Category: Wool

Of Interest: Irish Wool Series on Nationwide – 3rd Programme – Member Karena Ryan Featured

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Karena Ryan during the filming at the Galway Wool Co-op’s Meitheal at Athenry, Co Galway

The third and final episode about Irish Wool is available on Nationwide via the RTÉ Player. Feltmakers Ireland guild member Karena Ryan is featured in the second section, just after the break.


Monday, 24th November: https://lnkd.in/eE-84Kce

Wednesday, 26th November: https://lnkd.in/eXJUYEJV

Friday, 28th November: https://lnkd.in/e2kZR5Uk

A piece by guild member @tamzenlundydesigns can be spotted in the section intro:


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Of Interest: A New Fleece for Life – Presentation – TONIGHT – Co Wicklow

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Weaving Wicklow’s Sheep Wool Heritage into a Sustainable Future.

Join Wicklow Uplands Council for an audio-visual presentation and discussion exploring how Wicklow’s wool heritage can help shape a more sustainable future.

Hear insights from a National Parks & Wildlife Service Conservation Ranger and from Pat Byrne (Circular BioEconomy expert) as they look at how heritage, ecology, and innovation can work together to strengthen Ireland’s wool industry — and influence policy for real change.

Guild member Sharon Wells will be there with some of her recent community-felted sculptures.

Come join the discussion.

Free event — all welcome! But please register: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/weaving-wicklows-sheep-wool-heritage-into-a-sustainable-future-tickets-1856519783649?aff=oddtdtcreator

Their Instagram: @wicklowuplands

Editor’s Note: Apologies for the last-minute announcement; we only learned about the event yesterday.

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

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Event: Fibreshed Ireland Symposium 2025

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On Friday, 21st November, Fibreshed Ireland will gather at The Richmond Education and Event Centre, Smithfield, from 10 AM to 4:30 PM to hear from a diverse range of growers and practitioners who work in line with Soil-to-Soil principles of circularity, compostability, and agroecology.

They are the following:

  • Jennifer & Tristan Lienhard of @appleoakfibreworks
  • Katarina Hruskova of @woolstoreireland (Katarina is a member of Feltmakers Ireland)
  • @kathykirwan_theartofnature of the Flax 405 project
  • Mary Ann Williams, editor of @textilesofireland
  • Michelle McCabe, researcher exploring the connections between textile craft and wellbeing with ATU Sligo
  • @ryankoenigstudio — 16th-century textile archaeology
  • Sarah Babiker — Threads of Story: Woolcraft a Language & Memory between Ireland and the Arab World

On Saturday, there will be an open day of craft demonstrations, workshops, shopping opportunities, and community building at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. Admission to the demonstrations and shopping is free, but each workshop will be ticketed.

  • Upcycling workshop with Eimear Greaney (@upsew.ie), from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Aran knitting with @ryankoenigstudio, from 10 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Weaving Circle with Lucy Hyland (@ourselfcarerevolution), from 1 to 3 PM
  • Movement session for crafters with @aideen.macken, from 3:30 – 4:10 (FREE, with optional donations to support Fibreshed Ireland’s work)


Dublin (different venues each day)
Optional social dinner in @fidelitydublin on Friday, the 22nd of November (book at checkout)

Discounts for students and Fibreshed Ireland members!

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit their website – https://fibreshedireland.ie/symposium-2025/

This event is part of Irish Design Week, partly funded by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/irish-design-week-2025/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Research on Irish Wool

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Neither of these articles is new, but it is interesting to see how scientists and students are researching ways to utilise and process Irish wool so that it does not continue to be a waste product.

Regenerative Value Systems for Irish Grown Wool in Ireland (REVEIRE) Funded

University College of Cork announced that researcher Dr Archishman Bose’s three-year project, Regenerative Value Systems for Irish Grown Wool in Ireland (REVEIRE), received funding of €657,403.  

The project will conduct a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Irish-grown wool, including the value created by a scouring facility within Ireland.

“Irish wool, typically characterised as ‘strong wool’, can have wide applications in textiles, packaging, environmental, and high-value materials. This project, by undertaking a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Irish grown wool, will provide data and evidence to inform Government policies, initiatives and investments required for regenerating the Irish grown wool industry for a sustainable circular bioeconomy.”

Information about Dr Bose’s research is towards the bottom of the page – https://www.ucc.ie/en/news/2025/ucc-researchers-awarded-23m-for-new-research-to-address-climate-and-environmental-challenges.html

For more information and an interview with Dr Bose, there is the interesting article in Farmers’ Journal – https://www.farmersjournal.ie/new-project-to-examine-irish-wool-and-scouring-860269

Student Research

In January, Transition Year students from Co Sligo were awarded for their research on how sheep wool can be used in the concrete industry as a strengthening material.

Typically, polypropylene is used to prevent cracks in concrete; however, the students discovered that concrete mixed with wool surpassed polypropylene in both durability and strength.

Their project was inspired by the students’ experiences of not being able to sell wool from their family farm. Aoife Fadian states, “It is selling at about 10c/kg, even if it’s selling at all. Farmers all around Ireland are really struggling with what to do with it.”

To read about their inspiring project, visit this page on the Agriland website – https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/sligo-students-to-take-sheep-wool-and-concrete-project-large-scale/


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Event: The 5th Annual European Wool Day – Member Sharon Wells is Presenting in Rome

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The 5th European Wool Day will be celebrated on Sunday, the 6th of April, from 10 AM to 5 PM CEST at I Casali del Pino in Rome, Italy. The event will also be live-streamed on EWE’s YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@ewefoundation-europeanwool255

The event will feature presentations, demonstrations, and interactive workshops led by wool enthusiasts from across Europe. Attendees of all ages can explore various wool-related activities, including washing, dyeing, spinning, felting, crochet, weaving, and even painting with wool, while learning about best practices and creative techniques.

