Homespun Aoibheann McNamara reflects on her home county, the industry and the importance of buying Irish

am from a small town in Donegal Samuel Beckett reputedly had a John called Ardara. It is a town of Molloy jacket that was never off his back about 14 pubs and a very strong and discerning shoppers are looking for a tweed and aran tradition. Long- product that costs but lasts and most standing labels like Bonners, importantly is Irish through and Kennedy’s,I Eddie Doherty and John through. Molloy amongst others all have factories At Christmas I visited their work shop producing varying amounts of knitwear and met both father and son in boiler and or tweed. In a downward spiralling suits and hats. A simple corrugated economy I think it is important that we iron shed beside their home was the set- acknowledge, nurture and develop these ting for busy electric looms producing quintessentially Irish industries and beautiful tweed for countries like Japan progress them forward. and America. Thread coils and old- One element of the Ardara fashioned desks and stunning throws and productions is Molloy and Son. Shaun rugs of high design and quality dotted ing Donegal tweed and so founded the and Kieran have definitely moved with the space. I admire so much this glob- new company Molloy and Sons . the times. I first became aware of them alised approach to the most beautiful It is just the two of them, father and son through the design conscious magazine products and traditional skills Ireland has and they carry out all areas of the process called Thread in Dublin. Thread profiles to offer. Inherently from and of the land, from design to dispatch along with ethical design driven shops and the wool industry is at the foundation of engaging local spinners to produce . producers and dedicated an article to our heritage as music, literature and This policy of local all the way which is Molloy and Sons and their collaboration dance is and nowhere better embodies now so much part of our evolving food with uber-cool men’s shop Indigo and that than in the wilds of Donegal. culture should be a bench mark for all Cloth on South William St. in Dublin. John Molloy is Shaun’s father and he production in Ireland and especially in Molloy and Sons produce the tweed and established a huge business in the 50’s this our most indigenous of industries. jackets for the shop and have created a hiring up to two thousand knitters. “The Irish weaving industry has niche market of ethical shoppers looking Shaun separated from the family business shrunk hugely in the last two decades for a product of longevity and durability. with a desire to focus solely on produc due to cheaper labour in emerging

54 MARCH/APRIL 2012 the tradition going and not allow such an to the tradition of the process. authentic and important part of our cul- Today more than ever we need to buy ture to disappear” Molloy and Sons. Irish, a difficult activity when It is this statement alone that is the authenticity is hard to track. People most important thing to remember. With should make a commitment to buying the combined efforts of a father that Irish knits over Topshop Turkey pro- knows the trade and a son having recent- duced sweatshop jumpers. Alongside our ly graduated from NCAD college of art commitment to buying local and eating you have a collective that can and are local and seasonal we need to really buy moving this wonderful industry coolly clothes local and Irish. We need to forgo into the future. It is their commitment to the designer throws in TK Maxx and go the preservation of the past coupled with to shops like O’ Maille’s and buy a throw Kieran’s understanding of the emerging made in Donegal which has been hand global design market that has woven and has authenticity and contemporized their approach and credibility. As a consumer we have huge outlook and will hopefully bode well for power and what better way to use that their longevity and sustainability in the power then to invest in the future and markets, causing manufacturing to move market place going forward. support local traditional production. Let’s away from its original home. The In Galway, individuals like Anne and try and make the difference that renders authenticity of a lot of products is Ger O’Maille support and sell these us a more morally and ethically satisfied disappearing, due to these cheaper products to the ever increasing local and consumer. markets and overseas manufacturing. tourist markets where demand is high www.molloyandsons.com Weaving is a part of the culture and and for hand knits it is almost hard to www.indigoandcloth.com heritage in this area going back centuries keep up with. Working for years with www.threadfashion- and Ardara has always been at the heart knitters and producers from all over magazine.tumblr.com of the Donegal tweed and hand weaving Ireland they sell only 100 per cent Irish www.omaille.com industry. A market used to be held in the products and try to keep up with a grow- town once a month for people to sell ing number of Internet overseas sales. Aoibheann McNamara, their cloth woven at home. Now fewer Anne and Ger endeavour not only to sell Owner of Ard Bia and and fewer people are able to produce this the best products available in Ireland but Nimmos Restaurant, cloth, and we feel a responsibility to keep they do so with a genuine commitment Galway

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