Interview with Irene Christie Aug 2001
For a change I thought our Chapter members would like to hear from a woman turner and former hardworking committee participant. We don’t as yet have many women at our meetings but I think that is going to be different in the future. This lady has led the way not least in being the first female demonstrator at our Terenure meetings. I called on Irene Christie at her home in Celbridge.
Editor ; We have worked together on the committee but I have never seen your workshop.
Irene: Come through then but I’ll have to rig up my lighting and power arrangement first. I have a tiny shed as you can see with a bit of a lean towards one end. Notice my nice lace curtains on the window? When they change to a brownish colour I know its time to get the vacuum cleaner out .
Ed: Tell me about your lathe
Irene: It’s a copy of the Axminster 900 and I’m very happy with it .That and my grinder are my essentials, there’s no room for anything else other than my stock of wood. I would like to get a bigger workshop and wire it up properly but my first priority must be to get more furniture and have a holiday. In the meantime I can get by with my wee shed.
Ed: I admire your ability to turn under such cramped conditions. How did you get into turning anyway?
Irene: A few years back when I Iived in Rathfarnham a friend asked me to join her at turning classes taught by Tony Mockler. We learned the basics but my friend lost interest afterwards while I had been bitten by the bug. Because I have minimal equipment i.e. no bandsaw, I use mostly branchwood or firewood to turn into lamps. I enjoy making lamps and find they make quite acceptable presents. Sometimes I make a sale in response to a request from a friend at work. That’s always very satisfying. From time to time I cajole somebody in the Chapter into sawing a bowl shape for me to turn.
Ed: Why turning, why not golf or some other fashionable hobby?
Irene: I have a rather stressful job as a Social Worker and after a day’s slog immersed in people problems turning is a wonderful way to relax. As a bonus I get something back as well. Besides I regard myself as a practical person having picked up a few tips in the past from my Dad and I would prefer to try and fix my leaking tap than call on somebody else.
Ed: Tell me about your debut as a demonstrator
Irene: After a little gentle pressure from the committee I decided I couldn’t turn down the chance of being the first woman to demonstrate at the Chapter meeting. So I had only one possible subject to show off; one piece lamps. It went down well I think, at least I got no complaints. But then I was among friends and that is the great attraction of the Chapter. All ages, all abilities are accepted as equals and made to feel at home from the beginning. I like that. As a woman I never felt out of place among so many males.
Ed: Thanks for telling us something about yourself and I’m sure somebody in the Chapter will help with the wiring of the new workshop.