The Jippi Jappa Industry(Making Straw Hats)

The other day I read an article about the revival of the jippi jappa industry in Glengoffe. This is hat mating using straws. As a young boy I remembered going to buy straws from a man called Mr. Melton Wood in Mt. Matthews district. My mother made hats as did my grandmother when she wasn't sewing. At that time most females in Glengoffe were involved in the trade. I don't know why it fell on hard times but I suspect that it was because most of the merchants had gotten old or had died. Preparing the straw to be plaited was an intricate affair as you had to make sure that it didn't mildew.
Some of the men in Glengoffe also made mats and bags. They used a kind of grass to make the mats. They also used a plant called rush, which is found in swamps. Maybe a documentary could be done on these trades.