'We always knew we were in Cork when we heard the 'Echoooo' calls'

When she was a little girl, Imelda Clancy used to cherish her visits to Cork city to see her parents’ families - and one sound in particular was etched in her memory.

“We always knew we were in Cork when we heard the ‘Echooooo, Echooooo’ of the boys selling the Echo,” she recalls.

That memory came back to her recently, when Imelda was tasked with producing a patchwork quilt for an exhibition in Dublin.

The theme chosen for the National Exhibition, by the Irish Patchwork Society, was ‘Echoes’ - and Imelda, of Limerick, had a lightbulb moment on a visit back to Leeside in January.

“I was in Cork and, walking from Kent Station towards the city centre, I was suddenly reminded of the childhood visits to Cork,” she said.

“So, the idea was born to do a piece for the National Exhibition. I chose to do a slant on echoes of my childhood. A tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the theme.”

The result, as you can see, is this fabulous patchwork quilt that contains images of a front page and the famous Echo Boys.

The work went on show along with other pieces by the society at The National Botanic Gardens in Dublin for three weeks in April. The exhibits may also go on display in other parts of the country in the coming months,

Members of the Irish Patchwork Society are incredibly talented, and the group are very active.

Imelda says her ties to Cork remain strong all these years later.

“My parents are from Cork city, my dad (RIP), a Clancy from Hartland’s Avenue by The Lough, and my mum from Barrack Street.

“My paternal grandfather was from Limerick and settled in Cork when he joined the Civil Service and got married. My dad married and moved to England for work. My brother was born there.

“We subsequently moved to Limerick for work and my three sisters were born in Limerick.”

Imelda is married to Tony O’Grady and they have three children, one of whom has followed the familial line back and lives in Cobh.

After deciding on the theme for the Echoes exhibition, Imelda got to work. She explains the process,

“I started by looking for a piece of fabric that looked like a notice board or a wall. My idea was that I would have a noticeboard where I could display my memories.

“I found the perfect fabric in Cork in Vibes And Scribes. I layered the fabric with batting and another fabric on the back. I sewed through the three layers to hold them together.

“The photos were taken that day in January and I bought The Echo that day from the man outside the GPO. I had a lovely conversation with him about what I had in mind.

“I have special paper-backed fabric that can go through a photocopier. I wanted the photos to look like they were pinned to a noticeboard. I padded them and layered on the background.”

The Irish Patchwork Society also wanted the exhibits to contain some blue as that is the colour for a 45-year anniversary, and the society is 45 years old. Imelda chose blue pins

“They were ordinary brads that I painted blue with nail polish,” she explained.

“I took approximately eight weeks to finish the piece. I was very happy with how it turned out and it matched my vision.”

The images on the patchwork were photocopied on to a specially treated fabric which is backed onto paper so it can go through an ink-jet copier.

There are more than 500 members of the Irish Patchwork Society, and all were invited to make a piece conforming to a specified size for the recent exhibition. A total of 51 were exhibited.

“It is a wonderful display when all the works are hanging together of a uniform size and totally different,” said Imelda. “It was brilliant to see how differently the theme was interpreted this year, from my own piece on the Echo to echo cancellation in technology and echo location of the whale to echoes in space, the countryside and the sea.

“Another theme running through the exhibition was echoes of the past, both in memories - lost and remembered - and recreating favourite quilts from the past.”

Imelda joined the Irish Patchwork Society about 11 years ago, but her love for crafts was fostered by her Cork mother.

“I learned to sew by watching my mother when I was very young. I started making clothes for my doll, and went onto dressmaking and soft furnishings. The patchwork interest came about when I met some friends who sparked my interest.

“My dressmaking skills come in very handy when working with small pieces of fabric.”

Imelda was delighted to find in the Irish Patchwork Society a group of people that shared her interests.

“I found that sewing can be a very lonely hobby and my eyes were opened when I met a huge cohort of people who like the things I do. Now, I have many friends who share my love of all things fabric.”

The society is an active one.

“I am always working on multiple projects,” says Imelda. “There is a chalIenge for this year’s Annual General Meeting which will be held in June in Galway.

“Next year, we will have an exhibition with the Northern Ireland Patchwork Guild and soon we will be given the theme for this.

“I like to do quirky themes and always try to think outside the box. Also, as a diehard Munster Rugby supporter, I often try to incorporate some rugby-related ideas.”

What advice would she have for people interested in the hobby?

“I would tell people that patchwork and quilting is a very rewarding thing to do. Sewing in itself is a very mindful occupation, and confers huge benefits to the individual and the artistic community.

“There is a plethora of like-minded people, both in Ireland and spread across the world. More information can be found by googling www.irishpatchworksociety.wildapricot.org.”

There are many branches around the country including one in Cork. The Irish Patchwork Society is also a member of the European Quilt Association and has many connections with quiltmakers and textile artists worldwide.

The benefits can even extend to your health, says Imelda.

“I got an incredibly helpful unintended consequence some years ago when I realised that when I get lost in a project I was able to delay taking my pain medication.

“It is marvellous to get so involved in a project that the cares and the worries of everyday life can be pushed to the background.”

Imelda is also currently working on a piece for the European Quilt Association summer meeting. “The theme is ‘The Wonderful World of Insects’. I am entering a piece called ‘Celtic Butterfly’ as part of the Irish representation.

“Also, I will be taking part in making a showcase quilt based on Samhain. This is part of the Quilt Ireland Expo, a community event which ties in with the Celtic calendar. This year, it will be held in Killarney from October 22-24.”