Youghal Lace Museum

About the museum

The Youghal Lace Museum opened in a shop unit on North Main Street, thanks to Youghal Chamber of Tourism and Development and a group of volunteers led by its president. The premises were lent for the project, and the museum is part of a wider effort to bring cultural spaces into empty shops on Youghal's main street.

It celebrates Youghal lace, a needlework craft that began in the mid-nineteenth century. According to the museum, Mother Mary Ann Smith unravelled a piece of Italian lace to learn how it was made and taught local women the techniques, which turned lace-making into a vital source of income during the Famine. Youghal lace later became famous well beyond Ireland.

The display shows rare artefacts and fine examples of the craft, among them a crochet lace wedding dress made by the nuns of the town's Presentation Convent and given to a local family. A small number of other cultural museums have opened nearby, including the Youghal Film and Photography Museum and the Kathleen & May Experience.

Highlights

• Rare examples of Youghal lace
• Crochet lace wedding dress made by the Presentation Convent nuns
• Story of the lace industry that began in the mid-1800s
• Volunteer-run museum on Youghal's main street

Permanent exhibition

• Youghal lace collection – Rare artefacts and fine examples of Youghal lace, including a crochet lace wedding dress made by the nuns of the Presentation Convent.

Operated by

Youghal Chamber of Tourism and Development

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

Getting there & parking

The museum is at 135 North Main Street, next to a flower shop in the centre of Youghal.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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