The Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) formed in April 2023 is all-island voluntary member group comprised of wool related stakeholders. The IGWC was formed following a recommendation from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Review of Market Opportunities for Irish Grown Wool Based Products‘ report published in July 2022.
IGWC brings together stakeholders from both sides of the border to focus on improving the Irish wool sector. Working together to establish and further benefit the sector for the wider good. The clear and concise brief is to create additional value in the total wool value chain and ensure that a fair proportion of that value makes it way to the primary producer.
See our current volunteers here and our Vision & Aims here. For further information and media enquiries please contact us at: hello@irishgrownwoolcouncil.com
February 2026
7th February: Irish Daily Mail ‘YOU’ Magazine: ‘Here’s a Good Yarn for You‘.
1st February: Bere Island Community Radio: Dinny Galvin discussing challenges / potential for Irish grown wool and research projects REVEIRE and SPRINGWOOL.
January 2026
18th January: Agriland ‘Grown, gathered, made: Rethinking Irish materials‘ (watch the talk back here)
11th January: Agriland ‘Ireland to host European Wool Day 2026‘
December 2025
23rd December 2025: Radio Kerry (website) ‘Kerry To Host European Wool Day 2026‘
19th December: Irish Farmers Journal ‘Ireland to host European Wool Day in 2026‘
10th December: rte.ie ‘How to reinvent Christmas jumpers as icons for Irish craft’
November 2025
28th November: RTE 1 TV: Nationwide:
Features: Miriam Cushen & Philip Cushen from Cushendale Woollen Mills From fleece to fabric for 6 generations, woollen mill.
Karena Ryan artist using Galway Wool
Evin Higgins of Caoirigh (wool supression mats)
Textile artists work from Anne O’Toole & Fiona McDongah
Brittney Campbell from The Sheepish Dog (Irish wool filled, premium, dog beds)
26th November: RTE 1 TV: Nationwide:
Features: Alison Gault of Ulster University & Future Island-Island with Kate Drury of Sustainable Rope using Rathlin Island wool to make rope for kelp farming.
Peter Downey from Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR) (Springwool project funded by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Zoë Daly & Lionel Mackey of Eriu farm to yarn and knitwear
Claire McGovern of Rhyme Studio Inc (luxury carpets, tapestries and lighting pieces) with Chris Weiniger of Donegal Yarns (woollen mill)
24th November: RTE 1 TV: Nationwide:
Features: Kevin Dooley of dooleyswool.ie (wool merchant & sustainable bedding)
Matthew Carroll and Blatnaid Gallagher of Galway Wool Coop for Galway breed sheep farmers
Tim Yeomans, Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR) (Springwool project funded by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine )
September 2025
18th September: Radio Kerry (Agritime) Discussion with Dinny Galvin (IGWC) and Archishman Bose REVEIRE wool project (UCC) Starts at 15.25
16th September: Farming Independent (Irish Independent) ‘How this sheep-farming barrister from Clare is leading the fight to restore the value of Irish wool’
14th September: Sunday Business Post: ‘Magee meets the future in style’
August 2025
28th August: Image.ie ‘Granny blankets’ are getting a modern makeover‘
June 2025
24th June: RTE 1 TV: 1pm & 6.01 news ‘Plans to create Irish wool brand mark, ‘raise prices at farm gate’
24th June: RTE Radio 1: “Morning Ireland” business breakfast show ‘Plans to create Irish wool brand mark, ‘raise prices at farm gate’
24th June: Newstalk Radio: “Lunchtime Live: ‘Should Irish wool have its own trademark?’
24th June: RTE website: ‘Plans to create Irish wool brand mark, ‘raise prices at farm gate‘
21st June: RTE Radio 1: ‘Countrywide’ The value of wool versus the cost of shearing
18th June: Irish Farmers Journal ‘Clare Man takes reins at Wool Council‘
May 2025
The Sunday Times: Fashion comes full-circle with farming as a driving force
Agriland: Irish Grown Wool Council appoints new chair
Agriland: Irish Grown Wool Council ‘bringing the bog’ to Bloom
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: ‘Bioeconomy In Action: New Opportunities for Irish Wool’
March 2025
Irish Farmers Journal: New project to examine Irish wool and scouring (REVEIRE)
1199 Podcast 21st March 2025 (starts at 22.25)
UCC: Regenerative Value Systems for Irish Grown Wool in Ireland (REVEIRE) receives €657,403 in funding from EPA Ireland Research Call Awards.
