ish, and
French laces, which seem to be the prototypes of the lace of Ireland. The
public interest was immediately aroused. Some of the newspapers stoutly
maintained that the ornament and patterns of Irish lace were of such a
national character that it was wrong to asperse them on that score.
Others took a different view, and came to the conclusion that Irish lace
could be vastly improved in all respects, if some systematic action could
be taken to induce the lace-makers to work from more intelligently
composed patterns than those in general use. There was a consensus of
opinion that the workmanship of Irish laces was good, and that it could
be applied to better materials than those ordinarily used, and that its
methods were suited to render a greater variety of patterns than those
usually attempted.

These and other circumstances seem to have prompted the promoters of the
Cork Exhibition to further efforts in the cause of lace-making. Towards
the close of the year 1883 they made fresh representations to Government,
and inquired what forms of State assistance could be given. A number of
convents in the neighbourhood of Cork was engaged in giving instruction
to children under their care in lace and crochet making. At some, rooms
were allotted for the use of grown-up workers who made laces under the
supervision of the nuns. These convents obviously were centres where
experiments in reform could be tried. The convents, however, lacked
instruction in the designing of patterns for laces. An excellent School
of Art was at work at Cork, but the students there had not been
instructed in specially designing for lace. If the convents with their
workrooms could be brought into relation with this School of Art, it
seemed possible that something of a serious character might be done to
benefit lace-makers, and also to open up a new field in ornamental design
for the students at the School of Art. The rules of the Department of
Science and Art were found to be adapted to aid in meeting such wants as
those sketched out by the promoters at Cork. As the nuns in the
different lace-making convents had not been able to attend in Cork to
hear Mr. Cole's lectures, they asked that he should visit them and repeat
them at the convents. This Mr. Cole did early in 1884, the masters of
the local Schools of Art accompanying him on his visits. Negotiations
were forthwith opened for connecting the convents with the art schools.
By the en