Clare Salley's Carrickmacross lace is located in Slanelough, Ashford, Co. Wicklow, Ireland and was founded in 2000. Clare Salley learned lacemaking as a teenager and is one of just a few people who are still making lace in Ireland.

The craft of lacemaking was brought to Ireland in 1820 by Mrs. Grey Porter. She fell in love with the beautiful lacework she saw while on her honeymoon in Italy and decided to learn how to make it herself. The process for making the lace has not changed much since Mrs. Porter first started. First the design is hand sewn with very fine stitches onto a piece of fine net. This step is called 'applique'. The needlework is done using fine organdie cotton thread and the design is accented with elegant edging. Inside the design are intricate patterns with an amazing variety of stitches. The lace is called "Carrickmacross" because that is the town in Ireland where it was developed. Carrickmacross comes from the Celtic words Carraig Mhachaire Rois - meaning 'rock on the wooded plain'. The town is located halfway between Belfast and Dublin.

Clare Salley enjoys working in the morning hours to create her lace collars, Irish Bridal veils, Irish First Communion veils, and Irish christening dresses.

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