From Farm to Yarn: Blátnaid Gallagher’s Mission to Revive Galway Wool

As we huddle around steaming cups of tea and pastries, it becomes clear why Blátnaid Gallagher has been dubbed the Erin Brockovich of Irish wool. Funny, formidable and a fountain of endless knowledge, her enthusiasm is infectious, every sentence a revelation.

The truth behind Irish wool products

For example, did you know that most wool products sold in Ireland and marketed as Irish – from cosy cardis to soft throws and even rugs – are not, in fact, made with Irish wool? “Most people don’t really know where their products come from or how they’re produced,” explains Blátnaid. “That lack of transparency was a big motivator for me – I wanted to create something that offered a direct connection between people and the wool’s source.”

Introducing the Galway Wool Co-Op

That ‘something’ is the Galway Wool Co-Op, a community, movement and platform dedicated to preserving and promoting heritage Irish wool made with native Irish sheep.

“Native Irish Galway wool played a foundational role in creating the now world-renowned and thriving Irish woollen industry, especially in iconic pieces like the Aran sweater,” she begins. “But a century later, we’ve shifted away from this rich, heritage Báinín wool, replacing it with synthetic and imported wool marketed as Irish.” Shockingly, much of the wool created in Ireland is classified as waste for many farmers, treated merely as a byproduct of sheep farming or cheaply exported to the UK and beyond.

Galway wool is produced from a breed of sheep called ‘The Galway’. Officially recognised as native Irish sheep, the breed is found all over the country, and Blátnaid describes their wool as “the world’s most undervalued bio-fiber”.

“People assumed that an “Irish” blanket or sweater was made from Irish wool, only to find it was sourced from merino farms on the other side of the world.”

The quality of Irish wool 

Retailers, designers and woollen mills have been slow to embrace native Irish wool, which Blátnaid says is partly due to misconceptions about its quality and coarseness; many perceive it as the itchy, inferior cousin to soft and silky merino. But she is confident that with modern worsted spinning and careful processing, Irish wool can rival strong wools from other regions. “Manufacturers often claim there’s no demand for Irish wool, but until recently, consumers had no real choice – they assumed that an “Irish” blanket or sweater was made from Irish wool, only to find it was sourced from merino farms on the other side of the world.”

Life in Murray Meadows

In today’s world, where sustainability and authenticity are key selling points in consumer goods, it seems a no-brainer to support  farmers in producing a fibre that’s naturally both.

Blátnaid practises what she preaches, and cares for a flock of Galway sheep here in Murray Meadows, the picturesque farm she shares with husband Niall. Alongside the work she does for the Galway Wool Co-Op, there is also the busy business of running a farm – feeding the geese, caring for the breeding Connemara ponies, as well as Henry, their gentle 17- hand Shire horse.

Galway sheep

Our tour of the farm takes us past a mellow flock of Galway sheep, contentedly munching or lounging, unaware of the fuss being made over them.

It’s clear that they – and their entire breed – are in safe hands with Blátnaid. “It’s about offering consumers the real choice they deserve,” she says. “And they deserve authentic native Irish Galway wool products that reflect the beauty, sustainability, and heritage of our native landscape.”

Photography by Nathalie Marquez Courtney