The Basket Maker

Watch as a basket gradually emerges from a spidery bundle of willow rods accompanied by the music of Ted Hickey and Colin Higgins. From steeping the rods in the field to the finished basket James Mulholland works with swift expertise, gently talking us through each step along the way. This is just one of the gems made by Roy Spence for the Ulster Folk Museum capturing master makers at work for future generations.

As rural ways of life were engulfed by an ever more industrialised North the Ulster Folk Museum was born from a 1958 act of parliament. It continues to create a lively world of artefacts to preserve disappearing traditions for future generations. Visitors can experience the buildings, tools and crafts of the past from the weaver’s loom to the blacksmith's forge. Twin brothers Roy and Noel Spence have been making films for over fifty years; with subjects including crafty leprechauns, creatures from outer space, and the undead. You can enjoy many of these fantastical creations and more of Roy’s craft documentaries on BFI Player. This film is courtesy of Roy Spence and is held in the Irish Film Archive.