Ireland is also called the "Green Isle" for its beautiful landscapes.
A land disputed by many peoples throughout its history, from the Celts to the Vikings, then passed under papal domination, before being offered to the British crown by Adrian IV .
According to Celtic mythology, it was founded by Partholon, son of the Ocean.
Arriving on the island after the original flood, accompanied by a colony of 24 men and 24 women who would populate it, he created seven lakes and four hills, shaping the landscape of Ireland.
Partholon taught humans to manipulate magic, taught them druidism and the art of war. Thus able to defend themselves, they would have repelled every invader, gods or giants, so that the island remained in their hands.
The stunning Irish landscapes. Here, a photo of the lakes of Connemara, those of the song, which Oscar Wilde nicknamed "the wild beauty". (Credits: FrançaisDublin)
With its 250 days of rain per year, we can better understand why we have such nature...
And so many sheep grazing! Since the settlement of Man on the island in the Neolithic period , our curly friends are thriving on the island .
They never left: in 2012, there were roughly 6,000,000 inhabitants in the territory for 5,000,000 sheep.
How on earth were they going to help us...? 😉
Ireland, land of wool
A practice as old as the island
Weaving looms dating back almost 4,000 years have been found there, not so far from those of today.
It was such an ingrained activity that the Brehon laws (the Irish ancestor of the civil code, written between -800 and -600) specified that in the event of a couple separating, the woman kept the household looms.
The technology of looms remained the same for a very long time. It was not until the Middle Ages that they were enhanced with pedals.
Having come under domination in the 11th century, Ireland was a gold mine for England.
The mother country became its main trading partner, so much so that a large part of England was kept warm by Irish wool.
Carefully preserved know-how
From the 16th century onwards, England enacted several restrictive laws against Ireland. Among other things, it was no longer allowed to export any woolen goods. This is what we call gross protectionism!
Ireland was then a colony, with all the imperialist policies that go with it.
King William III, the one who wanted to keep everything for himself.
Due to lack of income, the island struggled to industrialize. After the famine that struck the country in 1845 , we realize that we still have to take care of these Irish. England realizes that it is frankly too difficult towards the country and begins to give ground little by little.
In the 1880s, the government created the Congested District Board , an organization responsible for ensuring the maintenance and transmission of know-how . Specialists were sent to the most rural regions of Ireland, including Donegal (more on this later), in order to structure the craft industry there.
If you are interested in the subject, I recommend that you read this book, which retraces all of the Council's actions.
Finally, Ireland became independent in the early 1920s: it would industrialize more freely, without the English on its back. Relying heavily on the "heritage" side , its wool work first seduced Europe and the US and then, more recently, Japan, which is a great lover of this authentic fashion.
As this article in a Japanese magazine proves, now you know why woolworking is so special in Ireland.
And in the middle of the sheep there is an island, still resisting the invader ...
The discovery of Inis Meáin by Tarlach
A unique island...
More than 40 years ago, Tarlach, a young Irish academic, immersed himself in the study of Celtic languages, particularly Gaelic, all in Dublin.
As part of his research, he is interested in the Aran archipelago, a group of three small islands where Gaelic is particularly well preserved.
One of them attracts his attention more. It is the island of Inis Meáin , neighbor of Inis Mor (the largest and most touristic) and Inis Oirr (the smallest, but also very touristic).
What intrigues him is neither the great variety of butterfly species (yes, yes!), nor the cohabitation of arctic, Mediterranean and alpine plants, nor the curious almost square fort dating from -400 years BC. No, it is its inhabitants and the language they speak.
The tiny Aran archipelago, made up of three islands. (Credits: Wikipedia)
Inis Meáin is the least populated island of the three: less than 200 inhabitants, compared to 850 and 250 on the other two. It is very popular with Irish linguists and authors for the richness of its language, traditions and folklore . It is a small piece of land sheltered from mass tourism and with very strong traditions. A real corner of paradise for authors in search of authenticity and calm!
He will remain deeply marked by the strength of its inhabitants, their independence and their ability to find a solution for everything, even on this pocket handkerchief of 3.5 x 5 km.
Agriculture, fishing, livestock farming: their resourcefulness is impressive on an island that has almost no trees!
Anyway, when I went there, I don't remember seeing any (there are only groves and shrubs).
