Save the Date: The Galway Wool Co-op will host their 6th National Harvest of Irish Wool from Ireland’s native sheep breed. This year, the Meitheal will be open to the public, and all are invited!
When: Saturday, the 18th of July, 10 AM to 12:30 PM
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Join us for the European Wool Experience — a free public event celebrating wool, creativity and craftsmanship on Saturday, the 28th of March at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, Co Kerry.
Feltmakers Ireland will be taking part in European Wool Experience 2026. If you’ve been hoping to pick up a copy of our book Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, we will have copies available on the day.
Our volunteers will also be demonstrating feltmaking techniques, and visitors will have the opportunity to join a hands-on wet felting activity using Irish-raised wool from Ériu and WoolStore Ireland.
The wool used for these activities has been partially funded by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland.
The European Wool Experience will be a unique day, where wool comes to life through hands-on demonstrations, exhibitions, research displays and interactive experiences from makers, artists, educators and innovators across Ireland and 10+ European countries.
Whether you’re discovering wool for the first time, visiting with family and friends, or already passionate about fibre crafts, this is a wonderful opportunity to see traditional skills alongside contemporary practices — and experience the incredible versatility of this natural material.
Meet makers
Watch live 35+ demonstrations
Explore exhibitions and displays
Try wool crafts like felting, weaving, spinning and much more in a welcoming, relaxed environment
Drop in anytime — admission is completely free, and everyone is welcome!
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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Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.
PRESS RELEASE: Galway-based Katarina Hruskova is determined to give more value to Irish farmers by processing their sheep’s wool. After opening Woolstore, a wool-washing and processing business, in 2024, Katarina is now looking to increase her mill’s capacity and start spinning wool into yarn.
With shearing season fast approaching, it’s common to hear sheep farmers all around the island commenting on how this is a loss-making exercise because the wool they produce is deemed worthless. As sheds around the country are bursting with tonne bags full of rotting wool, a recently released report has highlighted the lack of washing and small-scale processing facilities as the main bottleneck preventing the development of innovative uses for the national clip. Meanwhile, Woolstore’s small but efficient operation has proven successful in washing, picking, and carding wool for local farmers and textile crafters. Indeed, 200kg of Galway wool processed by WoolstoreIE made it all the way to Texas last year, where it was spun by a local mill and is being sold as a specialty yarn. An installation made from Irish-grown wool processed by Woolstore can currently be seen at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, as part of Cecilia Vicuña’s exhibition Reverse Migration.
As the only mill in Ireland that accepts flexible batches of wool to be washed and carded, Katarina Hruskova’s business provides direct access to an opportunity that farmers and independent designers would not be able to access otherwise. She remarks, “One of the biggest drivers for me is showing people how good Irish wool is. I love seeing the look on farmers’ faces when they get their wool back after being processed, seeing the difference, and starting to understand the quality of what they actually have!”
It is this passion for demonstrating the potential of Irish wool that has led Katarina to pursue the next milestone in her business: increasing scouring capacity and acquiring Woolstore’s own semi-worsted spinning machine. The ambition is enthusiastically welcomed by farmers and textile practitioners who have been calling for viable avenues to utilise this renewable and highly versatile material.
Malú Colorín, co-founder of social enterprise Fibreshed Ireland sums up the excitement: “This mill is part of the solution to stop relying on imported wool, reduce Ireland’s textile carbon miles, and add value to our homegrown biofibre.”
To achieve this ambitious goal that will benefit both the farming and the textile sectors, Katarina Hruskova has launched a crowdfunder campaign to raise half of the funds needed to purchase the washing and spinning machines. The rest of the funds will be sought through LEADER funding. Backers of the campaign can expect perks such as farm tours, processed fibre, discounts on services, and classes on wool processing and natural dyeing.
The crowdfunder runs until 12 April.
Katarina is optimistic, but not naive. While she knows that her small mill will not be the ultimate solution to Ireland’s wool problem, she is keen to prove that a business like this can be viable enough to be replicated in different regions of the island. If her crowdfunding campaign is successful, we will soon find out.
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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Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.
The European Wool Experience, a vibrant, free, family-friendly event, will be at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, on Saturday, 28 March 2026, from 10 AM–5 PM.
