The saying ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ proved true as a collection of ‘sea carpets’ made from discarded fishing ropes was one of the hits at this year’s Clifden Arts Festival.

The sea carpets were exhibited on Turbot Island, the part-time home of their creator Hanneke Frenkel. Over the last two weekends, they were snapped up by festival-goers who jumped at the chance to not only take a tour her of workshop, but also to explore an island that many see off the Clifden coast, but that few get to visit.

Turbot, which has been without a permanent population since 1981, has been Hanneke and her husband Stefan’s summer home for almost 30 years, but an extended stay during Covid was the genesis of her sea carpets as the long-time artist sought a creative outlet.

“As I was walking around the island, wondering what to do, I found a huge amount of black rope washed ashore and thought to myself, maybe there was something I could do with it. From that, I started making my first carpet, just for myself, and it all started from there,” she says.

Over the past two years, the colours and style of carpets have changed, but their unique charm has remained. And they, as well as the island tours led by Stefan and Hanneke, were a winner over the past couple of weeks.

“It’s been a huge success and we’ve been overrun by lots of enthusiastic visitors who loved Turbot and the carpets – nearly all have sold out. We’ve enjoyed welcoming the visitors who came on all types of boats and it was all effortless. Everyone had a great time,” they say.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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