Monasterevin's crocheted Christmas tree gaining international attention

A beautiful creation has appeared on Main Street Monasterevin opposite the community center.

The crocheted Christmas tree, which is standing in The Hopkins garden, is about 8 foot high and was made by just two of the town's women.

From a vague idea, to having the tree standing, took three months of hard work. It consists of over 120, hand made, ten inch Granny Squares which were crocheted and stitched together by Tracy Gladok of Monasterevin Women's Shed and Jacinta Kenna organizer of The Peoples Market and Street Fest Monasterevin .

The two ladies are enthusiastic amateurs who had a dream of making this Christmas tree happen.

With no previous experience of such a project they ploughed forward and produced something extraordinary from mainly recycled materials which now stands proudly among all the other amazing festive decorations in the town.

When asked about the project Tracy said “Yarn crafts such as crochet are becoming very popular again and not just among older ladies, it's a pass time for all ages and all sexes. I, myself have only been crocheting for 18 months, but I'm now hooked on the craft. The tree proves that if you dream big you can make things happen. Nothing is impossible with a bit of imagination, a tad of learning and practice."

Jacinta said “Yarn decorating has become a passion for the ladies in the community, there is so much interest in the old yarning crafts and a want to learn the skills. For a long time I've dreamed of having a crochet Christmas tree for our town and between the two of us , with great support from our friends in different community groups, we can finally say we have achieved it."

The duo have gained international acclaim for their endeavors with people both local and world wide admiring their Christmas tree through online posts.

The tree is a beacon of determination from the two ladies who didn't balk at the prospect of doing something out of their comfort zone. They hope it will give others the incentive to just try the crafts and join them in the yarning revival that is becoming a global phenomenal.

Jacinta and Tracy acknowledged there were a few bits they could not have done alone and would like to thank the towns' folk who helped with the physical construction of the tree.

As Tracy says “There are skills we don't have yet and we appreciate those who gave their time, muscle and ideas to help us". They are already planning additional pieces to add to this collection for Christmas 24!!!

Monasterevin and it's community spirit gets stronger with every passing season, with new groups springing up to acvomodate the needs of the people.

From the Women's and Men's Sheds, to the
Seniors groups and the myriad of youth groups , the Peoples Markets and Summer festivals, the once quiet town has regained a buzz that cannot be ignored. A newly formed Crochet for Beginners class commenced in November and hopes to resume classes in the New Year.

Focused around the refurbished Community center and the Council Hall to mention only a few places, Monasterevin has something for everyone.