john heena
Is máistirfhíodóir traidisiúnta é John Heena as Ard an Rátha, Co. Dhún na nGall. Tagann sé ó theaghlach fíodóirí. Bhí a uncail Frank Heena ina chónaí i gCarraig Airt agus d’oibrigh sé le muintir McNutt sna 1950idí, agus d’oibrigh a athair le muintir Magee. Meabhraíonn sé dó féin ina shuí taobh leis na fir sin blianta ó shin, ag breathnú orthu ag fíodóireacht agus na seanlampaí ola fós ar siúl, agus suim mhór á glacadh aige sa cheird.
Tá John ina fhíodóir ó 1970 nuair a thosaigh sé ag obair ina bhaile dúchais, Ard an Rátha, le Gaeltarra Éireann. Nuair a chuir sé tús lena ghairm bheatha bhí neart oibre ann do fhíodóirí agus bhí siad in ann bogadh idir fostóirí, mar a rinne John é féin nuair a d’aistrigh sé idir Gaeltarra Éireann agus Magee Dhún na nGall ar feadh roinnt blianta. Deir John go raibh suas le 200 fíodóir in Ard an Rátha tráth, ach níl ach beirt fhíodóirí ann anois.
Faoi láthair, tá John i gceannas ar ghrúpa mac léinn i gcomhar le ETB Dhún na nGall, agus é ag iarraidh a scileanna a chur ar aghaidh chuig an chéad ghlúin eile. Le cúpla bliain anuas, tá roinnt mac léinn tar éis dul trína ranganna in Ard an Rátha agus i Leitir Ceanainn agus é ag iarraidh an fhíodóireacht thraidisiúnta a choinneáil beo.
Is pearsa aitheanta é John ag aontaí ceardaíochta agus ag taispeántais, agus in 2015 ghlac sé páirt i dtaispeántas le Studio Donegal ag Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath. Ghlac sé páirt i neart taispeántas sa bhaile agus thar lear le blianta beaga anuas. Soláthraíonn sé a bhréidíní agus a scaifeanna lámhfhite go háitiúil ag Teach na mBocht i gcaitheamh na bliana, agus i mbliana do Sheachtain na hOidhreachta tabharfaidh sé a fhíodán iniompartha leis chun deis a thabhairt dóibh siúd a bhíonn i láthair fíodóir traidisiúnta a fheiceáil agus é i mbun oibre agus b’fhéidir triail a bhaint iad féin as an cheird ársa seo.
John Heena is a master traditional weaver from Ardara, Co.Donegal. He comes from a family of weavers. His uncle Frank Heena lived in Carrigart and he worked with McNutts in the 50s and his father worked for Magees. He recalls sitting beside these men years ago, watching them weave, when the old tilly oil lamps were still going and he took a big interest in it.
John has been a weaver since 1970 when he started work in his native Ardara with Gaelterra Eireann. When he began his career there was plenty of work for weavers and they were able to switch between employers as John did when he moved between Gaelterra Eirean and Magees of Donegal Town for a number of years. John says that in Ardara alone there was 200 weavers at one stage but now this has trickled down to just two weavers.
John is presently in charge of a number of students in conjunction with the Donegal ETB as he tries to pass his skills on to the next generation in the last few years a number of students have passed through his classes in Ardara and Letterkenny as he tries to keep the traditional weaving alive.
John is a well-known figure at craft fairs and exhibitions and in 2015 he took part in an Exhibition with Studio Donegal at Dublin Airport. He has taken part in numerous exhibitions at home and abroad over the last few years. He supplies his local hand-woven blankets and scarves at the Workhouse year round, and this year for Heritage Week he will bring his portable hand-loom along to give those in attendance the chance to see a traditional hand weaver at work and to maybe try their hand at this ancient craft themselves .