In the shadow of the Bluestack Mountains in northwestern Ireland, the town of Donegal has been renowned for its handwoven wool …
In the shadow of the Bluestack Mountains in northwestern Ireland, the town of Donegal has been renowned for its handwoven wool tweed for generations. A skilled weaver, working at a bench loom, could make up to 30 yards of fabric in a day, using home-raised wool that was often dyed using natural and local materials including moss, yellow gorse, and blackberries.
Today the town's largest manufacturer of wool tweed is the Magee, Molloy & McNutt factory, which presides over Donegal's town center in a large redbrick building. The fabric is prized by the largest international fashion houses as well as tourists looking for an authentic piece of highest quality Irish artisanry. About 25 local craftsmen still work on hand looms in their homes, filling the demand for the bespoke look of a well-tailored tweed suit or cap.