And originally, a life project
With a very temperate and cool climate - between 6 and 15°C - Tarlach quickly realizes the benefit of having his big knit!
Given its size, its low relief and its proximity to the ocean, there is a lot of wind. The inhabitants protect themselves from it by being warmly dressed, but also by the famous stone walls.
They are so iconic and inspiring that I can't ignore them.
Relatively high (often exceeding 1.50m), they are very stable and hard-wearing over time. , also protecting livestock from bad weather. Pretty nice advantages compared to wood, a rare material on the island.
Constructions as impressive as they are inspiring, but we will come back to that later. (Credits: Inis Meáin)
Moreover, the first thing that strikes you when you arrive is the incredible number of these walls. One researcher estimated that their total length was more than 3,000 km!
Each field belongs to a family member, resulting in a myriad of small, walled fields.
Tarlach falls in love with this atypical geography. His wife, Aine, is also from the island. They get married in Dublin but a year later, it is stronger than them: the call of Inis Meáin is too strong. They return to settle there.
It was 40 years ago.
Tarlach's Return: From Academic to Entrepreneur
Admit that the title of this paragraph could make a great film 😉
Return to the island, but to do what?
When they return, there is not much to do. In any case, nothing that would fit with Tarlach's academic past, rather accustomed to tracking down isocholies and other prosonomanias in a Gaelic text.
They initially thought of continuing to publish texts, but soon realized that the island community had more basic needs . There was no running water or electricity on the island! As for the ferry service, it was so basic that there was no infrastructure for the boat to dock at the island. The inhabitants were forced to go by boat to the ferry.
Tarlach even showed us photos where the cows were almost swimming back to shore!
Tarlach returns to the island on a boat, here in white. Look at the back, there is even a Honda 50 scooter on board! (Credits: Carlos John)
He therefore decided to create a small municipal council with the inhabitants of the island, convincing the central government to install electricity and running water there.
In 1973, a certain Chris Rodmell shot a short 12-minute film of life on the island. This is the year Tarlach moved in, it will give you a very good idea of the atmosphere. We even see the famous scene with the cow in the water who has to get on the ferry...
One day, some women come to him to ask for work. He then realizes that they are very skilled with their hands: to supplement their families' income, they knit very simple Aran sweaters, in small quantities, intended for export (= for tourists).
But that is no longer enough for them. They do not want to do as their mothers did, knitting by the fire, alone for life.
So he had an idea. Why not enter into a logic of mutualisation and set up a production tool, where women could efficiently share the work, the orders and help each other? This is how his small workshop was born, which would later become the Inis Meáin brand.
John Millington Synge, the famous Irish playwright, wrote that the beauty of the clothes and houses of Inis Meáin contribute to the charm of the island. But Rome was not built in a day, and the first years are... rudimentary, not to say difficult.
He started without electricity , using manual machines, the same as in homes. He produced very simple pieces, far from the exclusive twists and unusual material mixes like silk and linen...
Fortunately, because of his academic background, he quickly learns new things. He takes classes to learn how to create a garment and assemble knitwear.
A new turning point
It was necessary to move up a gear, Tarlach invested in industrial machines. While these did indeed allow for increased productivity, they severely limited his designs. Nothing very elaborate, he was still forced to manufacture only for the tourist market and that of the United States.
He also told us that this old DOS programming system was a huge pain to use, they were almost like punch cards to insert into the machine!
A BACK looks like this... Good luck creating a beautiful knitted piece!
It is still not enough: it is no longer enough to produce in order to sell. Not only does the market depend on a strong dollar, but given the fierce competition for tourist sweaters, margins are being pushed down despite volumes.
It is impossible to keep up with the volumes and prices of the Chinese competition. And to make matters worse, it is difficult to differentiate yourself with a particular product that tourists do not want.
And what about the famous white Aran sweater?
Tarlach explains that it is an invention for tourists. He shows us photos of fishermen wearing very simple blue or gray sweaters. The decorated white sweaters are actually worn at boys' communions, but they are useless for fishing. Except that icons of the 60s, like Steve McQueen or Marilyn Monroe, wore it and made it a very popular item.
Another factor that contributed to the success of these sweaters is the myth that surrounds them. It is said that each family has its own knitting stitch, a bit like the tartans of the Scottish clans. As a result, if a fisherman drowns at sea, the body can be very easily identified. This is totally false, but hey, tourists are fond of this kind of story.