Feltmakers Ireland member Sharon Wells will be in Rome to present her experiences of recovering from trauma in her talk ‘Healing through Wool,’ at 11 AM. Additionally, she will facilitate a European landscape textile workshop to be created by representatives of EWE member countries.

To see the event’s complete program, visit their website: https://www.ewe.network/european-wool-day-2025

Their Instagram – @ewe_foundation_

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Two Artists’ Residencies with the Galway Wool Co-op – Exhibition this Saturday

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‘Learning Old Tricks from Ancient Sheep’ is a one-day exhibition of two designers’ residencies with the Galway Wool Co-op.

Fabienne Rako and Annika Joachim invite you to their exhibition ‘Learning Old Tricks from Ancient Sheep’, which they are presenting in cooperation with the Galway Wool Co-Op. Together with Galway Wool, they aim to elaborate on the various applications in which all parts of the sheep’s wool can be properly utilised.

Within their two-week residency with the Co-op, they explored the potential of noil, a short fibre by-product of worsted spinning, to create unique, textured garments. Their work will showcase noil’s potential beyond waste, transforming it into high-quality, contemporary Irish textiles.

Where: O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, Galway
When: Saturday, the 1st of March 2025, from 1:00 – 8:00 PM

For more information – see the Co-op’s Instagram post; @thegalwaywoolco_op

@fabienne_rko

@annikajoachim


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

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Of Interest: Donegal Tweed and Yarns – Innovation, Sustainability and Looking to the Future – Presented by IGWC

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On Monday, the 20th of January, the Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) is hosting a panel discussion on how Donegal is taking its wool heritage into exciting new directions. From the quest for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for Donegal Tweed, to the growing demand for sustainable, innovative uses of Irish grown wool, discover how local businesses are blending tradition with forward-thinking ideas.

Time: 3:30PM – 4:15PM

For more information, visit their website – https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/irish-grown-wool-council-panel-talk-at-showcase-2025/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

News: Irish Wool in the News – Galway Co-op and Woolin Schools

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The Galway Wool Co-op won a prestigious EU Award, and the founder of Woolin Schools, Lorna McCormack, spoke at the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) in Turkey.

Galway Wool Co-op

The Galway Wool Co-op received recognition as a ‘Highly Commended Project’ at the EU CAP Network’s Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards (ARIA) 2024, held in Brussels.

Now in its sixth year, the ARIA awards celebrate European projects that exemplify best practices within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) framework, focusing on sustainability, innovation, social inclusion, and resilience. Artist and curator Michelle Hickey Legge received the award on behalf of the Co-op.

For further information, read the full article on Agriland – https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/galway-wool-co-op-wins-prestigious-eu-award/

Lorna McCormack of Woolin Schools

In December, the International Wool Textile Organisations‘ (IWTO) annual Wool Round Table convened the global wool textile industry in Istanbul, fostering networking and knowledge exchange.  More than 80 attendees represented the wool industries of 26 countries. 

The event featured key sessions on Wool Market Intelligence, Wools of Europe, Wool Education and Advocacy, and Sustainability. Lorna McCormack, founder of Woolin Schools, joined Matthew J. Rowe of Campaign for Wool Canada and Peter Ackroyd of Campaign for Wool to discuss wool education and advocacy.

For more information about the event, visit the Woolin School website – https://woolinschool.com/news/f/iwto-round-table-2024

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

The Book: Wrap up the Magic of Irish Wool this Christmas – ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

While Merino wool often takes centre stage in textile discussions, Feltmakers Ireland’s book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’, introduces readers to the rich diversity of Irish wool. Featuring 40 breeds of sheep raised in Ireland, the book dives deep into each breed’s fibre characteristics, highlighting how their wool can be used for wet and needle-felting techniques. It’s an eye-opening journey into the potential of locally sourced fibres that are often overlooked.

Practical and Inspirational

Packed with tips, tricks, and hands-on advice, this book is a go-to resource for anyone looking to prepare, dye, and work with wool using simple, natural ingredients.

What’s Inside

  • Felt
  • The Project
  • Sourcing, washing, and preparing fleece for felting
  • Dyeing wool
  • Getting started using plant dyes
  • Felting with raw wool
  • The breeds tested and a few words about the samples
  • Suppliers and washers/carders
  • Acknowledgements
  • Bibliography
  • Glossary
  • Index

Support Sustainability

Give a gift that champions eco-friendly practices. By exploring and using local wool, readers can preserve traditional skills, support local farmers, and reduce reliance on imported materials.

Order Today

This Christmas, give the gift of craft, connection, and creativity. ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking‘ is perfect for fibre artists, crafters, and anyone who loves learning about heritage and sustainable living.

Find your copy on our website and bring the beauty of Irish wool to someone special – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

News: Feltmakers Ireland’s Wool Book Featured in ‘Going the Dodo Way’ Blog

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Feltmakers Ireland’s wool book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’, was recently featured in the blog of feltmaker and educator Vanda Sousa (Going the Dodo Way). It’s an excellently written article that covers our book! In addition, Vanda covers two other projects working with local wool on the Iberian peninsula.

To read the blog post about our Irish and other local wools, visit Vanda Sousa’s website – https://www.vandafsousa.com/blog/wet-felting-with-local-wool

Editor’s Note: Going the Dodo Way blog has several highly recommended articles that are both practical and thoughtful. Here are five (there are many more!)

If you are a wet-feltmaker, Vanda’s blog contains valuable and exciting information! There is a Felting Resources section on her website, and she teaches online courses. You can ensure that you will not miss any of her blog posts by subscribing to her email newsletter – https://www.vandafsousa.com/updates


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.