Lorna Donlon
Artist & tapestry weaver
Cut From The Same Cloth is the second Research Ireland funded project I have curated with UCD Conway Institute.
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'Cut From the Same Cloth' - Engaging Women from Minority Communities in Health Research
A powerful and visually stunning exhibition that weaves together art, science, and personal stories, revealing our shared humanity and fostering connection. It's an invitation to see health research through a new lens and celebrate diverse voices.
What is 'Cut From the Same Cloth'?
'Cut From the Same Cloth' is a public engagement project specifically to build trust and new connections with women and female adolescents from minority communities in Ireland.
Why? We believe it is important that diverse voices are heard and represented in the channels that inform our research. By forging new connections today, we want to lay the foundations for researchers and minority communities to work together for a healthier future.
People from minority ethnic groups can often experience poorer health in comparison to the rest of the population. As part of the ‘Patient Voice in Health Research’ initiative, UCD Conway researchers connect and engage with minority communities about research developments in health and understand how research can consider their community's needs.
Community Partners
Through this project, funded through Research Ireland, we were delighted to meet a community from Portlaoise at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland, members of the Muslim Sisters of Éire in the Hunt Museum, Limerick and in Cáirde, Balbriggan; the Venezuelan community at the National Museum at Collins Barracks; members of Ukrainian and African communities at St Canice’s Community Centre in Kilkenny; members of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani and Kashmiri communities at An Táin Arts Centre in Dundalk; women from Roscommon Women’s Network, the Irish Traveller community and local women in Roscommon Arts Centre; women from Kippure Reception Centre at UCD Ardmore House; women from Balseskin Reception Centre at Museum of Literature Ireland and young women from Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School, in UCD Conway Institute.
It would not have been feasible for us to connect with these communities without the guidance of people from many organisations including: Glencree Centre for Peace & Reconciliation, National Women’s Council, Venezuelan Community in Ireland, Islamic Cultural Centre in Ireland, Al Rahman Mosque (Portlaoise), Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board, Children’s Health Ireland, Bangladeshi Community, Muslim Sisters of Eire, Cairde Balbriggan, Balseskin Reception Centre, Jesuit Refugee Service Ireland, Kippure Estate, HSE Refugee Health Centre, Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School, Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny Arts Office, Réalta, Roscommon Arts Centre, An Tain Dundalk, Dunamaise Arts Centre & Theatre, Museum of Literature of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland.
Get Together Events
During 2024, in 10 community venues around Ireland, UCD Conway researchers gathered with 164 women and girls to share stories about the fabrics in our lives.
Standing on common ground, the role of fabric and cloth in our lives was the focus of stories exchanged at these Get Togethers. Cloth plays a role in family traditions and cultural customs. Researchers had the honour of hearing inspiring stories from all the amazing women they met across Ireland.
The women who came along to share their stories saw the patterns and colours of biomedical research printed on fabric and heard stories about current research into diseases areas such as ovarian, prostate and breast cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, nutrition in pregnancy, bacterial vaccines, motor neuron disease, skin burn wounds, rare respiratory diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers also shared stories about personal pieces of fabric.
Inspired by these stories of family, traditions, beliefs, love, loss, challenging times, darkness and ill health, Lorna created a handwoven tapestry that bridges personal and scientific narratives through fabric.
At the Get Together events, each woman signed a ribbon with her name and her fabric story was documented. Four women from each community gathering were invited to meet with the project team to be photographed holding their fabric and their fabric story captured on video.
Exhibition
Inspired by the stories of family, traditions, beliefs, love, loss, challenging times, darkness and ill health told in the Get Togethers, Lorna spent 12 months creating a handwoven tapestry that bridges personal and scientific narratives through fabric. Her loom was located within UCD Conway Institute and the gradual progress of this creative process visible to all.
The 1.5 metre tapestry now forms the centrepiece of a multimedia exhibition. It includes a readable, embedded woven QR code that links to the digital version of the exhibition, marrying an ancient technique with a contemporary technology.
(opens in a new window)https://cutfromthesamecloth.org/
The tapestry is complemented in the exhibition by research textiles, photographs by Anthony Hobbs and video narratives by Crannóg Media. Each fabric story is a doorway into the pattern of a person’s life or of their life’s work.
Lorna Donlon also worked with 25 females biomedical researchers to capture a representative image of their current research into diseases areas such as ovarian, prostate and breast cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, nutrition in pregnancy, bacterial vaccines, motor neuron disease, skin burn wounds, rare respiratory diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. These images were printed as patterns on different types of fabric to hang alongside the tapestry.
Contact Us
Elaine Quinn
Institute Manager (Communications & Education)
I have worked in public engagement for more than 20 years; devising and implementing initiatives that reach diverse audience and building capacity for public engagement through facilitating communications training for researchers.
Anna Wedderburn
Public Engagement in Research Coordinator
Supporting the development and implementation of UCD Conway Institute's public and patient involvement and engagement programme.
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