From the Red Ocean to the Blue Ocean
In other words, for those who have read the Blue Ocean Strategy, Tarlach is operating in the middle of the Red Ocean, where competition is fierce and savage. It is a dead end.
He still has to "pivot", find something else to develop the activity and perpetuate his small business: if he starts creating wool pieces when he knows nothing about it, it is above all to create jobs. He has a duty towards his employees!
It was perhaps during his daily swims in the ocean that he came up with the idea for his Blue Ocean: a market segment with much less competition, conducive to innovation, but also riskier .
Motivated by the improving living conditions on the island (running water, electricity and, finally, a better ferry), Tarlach left the small town council to devote himself exclusively to this new challenge, much more ambitious than making woolen pieces for tourists.
How to combine stable jobs and sales in a different market? He chose to target the luxury market, pushing quality much further .
Fortunately, the Irish government is quite generous to companies that want to export, subsidising trips to German and Italian trade fairs.
When he arrives at a fashion show, it's a flash of inspiration: he has to introduce new wools, better designs and new machines into his collections .
Moreover, Tarlach abandoned 100% handmade very early on. While it was indeed more prestigious, he also found it much harder and wanted to offer something else to his young recruits, convinced that the economy of his small town could not rely solely on that. Young people wanted something else.
Gradually, Tarlach acquired a modern production tool, completed by finishes carried out according to tradition.
It combines the best of both worlds: knitting on very modern machines and hand finishing by a few high-flying knitters .
For the design, Tarlach looked back at old photos of the island and noticed that the inhabitants had quite a swag style
.
In his head, everything begins to take shape: a quality product, with impeccable finishes, beautiful materials, a special and unique design for each season. And for inspiration, Tarlach continues to look around him:
The logo is an upturned currach, the typically English boat on which he arrived,
And the patterns are inspired by stone walls:
A rare thing for a brand that does almost exclusively knitwear, it offers two seasons and plays with fiber blends:
- He is a supporter of the soft and sturdy baby alpaca,
- He likes to introduce silk into many blends,
- It mixes a lot of cashmere and merino,
- And in summer, he is a linen fanatic. Not woven linen like for a shirt but knitted, with a choice of colours and styles that I have never seen anywhere else. Here too, he can't help but mix things: I have seen linen/cotton but also linen/silk, which takes the light very nicely.
Very beautiful sweater 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk, both warm and silky.
Little by little, the efforts are starting to pay off. Inis Meáin is making its way into the biggest international stores :
- Barneys and Bergdorf in New York,
- Isetan in Tokyo,
- Hollington in Paris,
- And Manufactum in Germany.
Even after the economic crisis of 2008, with sales falling by 30% and banks considering the bankruptcy of his workshop, Tarlach hung on and held on. He says his brand has only been strengthened.
Alongside this, true to his vision of high-end, his son founded a magnificent boutique hotel on the island , which only has around fifteen beds. .
Learning from the dangers of mass tourism (low margins despite volume), they continue to want to preserve the island by offering virtuous tourism, respectful of local culture and the environment.
The sublime hotel created by Tarlach and his son, blending perfectly into the island's landscape. (Credits: UrlaubsArchitektur)
Tarlach continues to invest in new, more powerful machines, but while the big brands run them for weeks to get exactly the same design, he uses them to be much more creative .
Thanks to a very experienced operator, he uninstalls and reinstalls certain patterns two or three times a day. This allows him to be very responsive, while managing small quantities with varied designs. And above all, he finally moves on to fully-fashioned , abandoning cut/sewn forever.
As a reminder, in knitting, the basic construction is cut/sew. This consists of knitting large pieces of mesh and cutting out a pocket, a sleeve, etc. with scissors, which are then sewn together. Like a shirt, in fact.
Tarlach opposes this for two reasons:
- He deplores a lot of material waste,
- And don't like the little bulges on the sides of the two pieces sewn together (the join creates a small thickness of fabric).
It is thanks to the fully-fashioned technique that we obtain such a clean junction between the different parts of the cardi, here at the shoulder / sleeve joint. On the overall scale, the proportions are maintained and harmonious.
