Blarney Woollen Mills
Blarney Woollen Mills is an Irish heritage retailer based in a historic wool mill in Blarney, County Cork. Reopened by the Kelleher family in 1975, it sells Irish knitwear, clothing and gifts.
| Mill built | 1823 to 1824 |
|---|---|
| Original owners | Martin Mahony and Bros Ltd |
| Reopened | 1975 by Christy Kelleher |
| Location | Blarney, County Cork, Ireland |
| Website | blarney.com |
What is Blarney Woollen Mills?
Blarney Woollen Mills is an Irish retail business housed in a former woollen mill in the village of Blarney, County Cork. It operates as an Irish heritage shop and is owned by the Kelleher family.
History
The mill was built between 1823 and 1824 by Martin Mahony and Bros Ltd, the business of brothers Martin and Noel Mahony. Powered by water from a dam on the Martin river, it spun and wove wool and produced tweeds, worsted cloths, knitting wools and hosiery. By the 1830s it employed 120 people and by the mid-nineteenth century more than 200.
A fire at Christmas 1869 destroyed the mill, which was rebuilt the following year and still stands. Business declined in the mid-twentieth century and the mill closed in 1973. Two years later Christy Kelleher, who had started work at the mill in 1928 at the age of 13, bought and reopened it.
Products and positioning
Since reopening, the site has traded as a destination store for Irish products, with knitwear and woollen goods at the centre of its offer alongside clothing and gifts.
Why it matters
Blarney Woollen Mills shows how an industrial textile site can be reinvented as a heritage retail brand, keeping the story of Irish wool production at the heart of a family-owned business.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Blarney Woollen Mills?
Blarney Woollen Mills is in the village of Blarney in County Cork, Ireland.
Who owns Blarney Woollen Mills?
The business is owned by the Kelleher family, after Christy Kelleher bought and reopened the mill in 1975.