The Folklife Division has a wonderful collection of baskets of various shapes and sizes. To celebrate basketmaking and its long tradition, join basketmaker Joe Hogan as he demonstrates making a Ciseog at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life.

Traditionally, baskets were used throughout the Irish countryside, and were made in a variety of shapes and sizes for all sorts of uses in the home and on the farm. They were used for storage or for sowing seeds and feeding and keeping animals. Farmers made their own baskets using whatever materials were available to them such as willow rods, sally rods and osiers. But they were also able to make baskets with straw, rushes, heather and briar.

Sadly these skills and crafts went into decline into the mid twentieth century as the demand for homemade baskets fell. But fortunately, basketmaking is now being recognised on our list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and as such, we feel that Joe Hogan, master basketmaker, is uniquely placed to provide a depth of knowledge on the making of these traditional basket types, in both the Irish and English languages.

Joe Hogan has been making baskets since 1978 and continues to keep this traditional skill alive. As part of Heritage Week 2024, Joe will be demonstrating these skills as he makes a traditional ciseog. Ciseogs, also known as skibs, formed an intergal part of an Irish home as families gathered round them as they were used to serve potatoes. Once their meal was finished, they would simply wash their ciseog and hang it on the wall to dry until it was needed again.

Come along and watch as Joe demonstrates the making of a traditional ciseog and discusses the connections of the variants of these along the West Coast of Ireland.

This is a bi-lingual event and will be presented in both Irish and English. This is a FREE EVENT. No booking required. The demonstration will take place beside the Museum Galleries beginning at 11am.

A FREE Guided Public Tour will also take place at 2pm and 3pm. More information available here.