So, following the fully-fashioned technique, everything is knitted and assembled well to the right size, without any loss. For example, if you want to put a pocket, it is knitted directly on the panel of the cardigan, instead of being cut and sewn afterwards.
Tarlach is very proud to say that there are almost no scissors in the factory, they don't cut anything . It's more refined, but also much more technical and time-consuming! On the machine side, each size and each style corresponds to a new file. Before starting to knit, there is therefore some programming to do to correctly set the instructions.
It is precisely this mix of technique, style, materials and colours that makes Inis Meáin so successful today. When Tarlach is asked how he has taste in his designs, he simply says that he has always loved beautiful things.
It's quite an achievement to have created such a respected brand, on an island of 200 inhabitants (it employs 10% of the population!) which is anything but a "fashion hub".
One of his greatest prides is to have limited the exodus, by offering young locals highly qualified work in his workshop.
Our collaboration: a blue donegal cardigan
I think you understand better the choice to work with this brand 🙂
Why the cardigan again? Simply because I insist and persist: the chunky knit cardigan is the most useful piece in winter .
The fact that you can open or close it without having to put your head out, that you can clearly see the shirt underneath, and even wear a tie, make it a very practical piece with many stylistic possibilities.
As for thermal insulation, those who have already spent the winter with one of our cardigans know what it is: impossible to go back. On this subject, comment received a few days ago:
Comment received about our grey merino cardigan .
In short, you can manage the heat very easily by unbuttoning it or not, or by raising the collar.
A cold snap? Hop, play on the shawl collar to protect yourself.
All these reasons only confirm my taste for the chunky knit shawl collar cardigan.
After releasing a beige and a grey one with Six & Sept for the BonneGueule line, we're tackling blue, but with a twist in terms of patterns and material: we wanted Donegal!
Exactly, what is Donegal? Here too, hang on, another beautiful story awaits you...
Donegal, spearhead of Irish know-how
Donegal wool... comes from Donegal.
Donegal, shown here in dark green, is the northernmost region of Ireland.
Being a rural area, sheep are particularly present in Donegal, so much so that, traditionally, each family has its own loom for working the wool : underwear, homemade socks, everything goes!
At the beginning of the 20th century, the inhabitants distinguished themselves in the making of wool carpets. This was the first international spotlight for this region, which allowed it to adopt a more industrial angle.
Here in a castle in Dublin. But Donegal carpets have even taken over the White House (itself designed by an Irishman, but that's another story).
I invite you to watch (at least) the first few minutes of this documentary dating from the 70s, you will see how important working with wool is.
Donegal wool is quite unique, being characterised by:
- A very soft hand ,
- A colorful "speckle" ,
- On a traditionally spun thread (the fiber is rolled in the old-fashioned way).
The very characteristic wool of Donegal know-how, used for our cardigan.
In fact, the tradition is taken even further, since natural dyes are used. In keeping with the region's heritage, lichen, berries and even flowers are used.
Typically the type of flower used to give a pinkish tint to wool. (Credits: DonegalYarns)
More generally, the region's tweeds and other herringbones are very famous. If you decide to go there on holiday, you will find a plethora of shops offering jackets entirely made by hand.
These fabrics are part of a less formal stylistic approach than classic wool . They are worn in the countryside, during hunting trips for example, which fits well with the very regional DNA of Donegal. #countryside
For us, it's mostly a great way to add variety and originality , especially with a simple color like blue. We end up with a stronger visual identity, breaking the old-fashioned side that cardigans can sometimes have.
A yarn from Donegal Yarns
For this collaboration, we are pleased to offer you 100% Donegal wool, from the Donegal Yarns spinning mill. .
It is the only factory in the country offering this type of wool on an industrial scale!
It is a 100% merino material , which you already know very well for its properties:
- Breathable,
- Insulating,
- Thermoregulating (you are never too hot or too cold inside),
- Anti-odor,
- And its great sweetness!
Donegal Yarns, "the real donegal". (Credits: DonegalYarns)
To understand what made Donegal Yarns possible, we need to go back to the 1920s. Ireland had just been declared independent and a state agency for industrial development was created: Gaelterra Eireann, which could be translated as "of Ireland ".
More locally, Donegal already had its own carpet manufacturing. In 1970, Gaelterra decided to give the region a new boost, to achieve an even wider international reach. This is how the company was born.
