A bursary to support contemporary lacemakers or members of the DCCI GANS (guilds, associations, networks, societies) has been launched.

The RDS Branchardière Lace Bursary 2021 was part of an innovative collaboration funded by the RDS and managed by Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI).

For 2023 the bursary will be worth €2,000 and will be awarded via the DCCI GANS (guilds, associations, networks, societies) Network Support Scheme.

The bursary is named after Eleonore Riego de la Branchardière, whose 72 books on needlework revolutionised the world of lace and had a major influence on fashion in the Victorian era. Eleanore’s mother was Irish, her father was French and the influence of these two cultures helped her fit easily into Victorian society. She became a needlework star, and her patterns were used by Irish women to create the in-demand fashion for English ladies. Lacemaking proved a reliable source of income for many Irish families during the Great Famine and paid the cost of passage to the United States for many single women.

The joint winners of the 2022 RDS Branchardiére Lace Bursary were Camilla Hanney and Róisín de Buitléar.