Free workshops to explore Buncrana’s wildflowers, craft and heritage
Organisers are particularly interested in engaging people who worked at McCarter’s Factory/Fruit of the Loom or Clubman, local artists, makers and environmental groups
Artlink, with Eco Buncrana, invites the local community to Botanical Buncrana, a series of free creative workshops connecting with local plants, fibres, and the town’s industrial heritage.
The workshops will have a broad appeal and are open to anyone over the age of 18.
Organisers are particularly interested in engaging people who worked at McCarter’s Factory/Fruit of the Loom or Clubman, local artists, makers and environmental groups.
The workshops are free to attend and take place at St Mary’s Hall, Buncrana.
The workshops will take place at St Mary’s Hall, Buncrana on April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 14, and 28, 2026, are open to anyone aged 18+, and will run from 7pm to 9pm each evening except for the sessions on April 9 and 16, which will begin at 6pm.
Led by artists Gillian Steel and Emma Porter, herbalist Claire Thompson Moore, and engineer Tiernan Stuart, participants will forage local plants and learn about fibres such as flax and hemp, build a modern spinning machine with former McCarter’s Factory workers, and transform these materials into yarn, art, and experimental film using eco-friendly methods.
Lead artist Gillian Steel said: "This project spans craft, engineering, science, botany and heritage themes that will appeal broadly, and be actively driven by the knowledge and experiences of the local people who participate."
The workshops are free to attend. To book a place, email [email protected] with subject line Botanical Buncrana Workshop.