Celebrating Ireland’s hosting of ‘European Wool Day 2026’, this special public event, open to all, brings together exhibitors, makers and researchers from Ireland and more than 10 European countries, to connect and create a colourful, welcoming day of creativity, culture, and discovery.
Taking place at the start of the Easter school holidays, it’s an ideal day out for families, friends, individuals or organised groups looking for something creative and different.
Visitors can explore four rooms featuring over 35 demonstrations, exhibitions and interactive experiences, with plenty of opportunities to try wool crafts firsthand, including the following: wet felting, finger knitting, crios belt weaving, spinning, weaving, wool processing and more. Meet skilled makers, discover traditional and contemporary skills, view unique heritage displays, and enjoy a relaxed, hands-on atmosphere suitable for children and adults alike.
Throughout the day, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will demonstrate feltmaking, and we will also lead interactive wet felting activities.
In addition to the guild, several members will be sharing their artwork and fibres. These include the following:
The guild is grateful to have received some funding from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. This helped us purchase Irish-raised wool from Ériu and WoolstoreIE, which members could use in their pieces.
Drop in to the European Wool Experience for an hour or stay and explore at your own pace; admission is completely free.
Groups of 10 or more can book in advance via ewd@ewe.network (subject: Group Visit).
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.
We’re delighted to share that the second printing of ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ is now available through the library system in Ireland.
If you search your local library catalogue or visit the Libraries Ireland website, you’ll find that there are currently 20 copies in the system. Some are still on order and being processed, but you can reserve a copy and have it delivered directly to your local branch for collection.
Editor’s Note: You will need a valid library card to reserve the book.
Thank You to Our Supporters
Everyone at Feltmakers Ireland would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all of our wool-loving readers and supporters who have made this second printing possible.
We are especially grateful to artist and guild member Annika Berglund for being the book’s editor. She took on the complex and detailed work of establishing the wool breed testing subcommittee and organised the results into a cohesive, educational, and beautifully presented book.
Whether you borrow it through your local library or keep a copy on your own shelf, we hope this book continues to inspire your exploration of Ireland’s rich and diverse wool heritage.
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.
This will be a printed and digital directory celebrating the people and organisations shaping the wool landscape in the island of Ireland, and the journey from farm to fibre to finished work.
The almanac will be funded and published by Future Island-Island, an AHRC Green Transition Ecosystem research programme, in partnership with the Irish Grown Wool Council.
It will be distributed at the European Wool Day 2026 Conference in Tralee next month and shared online as part of Future Island-Island’s wider programme of activity.
To submit your listing, use the online form linked below. You will be prompted to share what you do, highlights of your contribution, and why Irish wool matters. There’s also a request for up to 3 high-quality images, plus your logo with captions and credits.
They aim to include as many listings as possible. If they receive more submissions than can fit in the printed almanac, they will select entries to ensure a balanced spread across both regions and the wool journey.
Deadline: 12 PM on Monday, the 16th February 2026.
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.
On Saturday, the 28th of March, European Wool Day will take place at the Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee, Co Kerry. In conjunction with the Conference Talks, there is a full day of free interactive demos of woolcrafts from experts all over the country.
Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will be part of the Interactive Wool Crafts Room. We will demonstrate needlefelting and host hands-on felting circles for the public. The wool that we will use is Irish-raised and was purchased from Ériu and WoolstoreIE. We are grateful to have received some funding from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.
In addition to Feltmakers Ireland, other individuals and groups will be part of the Interactive Wool Crafts room. The list includes several members of Feltmakers Ireland: Karen Bowden (Fabulous Fibres), Lucia Errity, and Emily Thompson.
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.
Note: Feltmakers Ireland-West meets on the THIRD Sunday of the month.
To learn more about Feltmakers Ireland-West and our members who are part of it, please visit the Feltmakers Ireland-West website – https://feltmakersireland-west.com/
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.
While this video from Zwartbles Ireland-Suzanna Crampton is from two years ago, it may still be of interest to those interested in Irish-raised sheep and wool. See Cladoir sheep being sheared at a festival in Connemara National Park, and their wool spun in the raw by Sandra King of Irish Fibre Crafters and other spinners.
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.
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.
When: Wednesday, the 5th of November – 8:15 to 9:30 PM.
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.
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.
