The Story of Blarney Woollen Mills
15 August, 10am - 11am
- Blarney Woollen Mills, Thatched Cottage
- The Square, Blarney, Cork, T23 H63K
- T23 H63K
- Co. Cork City
Join us at Blarney Woollen Mills for a guided heritage talk exploring more than two centuries of textile, industrial and community history in Blarney, Co. Cork.
The event will begin at 10am at the Thatched Cottage, where visitors will be introduced to the origins of Blarney Woollen Mills and its connection to Cork’s historic textile trade. The talk will trace the story from Timothy Mahony’s first woollen mill in Glanmire in 1750 to the opening of the larger Blarney mill by Martin Mahony in 1823.
Visitors will learn how local wool was dyed, spun and woven, how the mill supported generations of local families, and how Millstream Row was built for workers. The talk will also cover the major fire of 1869, the rebuilding of the mill using local sandstone, and the role of the Blarney community in its recovery.
The story will then move to Christy Kelleher, who began working at the mill in 1928 at the age of fourteen. Visitors will hear how he later opened Blarney Handcrafts in a small thatched cottage, supported local Aran knitters, and purchased Blarney Woollen Mills in 1975 after its closure.
The event will conclude with the continuing story of Irish knitwear through the Blarney Aran Experience. History booklets will be available on the day. This event is suitable for local residents, families, visitors and anyone interested in Irish textile heritage, local history and traditional craftsmanship.
Please meet at the Thatched Cottage at Blarney Woollen Mills before the guided heritage talk begins at 10am.
The event is free and suitable for families, local residents and visitors interested in Irish textile history, industrial heritage and traditional craftsmanship. Comfortable footwear is recommended, as the talk will move through different areas of the historic site.
Free parking is available at Blarney Woollen Mills. The venue can also be reached by public transport using Bus Éireann Route 215 to Blarney Woollen Mills. History booklets will be available for visitors on the day.