The Youghal school used the old Venetian needlepoint lace techniques as a basis, but they developed their own style. Presentation Convent at Youghal also made reproductions of other seventeenth and eighteenth century lace styles. Venetian lace styles were also made at the Presentation Convents at Kenmare and New Ross.
Youghal lace has rounded hexagons made from bars ('brides') with picots using buttonhole loops. The main designs usually consist of naturalistic flowers such as anemones, fuchsias, pansies, as well as wild roses in full bloom or as tight buds from trailing stems. They are filled with various filling stitches.
Youghal lace was used to make collars, small accessories, as well as fine fan leaves, A Youghal fan, for example, was made for the wedding of Princess Maud (1869-1938), daughter of Edward VII in 1896. Another royal item made from Youghal lace was a court train made for Queen Mary (1867-1953) and worn by her at the Delhi Durbar (India) of 1911. The production of Youghal stopped as a result of the First World War (1914-1918) and the lack of demand for luxury items such as lace.
See also Inishmacsaint lace and Kenmare lace.
See a schematic survey of lace types
Sources:
- EARNSHAW, Pat (1984). A Dictionary of Lace, Aylesbury: Shire Publications Ltd., PL. 187.
- EARNSHAW, Pat (1988). Youghal and other Irish Laces, Guildford: Gorse Publications.
- EARNSHAW, Pat (1990). Youghal Lace: The Craft and the Cream, Guildford: Gorse Publications.
Digital source (retrieved 23 March 2023)
Digital source of illustration (retrieved 6 July 2016).
GVE