January 2025
Radio Kerry: ‘AgriTime’: Shear Success wool value guide interview
Irish Farmers Journal: Shear Success wool value guide (Shear Success)
December 2024
Agriland: 50,000 sheep farmers receive guide on wool value
Distribution of ‘Shear Success’ educational guide on wool quality and presentation, produced in partnership with Teagasc and distributed via post to 50,000 registered sheep farmers on Ireland, via Department Agriculture, Food & Marine annual sheep census.
October 2024
Irish Farmers Journal: Finding new products for overlooked wool (References Future Island-Island Rathlin Project)
Radio Kerry: ‘AgriTime’ :Irish Grown Wool Council interviews at the Dingle Wool Marquee
The Kerryman: Uphill struggle for hill farmers to get value out of wool
Agriland: Wool marquee to return to Dingle Food Festival
Agriland: The Offaly bedding company taking pride in Irish wool
September 2024
The Irish Times: What’s wool worth? ‘It’s an incredible product – natural, low carbon, biodegradable’
Irish Examiner: Shop window for Irish wool at Dingle Food Festival
Farming Life: Shear Success: A guide to help farmers maximize wool’s value
Ulster Farmer’s Union: Shear Success: A guide to help farmers maximize wool’s value
National Ploughing Association: Exhibitors Press Release
August 2024
RTE Radio 1: CountryWide segment ‘Irish Grown Wool’ Listen back here:
Agriland: Kerry Lamb and Wool Co-op celebrates 50th anniversary
TG4 Nuacht (TV)
Comharchumann Uain Chiarraí ar a 50ú bliain / Kerry Lamb Cooperative 50th year
(Segment starts at 5.18) https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/categories/news-stories/play/?pid=6360424666112&title=Nuacht%20TG4&series=Nuacht%20TG4&genre=Cursai%20Reatha&pcode=692564
July 2024
Shannon ABC’s Springwool Project Receives Over Half a Million in Funding
https://www.shannonabc.ie/springwool-project-receives-funding/
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3eecc-minister-heydon-announces-223-million-in-new-research-grants/
June 2024
Agriland: Teagasc and wool council produce videos on shearing best practice
May 2024
Fashionista.com Fashion History Lesson: Fisherman Sweaters
March 2024
Irish Examiner: Dream weaver: Meet the New York-based Irish designer Claire McGovern
Agriland
Ministers to wear and gift wool products abroad on St. Patrick’s Day
Kerrane: ‘Missed opportunity’ not to gift all-Irish wool items on St. Patrick’s Day
Irish Grown Wool Council rejects criticism of St. Patrick’s Day gifts
Irish Farmers Journal
Irish wool to feature in governments St Patricks Day Programme abroad
Agri Careers: Movers & Shakers
BusinessPlus: Ministers Join Push To Promote Irish Wool Garments
Wicklow People: Wicklow-born chair of IGWC promotes Irish wool
February 2024
Agriland: Hackett: ‘The world is our oyster when it comes to wool’
October 2023
Irish Farmers Journal: ‘Government needs to show ambition for wool, INHFA.’
April 2023:
Irish Farmers Journal: ‘A new Irish Wool Council is to be formally launched…’
Agriland: ‘New research and innovation hub to support wool council’
That’s Farming: IGWC: ‘It costs more to shear a sheep than would be received in revenue for the fleece’
Westmeath Examiner: ‘ICSA welcome launch of Irish Grown Wool Council’
Circular Bioeconomy Cluster South West: Establishment of the Wool Hub
Pippa Hackett, TD ‘Promote wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material and help improve the quality of Irish farmed wool and facilitate collaboration in product and market research.’
Download DAFM ‘Review of Market Opportunities for Irish Grown Wool Based Products‘ here.