The Irish Connections Rug Hooking Group was formed in August 2009 when a group of twenty-eight women came together to design and hook rugs under the guidance of organizer/initiator Laura Coultas and artist/rug hooking consultants Sheila Coultas, Frances Ennis and Maxine Ennis. Inspired by the strong Irish heritage on the Southern Shore, known as the Irish Loop, the women decided to create a body of work that would illustrate Newfoundland and Labrador’s strong connection with Ireland. On May 16, 2010, some four hundred people joined these women during the opening reception for their exhibit at the Five Island Art Gallery in Tors Cove, Newfoundland, and in September 2010, Hooking Our Heritage, a book about the project, was published.