Award-winning milliner passes on her craft to TY students

An award-winning Loughrea milliner is sharing her skills and passing on the craft through workshops for Transition Year students across the county.

Suzie Mahony began her career 15 years ago designing headpieces and hats. After completing a millinery training course a number of years later, her two-hour workshops provide an often overlooked outlet for students to tap into their creative side.

“Everyone has an opportunity to take part, to give it a go and I’m there to help each individual student. Every member creates their own piece and I provide all the supplies needed,” said Suzie.

The workshops provide hands on experience aimed at both male and female students where they go through the process of millinery from design stage to creation. Students who partake in the workshop receive a certificate on completion.

“The students love it. It’s something they never thought they could do in a million years. Some of them didn’t know how to thread a needle but that’s because they weren’t shown,” added Suzie.

Hats off…milliner Suzie Mahony (right) with TY students from Portumna Community School.

Some consider Transition Year to be a waste of time but as a mother, the Loughrea woman believes it’s a time for “growth, teamwork and developing their personality.”

“It’s not a waste of time because it’s up to the individual student. The student gets what they put into it.”

Minister for the Diaspora, Ciaran Cannon said he would like to see similar craft workshops in post primary schools in Galway and highlighted the positive response from Suzie’s workshops.

“While it is important that we continue to invest in digital technologies that equip our students with the necessary technological skills for their future lives, I think we also need to bring some focus back on older craft skills which might inspire budding craft entrepreneurs” said the Minister.

When Suzie was in primary school children spent one hour a week learning how to knit, an activity that has now greatly diminished due to a focus on academic subjects.

“It wasn’t just about the knitting, but the conversation. The conversation was brilliant and we’re losing out on that now and we’re also losing the skills that were passed on for generations,” she said.

“I’m completely behind the idea of rolling out similar workshops. I’m 100% for education and anything that enhances students’ creativity and opens them to different opportunities.”