​Wartime exhibition 'The Longest Yarn' at CoI cathedral in Enniskillen

The exhibition - 'The Longest Yarn' - went on public view on Monday last at the only venue in Ireland after arriving from a tour of cathedrals around England with highly positive reaction.

Known as 'A Thread Through History', the exhibition depicts the first 80 hours and 80 days of 'D-Day June 6' which took place eight decades ago.

This three-dimensional wool tapestry tells the story of the 80 days it took the Allied British and American forces to liberate Paris and involved over 1,000 people knitting and crocheting the military figures and buildings to construct the historic scenes.

There are 80 individual scenes measuring a metre wide which is staged around the interior of St Macartin's cathedral with a large part in the adjoining regimental chapel.

The tapestry was first unveiled at Notre Dame Church in Carentan, France on May 28 last and will return there in 2026 where it will be housed in a specially constructed museum.

'The Longest Yarn' was the creation of Tansy Forster, originally from Magherafelt, Co LOndonderry and from an RAF family, who left Northern Ireland in 1972 and now resides with her husband Mike in Normandy, France.

On the anniversary of D-Day each year on June 6, Tansy said her town, Carentan, had a big influx of veterans from around Europe and the United States to commemorate D-Day.

She thought perhaps to commemorate in the future she would knit a topper for her garden gate but with encouragement that grew to 80 metres.

Tansy explained that she researched each of the scenes and found photographs and issued these to each of the people and groups involved in knitting and crocheting the scenes.

Before opening in Enniskillen this week, the exhibition has been viewed by more than 150,000 people.

Tansy confirmed: "The 'Longest Yarn' was created in 18 months and was first on public display in Carentan for the 80th anniversary of D-Day before going on tour around England. The exhibition is in Enniskillen until Saturday February 8 when it goes on to Norwich. In April it will be taken to the United States for a further year.

Speaking at the launch on Monday, Dean Kenneth Hall, of St Macartin's cathedral, said it was appropriate that the exhibition should come to Enniskillen as it is the only town in the United Kingdom to raise two British Army regiments - the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.

Viscount Brookeborough, a leading Church of Ireland member in Co Fermanagh, said they were privileged in Fermanagh and the Church of Ireland diocese of Clogher to host this exhibition.

He said Northern Ireland played a highly significant part in the 1939-45 Second World War, ensuring success for the Allied forces, led by the Americans and the British.

* The 'Longest Yarn' is in St. Macartin’s cathedral daily until the morning of Saturday February 8 from 10am to 4pm. A book to explain each of the 80 days leading up to D-Day will be on sale.