The recently formed Galway Wool Co-op will be running their second annual Wool Meitheal on Saturday the 9th of July 2022 at Athenry Livestock Mart, Co Galway,
This event is organised by the wool producers themselves, who on the day will draw their Purebred Registered Galway Wool from the four provinces of Ireland. For this year’s event, they have two buyers eager for their Native Irish Grown Galway Wool, Donegal Yarns and Woolow Sleep.
Donegal Yarns purchased last year’s Wool Clip and partnered with Rhyme Studio New York to develop The Báinín Collection which recently debuted in Brooklyn, New York City. With a surging interest in Sustainable Interiors the debut of The Báinín Collection of Area Rugs and Tapestry is just a taster of the endless scope of Native Irish Grown Galway Wool.
Such was the success of their sell out of Galway wool Donegal Yarns are back again this year, the Co-op are also thrilled to announce that Irelands leading producer of natural fibre home and sleep products Woolow Sleep, has come on board to purchase some of 2022’s wool clip.
The wool producers initiative to restore the route to market for Native Irish Grown is spurred on by their reluctance to have this beautiful natural biofibre seep into the existing 10million kgs of Irish wool Bio-Fibre being shipped as waste to Bradford UK and then on to a multibillion dollar Asian Carpet & Rugs Manufacturing Industry.
The event takes place at Athenry Livestock Mart with all the members giving freely of their time, collecting Purebred Registered Galway Wool, inspecting and weighing each pack.
On the morning of the event there will be a presentation by each producer of what they think is their best quality fleece. A judging panel made up of 3 industry experts will pick 2 winners with the winning fleece going on display for all of the producers to reignite a passion for breeding stock with excellent quality wool.
This year the Best Fleece Competition is worth €1000 with two excellent prizes on offer. Magee 1866 have also kindly sponsored a jacket worth €500, while Woolow Sleep have generously sponsored €500 euros worth of sleep and lifestyle products.
The event will be covered by two film crews and will have a demonstration of hand shearing and weaving along with traditional music and dance by Oranmore Ceoltas.
For more information, please contact The Galway Wool Co-op Secretary Blátnaid Gallagher on 0872454441.
An NRN Case Study on the LEADER Supported Galway Wool Co-op can be found here: https://nationalruralnetwork.ie/farm-viability/leader-case-studies/the-galway-wool-co-op-an-inspiring-roadmap-for-the-native-irish-wool-industry/
