caesar

We are heading to southern Ireland in a few weeks and would like to visit some traditional linen mills. I understand most of the mills are located in Northern Ireland, but would appreciate any information in regard to any mills in southern Ireland.
Failing to find any authentic mills, can anyone recommend good quality linen shops in southern Ireland?
Thanks.

Cathinjoetown

Have you seen this list? Doesn't seem to be anything in the Republic. I found this website interesting. If you search on Irish linen you'll find more:

http://www.irishlinenmills.com/Mills/mills.htm

bvlenci

That list is from 1955, and I'm sure most of the mills have closed. The only one I have personal knowledge of, Sion Mills, has been closed for a long time.

The same site has a page with modern links, but few of them have items labeled as "Irish linen".

http://www.irishlinenmills.com/links.htm

This is one company that does seem to see mostly Irish linen, but even here make sure it actually says that. They do say that some of their Irish linen products are sewn elsewhere, although the linen is spun and woven in Ireland.

http://www.fergusonsirishlinen.com/

They're also in Northern Ireland.

I've just returned from Northern Ireland, where we visited a linen beetling mill, now closed and operated as a museum by the National Trust.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wel...-beetling-mill

They used to beetle linen that had been woven at Sion Mills, which is how I know that Sion Mills closed some time ago.

This got me interested in Irish linen, and I've been doing a little investigation myself. I'd love to have linen bedding, but the cost gives me pause.

bvlenci

Not to mention the ironing.

Cathinjoetown

This would have been more helpful, sorry:

http://www.irishlinenmills.com/links.htm

bvlenci

Yes, I also gave that link above. But even that has a lot of links that have nothing to do with linen.

Macross

http://www.ulsterweavers.com/butterc...tea-towel.html
I want this tee towel. Thank you for links. I didn't shop a lot while in NI but this next trip I would love to buy some linen. We were told on our Black Cab Tour that there were very few places left. Anytime I have seen ulsterweave towels here they have been made in other countries.
caesar, if you are in Dublin you can get some linen here.
http://irishlinenhouse.com/

caesar

Thank you for the links.
Here is a list of NI linen mills that I believe are still in operation.
William Clark and Sons
Thomas Ferguson Irish Linen
Ardtara Country Homes
Flax Mill Textiles
Irish Linen Centre and Museum


Looks like the heightened industrialization in NI led to the establishment of more mills and even then most are now closed.