The Story of Blarney

The Story of An Irish Family Business OUR STORY When you enter Blarney Woollen Mills you may sense that these old stone walls have stories to tell. Today, it is the largest Irish store in the world, but behind this lies a fascinating past which we’d like to share with you. THE VERY BEGINNING little woollen mill on the banks of the river Glashaboy in Glanmire. Th e story begins over two and a FREDA HAYES half centuries ago, when Ireland Mahony’s Mill passed down from was a very diff erent place and father to son. When it was time to Welcome to Blarney Woollen Mills and I hope you will independence was still far into expand, Timothy Mahony’s grandson enjoy reading our story. Blarney has been in the woollen the future. Due to its fi ne natural Martin, opened a new, larger mill business since 1823 and my father Christy Kelleher harbour, Cork had a highly in nearby Blarney in 1823. Th e mill developed textile trade in the was set on the banks of the beautiful bought the mill in 1975. From the humble beginnings eighteenth century. It’s export trade trout-fi lled river Martin close to of selling knitwear and craft s from a thatched cottage included cloth for the sails of ships, the medieval Blarney castle. It was on wheels outside Blarney castle, to owning the famous ropes, tents for armies, blankets and declared a site as picturesquely Blarney Woollen Mills was a dream come true for him. clothing of every description. In beautiful as could ever be found for 1750 Kerry man Timothy Mahony the location of an industry. Martin Th is is his story and his proud legacy. recognised an opportunity and set off Mahony & Brothers, as the woollen to Cork, where he established his fi rst mill was named, became known as FREDA HAYES CEO Blarney Woollen Mills Blarney Woollen Mill, Blarney, Cork, Ireland Blarney Woollen Mills, Bunratty, Co. Clare, Ireland Carding machines in Blarney Woollen Mills c. 1900; shop online @ blarney.com pure, raw wool begins its transformation into yarn for knitting and weaving. [email protected] Blarney Woollen Mills. Cork poet, John Fitzgerald observed weavers innovated won multiple awards in international competitions. Mahony’s Th e Mahonys constructed a large in 1865, mill was extended to incorporate the latest equipment which was driven by a dam nearby, creating a mill pond combination of hydropower and diesel. In the early 1900s, it included 113 power which increased the water pressure …with regard to the ancient looms for weaving all sorts of woollen cloth, and 13,000 spindles to spin the wool driving their huge mill wheel more industries of linen, cotton and paper, into yarns for knitting and weaving. Th e mill, under the Mahony family, was to effi ciently. Th e business became very the millwheels turn not round with play a central role in the life of Blarney for over two hundred years. signifi cant for the community. Local one very important exception, the farmers sold the wool from their Blarney Mills, where world- famed sheep to the mill and the team dyed Blarney Tweeds are made …Th is and spun it into yarn which was mill fl ourished and gave employment also woven into cloth. By 1835, one to very many persons in spinning, hundred and twenty locals worked weaving and dyeing. there, and this rose to two hundred by 1860. Th e Mahony family took In 1869, disaster struck when local care of the mill team and built inhabitants were awakened by an Millstream Row, an attractive set of outcry ‘Fire, fi re, the mill is on fi re!’ homes for them. Th ese well-built Th e mill was a blazing inferno, and houses can still be seen today. six hours later, there was nothing left but a shell and twisted machinery. Th e years of the Great Famine (1845 Th e villagers combined their -1849) and its aft ermath were the resources and energy to clear away darkest in Irish history. Unfair land the debris and begin reconstruction. policy, overdependence on poor Th e strong old buildings that you land and lack of industry left many see today are the result of their hopelessly vulnerable. When blight teamwork. Th ey primarily used hit the potato crop, which was the local sandstone, with brick sides and staple food, it proved devastating. window surrounds. Th e interiors were open plan, to fi t the mill Mass-starvation ensued, evictions for Aerial photograph of Blarney Woollen Mills complex c. 1930 non-payment of rent forced people machinery, and the wooden fl oors onto the roads and over half of the were supported by big iron columns. population died or were forced to emigrate. In Blarney, however, the Th e Mahony family and the CHRISTY KELLEHER (1914 – 1991) Th e Mill Boy with Big Dreams people could depend on their work hardworking Blarney people ensured in the mill. No evictions from a mill that despite the huge setback, the In 1914, Michael and Kathleen brought their eldest son into the world and named house ever took place and there were mill’s star continued to rise. By the him John Christopher. Th e couple and their fi ve children lived just a short walk no recorded deaths resulting from turn of the century, employment was from Blarney village. Kathleen ran a little grocery shop in the front of the family the famine. at an all-time high of eight hundred home and Michael sold and delivered coal throughout the area. Because of the people. Th eir tweed was particularly social nature of the family business, Christy, as John Christopher was known, grew Blarney Woollen Mills continued popular, selling at the top end of the up at the centre of his community. He was a bright, inquisitive boy and a quick even when other businesses in the market in London, Paris and New learner. Th e house may have been small and cash scarce, but the children were surrounding area had declined. York. Th e unique textiles which the encouraged to appreciate what they had. during those challenging times. Over At that time in Ireland, only the following years his knowledge fi rst-level education was free and and deep appreciation for all aspects secondary school fees were beyond of the textile industry grew. the means of the family. So, in 1928, at the age of fourteen years, Christy Christy fell in love and married local started his working life as a mill boy. woman Maureen O’Regan in 1940. While he was the quintessential extravert, who was always excited about his next great plan, Maureen was the careful one, setting aside a little money each week no matter how tough times were. Th e couple had seven children; Paschal, Frank, Pat, Freda, Marian, Kevin and Bernadette. Freda, the middle of the Kelleher children, remembers: ‘On Saturday evenings we were submerged in the tin bath in front Th e Kelleher Family 1959; Pascal, Frank, Pat, Freda, Marian, Kevin, & Bernadette, with parents Maureen & Christy of the fi re one aft er the other by my father. My mother laid out our Sunday clothes for mass the pressure to increase the family summer the entire family helped Christy Kelleher as part of the mill team in Blarney Woollen Mills. following morning and lined up income. Christy took employment in harvest an orchard for which he had our shoes and socks along the wall. the city with an insurance company. courageously ‘struck a price’ for the When they were fi nished, they By then he had clocked up two previous winter. He always hoped would stand back and look at us decades working in Blarney Woollen that the next business venture would Christy discovered he had a natural in admiration, everyone looking as Mills. be ‘the one’ that would really make fl air for engineering. For fi ve years, neat as new pins, with damp hair it. However shrewd and thrift y as aft er his day’s work, he cycled into and that shiny scrubbed look. Th ey Christy was never a man to sit still, Maureen was, when Christy needed Cork city to study mechanics in were very proud of their children he always had a few additional funds for a new venture, she was Th e Crawford Technical School. and we all felt like perfect angels.’ ‘irons in the fi re’. A succession of always persuaded to part with those He rose in rank to become the mill small businesses in the early years rainy-day funds. supervisor, overseeing the day-to- Younger generations may fi nd it supplemented his family income; day running and maintenance of the diffi cult to understand how poor he transported the local harrier During what became known as complex heavy industrial machinery. Ireland was during its years of club to their drag hunts around the the dancehall era, the hub of the During the years around WWII, austerity and emigration. Times were county, and operated a hackney area’s entertainment scene was Th e machine-parts were not available. particularly tough during the 1940s service to bring the cycling club to Emer Ballroom. Christy bought it Christy innovated and improvised, and 1950s under the leadership their meetings – all for a modest in 1961 and turned it into the most taking great pride in the fact that ‘his’ of Eamon DeValera. With seven fee! On Saturday mornings, he popular dancing venue by providing machines never stopped working children to support, there was always sold vegetables locally, and every two buses to and from Cork city.

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