Donegal tweed

Donegal Tweed fabric – with the characteristic small pieces of yarn in different colours

The firm of Magee dates back to 1866. It was established by John Magee (1849–1901) who established a retail shop in the Diamond, in Donegal (town). He also bought tweed from Ardara and Carrick from part-time weavers who also worked as farmers and fishermen.[3]

In 1887, John Magee's cousin Robert Temple (1866–1958) came to work in the shop as an apprentice. On the death of John Magee in 1901, Temple took over the business. He continued using the outworkers to make tweed, but in order to improve quality, he established a system of sending out patterns and materials to these workers. Later he established a small factory in Donegal Town, where some outworkers worked full-time under his supervision. Robert Temple expanded the business significantly until his death in 1958.[4]

Robert's son Howard Temple (1913–2010) began working with his father in 1931. One of the most significant figures in the history of Donegal tweed, Howard Temple, carried Magee to new heights. The number of weavers (both in-house and outworkers) were greatly increased, and he began the process of making Donegal tweed an international brand. To this end, he collaborated very closely with the Irish fashion designers Sybil Connolly and Irene Gilbert. In 1966, he also established a large factory in Donegal Town manufacturing ready-to-wear men's clothes, which at its peak employed approximately 300 people.[5]

The current proprietors of Magee are Howard Temple's son Lynn and Lynn's children Charlotte and Patrick. Magee continues to be the largest and most famous producers of Donegal tweed.[6] Magee clothing is worn by the 9th President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.

A fifth-generation hand weaver, Denis Mulhern, had a strong desire to ensure that the tradition of hand weaving was maintained and preserved.

In 1992, Triona became the Fáilte Ireland approved Triona Donegal Tweed Centre and the Mulhern family began to welcome visitors from across the world to showcase first-hand the skills involved in hand weaving.

The entire Mulhern family have dedicated their lives to protecting and nurturing the skill, craft and heritage of the traditional Donegal Tweed.[7]

Based in Kilcar, Co Donegal, Studio Donegal was founded in 1979 to preserve the tradition of hand weaving. Originally established by the now defunct Connemara Fabrics under the leadership of Kevin Donaghy. Kevin and his wife Wendy bought the operation from Connemara Fabrics, and it continues today under the management of their son, Tristan Donaghy. Remaining true to its original objective, all the tweed produced in Studio Donegal is genuinely hand woven.[8] Eddie Doherty continues to hand weave in his shop/weaving room in Ardara Co Donegal.[9]

Linda Reade wrote that the "Donegal Weaver was, and indeed still is, a singular type of man. He normally has a long Celtic face with good long-fingered hands, a highly sensitive touch, and an inherent feeling for colour, amazingly dexterous feet and an inbuilt sense of rhythm. This freedom of movement is vigorously displayed in the skilful dancing of jigs and reels at the weaver's parties held each year in Donegal Town."[10]

Design sketch for tweed coat given the name 'Tweed Delight'.

During the 1950s and 1960s Irish fashion designers elevated Irish fabrics and used them in their couture designs such as Sybil Connolly, Irene Gilbert and Neillí Mulcahy, with Connolly often using tweed for coats, capes and twin-piece suits. The use of Irish fabrics by such well-known designers brought Irish tweed onto the international couture runways.[11]

• Triona Design
• About the Triona Donegal Tweed Visitors Center
• Studio Donegal