First, wool fibres in up to six different colours are hand-spun into yarn in a basic tone; then, the spinners work fibres in up to eight additional colours firmly into the thread. The result is the famous Irish Donegal Yarn with the typical multi-coloured speckles. The Inis Meáin knitting mill uses Donegal Yarn from the soft wool of merino sheep to produce this classically cut round neck sweater. Neckband, cuffs and hem come in ribbing. The sweater is “fully fashioned”, i. e., knitted to size and pre-washed.

The three Aran Islands lie off Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland. They are best known to the world for the knitting skills of their inhabitants. The island in the middle of the three, Inis Meáin (pronounced Inisch Maan), is home to less than 200 inhabitants and a knitting factory of the same name. Founded in the 1960s by the dedicated Dubliner Tarlach de Blacam, the knitting mill has been producing knitwear of local character and first quality since then – in keeping with the company’s motto: “Go maire tú is go gcaithe tú é.” (May you live long to wear it.)