(Credits: DonegalYarns)
The mill is a small structure with a family spirit . Some members are also the third generation of workers to work at Donegal Yarns, sons replace their fathers, etc.
Wool specialist Seamus has been with the company since it opened in 1973! (Credits: DonegalYarns)
With all this, we can better understand why Colm Sweeney, member of the board of the Ardara Heritage Centre (tweed museum) said of this wool:
When you buy a Donegal cloth, it's not just a woolen cloth, it's a part of Ireland that you're buying.
(Credits: DonegalYarns)
A 50-year-old motif
One day, in his usual search for archival photos, Tarlach came across a photo of two little island boys sitting on a wall, wearing sweaters with an intriguing pattern.
He digs and learns that this pattern is called "barcini" (I'm really not sure of the spelling, I'm not a Gaelic specialist :/ ), which he translated for us as "little bundles".
And here are the famous “little packages”, which bring originality to the room.
It's hard to get more authentic than this! Tarlach also tells us that he really likes to wear his cardigans with a shirt, a bow tie or a tie.
Do like Tarlach and opt for textured ties, they will be highlighted by the knit! (Credits: The Window Barney's, webzine of the eponymous department store)
How to choose your size?
The sizing is very classic. Just take your usual size of t-shirt, sweater, shirt…
If you are between sizes on our cardigan with Six & Sept, take the larger one.
How to wear a blue donegal cardigan?
It's as easy as pie! When building your looks, think of it like a classic blue blazer: shirt, tee, jeans, flannel pants, kilt ...it will go with everything.
The pattern will bring relief and texture, where the "speckle" easily brings a touch of originality.
Come on, let's go for the examples 😉
We start with a good basic, with a white tee-shirt and these faithful raw jeans. Luca turns it over to give it a little twist, thus highlighting his boots. On a base as neutral as the tee, the Aran patterns of the cardigan are fully expressed. Besides, we are on a very easy outfit, no difficulty! (Muji tee-shirt, BonneGueule jeans - Japan Line , Meermin boots)
With a chunky knit, wearing a woolen hat will immediately give workwear accents to your look (even more so if you opt for boots). Think of fir green on this kind of small accessories: it's a color that stands out very well, without being complicated to match. (Six & Sept hat, Lunor glasses, Lip - Himalaya watch on NATO strap)
As always, focus on accessories and small jewelry like bracelets. Big plus if they are colorful: they will subtly echo the wool! (Orner bangle bracelet, Tibet Forever pearl bracelet)
The cardigan patterns and speckled wool don't stop you from wearing patterned shirts! Here, we find the blue/burgundy combination, a safe bet. The gray jeans serve as a binder, they complete the outfit without polarizing it. We take this opportunity to thank Éric, a Breton reader, for lending us a hand by posing for us! (Naked & Famous shirt, BonneGueule gray jeans , Clark's desert boots)
A must-have for casual chic, the cardigan/formal shirt/flannel pants combo works almost every time! You can enhance it with a scarf to protect yourself from the Atlantic winds. As for shoes, your choice will allow you to put more emphasis on one side or the other of the style: Luca turns to derbies to keep a more dressy dimension, but small sneakers are still an option. ( BonneGueule shirt , BonneGueule scarf , BonneGueule pants , Meermin derbies)
Speaking of sneakers, I use a blue pair to recall the cardigan. It's a combination that always works, it has a very comfortable side. No problem with the shirt, the two collars fit naturally in relation to each other. For the pants, I chose a khaki chino that goes easily with other colors. Look how the cardi catches the light 😉 ( BonneGueule shirt - Japan Line , Norse Projects chino, BonneGueule x Buttero sneakers , Le Feuillet clutch)
The sleeveless vest, although underestimated, has several advantages. Practical, it protects from the first chills without being stifling. It also tends to draw a nice silhouette and, because it is rarely worn in France, adds originality to an outfit. Be careful, when worn with a cardigan / closed blazer and a tie, keep it open, unless it is very cold! Otherwise, RAS for the colors: gradients of blue, beige and gray, a classic and effective palette that you already master. When Ireland meets Pitti! (Agnès b. shirt, Howard's tie, Cadot vest, Le Pantalon chinos, Septième Largeur chukka)
How to get the BonneGueule x Inis Meáin Donegal wool cardigan?
The cardigan is now available on the BonneGueule shop .
