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Apocalypse 'now' during August Craft Month

Blacksmith Eamonn Higgins will host Crafts to Survive the Apocalypse, a week long survivalist course at his forge on his family farm in Martinstown
Blacksmith Eamonn Higgins will host Crafts to Survive the Apocalypse, a week long survivalist course at his forge on his family farm in Martinstown Blacksmith Eamonn Higgins will host Crafts to Survive the Apocalypse, a week long survivalist course at his forge on his family farm in Martinstown

A SMALL corner of the Antrim Glens will turn medieval this August as a group of people escape modern life to learn the art of making swords, knives, axes and long bows.

Part of August Craft Month, blacksmith Eamonn Higgins will host Crafts to Survive the Apocalypse, a week long survivalist course at his forge on his family farm in Martinstown.

The event will include a demonstration from the Irish champion in medieval sword work at the local village hall.

Eamonn explained that people used to sitting at a computer all day were now queuing up to learn ancient crafts.

"All of these crafts from our medieval past are coming back. Many people in their day to day jobs are sitting looking at a computer. They are just bored. My generation never got to use their hands at school, never swung a hammer or learned carpentry."

The idea of the workshops is that modern life has fallen apart, the world has been taken over by Zombies and people must learn ancient skills to survive.

Eamonn added: "The people who come to my workshops tend to be men in their 30s and 40s with beards. Many have been given a workshop as a present, to do something different.

"My niche is very male-oriented."

He argues that craft is often regarded as a female industry: "Ceramics, textiles and glass is mostly female," says Eamonn.

"Women tend to form organisations and hang out together while men are much more isolated. It’s a unique opportunity for men to work as a group."