‘Place to feel accepted’ - The Three Sisters Women’s Shed
The Three Sisters Women's Shed at Butler Community Centre, Wednesday, October 14.
On Wednesday morning, October 14, a group of women gathered together at Butler’s Community Centre, bring with them their threads, fabrics and sewing kits.
Some of the women have attended the shed for only a few months, some of them for years.
The Three Sisters Women’s Shed has become both a creative hub and a sanctuary for these women.
Project leader Jane Mulvihill welcomed Waterford News and Star to the group at the Butler Community Centre.
The visit came the day after the horrifying tragedy that happened at Birchwood estate, located only minutes away.
The women were creating art and clothing in the upstairs of the Butler Community Centre, while downstairs, shellshocked men and women came into the centre, trying to make sense of the most senseless tragedy.
The sense of grief was palpable but so was the sense of community as throughout the centre, people leaned on one another for support, whether it be a talk, a cup of tea or sharing a sewing kit.
Jane talked about the origins of the group. “It was started in 2022 by Caroline O’Toole. At that stage we were the New Communities Women’s Shed.
“So Caroline is a seamstress by trade and gives sewing classes, she wanted to give something back to the community."
In 2024, the Women’s Shed reached out to Jane to develop their project. Jane was working with male candidates living in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres at the time. They worked at Birchwood House on Ballytruckle Road.
By Christmas, they had moved out of the premises and changed their name, wanting a new name ‘that said Waterford without saying Waterford’.
They chose ‘The Three Sisters’ after the Rivers Barrow, Nore and Suir that flow through the South East. The name was chosen to reflect the coming together of people. As Jane said: “The whole idea was of something individual coming together to make something bigger.”
The ethos reflects the diversity of the group, as it is made up with women from England, Egypt, Nigeria and America, as well as local Waterford women.
Jane said: “What they have in common is that they’re new to Waterford and they need some place to feel accepted. When you’re interacting with something, you need to find your tribe who get it.”
Research has consistently proven that creating a piece of art, adding a ruffle to a blouse sleeve, the physical process of crafting can alleviate stress to both mind and body.
In August, during Heritage Week, the shed got involved with West Cork artist Kathy Kirwan for the 405 Flax project. The all-Ireland project saw groups creating 405 pieces of art made of flax rope, thread and line.
Jane was delighted with the project and Kathy's support for the Three Sisters. "I told her: 'We're a small community with no money' and she gave us a box," she said. With help from Creative Waterford, the group held four workshops across three libraries, and went on to host classes for TY students in Newtown.
Every year, the Three Sisters take on a group project that represents their own unique styles.
This year they have created a beautiful quilt that carries symbols of their own individual identity and of the Déise. Jane said: “We all did something on it but it’s the three sisters and our logo.”
On the quilt are the words for ‘friend’, ‘sister’ and ‘river’ embroidered in the women’s own languages including Irish, Scots-Irish and Arabic.
Young artist Marisol embroidered the words in Sign Language, beautifully rendered in green thread.
The group hold a free, month-long mending course on Wednesday and Saturday mornings in The Butler Centre. The course teaches people how to embellish, repair and take-in clothing. Jane said: “To me, sustainability is this: you’re sustaining a community, you’re sustaining friendships.”
The ladies were preparing for a repair fest that weekend at SETU Arena. Shed member Laura was excited to show how people can have their clothing fixed and stitched rather than spending money on disposable, fast-fashion material.
“We have enough clothes for landfill for the next six generations. It’s disgraceful,” she said.
She was full of pride for the ingenuity and skills of her fellow group members, saying: "This is just such a lovely idea to do this and what the girls are making is fantastic."
One woman said poignantly: "I do find, we're very inclusive of everybody. Everybody has a different view on things or a different opinion and that's fine, it's okay. We cant still get together and repair things and change things and help each other."
