Presentation Order is international. So many people come to Nano Nagle Place and have a real affinity with it. This initiative is a way of honouring the requests that come through for a meaningful ceremony.

“Normally, when somebody passes, the main option is a mass card. This is our version of a mass card. Each of the crochet hearts has been made by participants of our centre who come here on a weekly basis and are facilitated to make the hearts.

There are no names on the hearts. Instead, on our memoriam page, there are the names of loved ones as well as special memories attributed to each person. The memories are absolutely beautiful, personal and peaceful.

There are about 20 people in the Lantern Project, so called in memory of Nano Nagle who visited the sick and needy at night in Cork, guided by the light of a lantern. In 18th century Cork, there were no street lights. Nano Nagle was known as the Lady of the Lantern. By day, she visited each of her schools on the quiet, as the Penal Laws forbade the operation of Catholic schools. By night, she called to the hovels of the poor, offering them support.

“The Lantern Project provides a range of health and wellbeing programmes,” explains Helen. “They are all free for the local community. Mostly women attend the Lantern Project. Our crochet group is one of the offerings. We’ve had a lantern commissioned from Eoin Turner, a designer and artist.”

The Lantern Project has a range of programmes that change every season.

“At one stage, the participants in the Lantern Project made a crochet garden exhibition that was absolutely beautiful. 

They also do random acts of kindness such as handing out flowers to people with little inspirational notes. And they create mindfully arts and crafts.

“They also do theatre-making in collaboration with the Everyman. There’s a storyteller, a happiness project, meditation and mindfulness, gardening, a community walk. There’s a massive range of programmes here. We have really rich offerings and great connections with other organisations.”

Nano Nagle Place is a registered charity.

“Twice a year, we have an open day in our conference centre with all the staff and volunteers and facilitators talking about the courses and what interests people.

“We rely on funding for all of the programmes for everything from teas and coffees to facilitators’ supplies.

“We’re constantly applying for grants. We are lucky to receive them. I think that’s because of the depth of the relationship and the impact our courses have.

We get HSE funding, lottery funding, corporate sponsorship. Donations from the public are something we’re very grateful for.

The funding not only supports the operation of the museum and the maintenance of the unique heritage site spanning 3.5 acres, but it also ensures the continuation of Nano Nagle’s mission of aiding the most disadvantaged in the community.

The crochet hearts are very much in keeping with the ethos of Nano Nagle Place, which is inclusive and honours the people that were there before us. It’s an artistic project and it makes use of the garden space – a lovely retreat close to the city but enveloped in peace with an award-winning cafe located in the garden.