Sir, - I would like to express my appreciation of Sean McCrum's excellent article (The Irish Times July 22nd), on the present state of design/craft in Ireland. It is only rarely that we see a thoughtful article or review of a craft exhibition. It would seem, indeed, that a small art exhibition is more likely to be reviewed than a major craft exhibition. This is disheartening for a designer/ craftsperson who has toiled for many hours to produce a beautiful piece.
It still does not seem to be generally accepted, perhaps due to what Sean McCrum describes as "critical uncertainty," that a beautifully crafted object - a chair, or perhaps a wall hanging - can give as much pleasure as a picture in the home or the office.
Each year a major craft exhibition is held at the RDS during the Horse Show week. Twenty categories of craft, chosen by an international jury, were on view this year, demonstrating the superb quality of much of Irish craft/design.
This year, for the first time, the winning exhibits of the RDS competition will be shown at venues outside Dublin, at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Dundalk County Museum. This is an opportunity for a wider public to see some of the best examples of craft/design being made in Ireland, North and South. - Yours, etc., Veronica Rowe,
Chairman, RDS Crafts Committee, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.