Arklow Music & Arts Group present a fashion show with a difference on Thursday 30th March in the Arklow Bay Hotel at 8.00pm. Models walking down the catwalk will be singing and dancing live to popular music from stage and screen and enjoy a glass of Prosecco at a pre-reception from 7.30pm. Tickets are currently on sale and available from The Arklow Bay Hotel, Mc Mullan’s Main Street and Kavanagh’s Newsagents,Wexford Road and priced at €15 each.
Fashions featured will include: Mc Mullan’s Arklow, Flood’s Menswear, Ideal Schoolwear, M.A. Healy & Sons, Sean Gilligan Productions “Sparkle” costume and show hire, Dublin, (costumes for Musicals, Pantomimes and stage schools) Theresa Bury Design, Fashion by Elle, St. Mary’s Junk Kouture, BPB, Kustomkidz, Laura Fleming Millinery and Dunnes Stores.
The night will also feature the Arklow Gansey which is believed to be unique to Arklow is a type of pull-over called a gansey. Unlike most jumpers which are knitted front and back which are then joined down the sides, this was a seamless garment knitted on a single needle. It was a tube, a body-stocking. Tapering off at the arm-pits was the tricky bit for the knitter. Locally these were called ‘the gussets’ and the more expert knitters lived in an area still officially known as Gusset Lane.
The high lanolin content in the wool made the gansey more water resistant than might be at the first thought.
In fact that the style of knitting was unique to Arklow, local fishermen and sailors who had been washed overboard and found on some far away shore could be identified as ‘Arklow’ by the gansey which would be sent here for the family to identify their particular pattern and so claim the body for burial.
M.C’s for the night: Jim Furlong and Elaine Sweeney
All proceeds from the night will go towards the provision of a performance space and Theatre for Arklow’s huge music and singing talents.
Your support would be most welcome. See the Arklow Music and Arts Scene Facebook page for more details.
