Talk on the Story of Tweed in the Southwest Donegal Gaeltacht a great success

As part of Donegal’s Local Enterprise Week, organised by the Local Enterprise Office, Údarás na Gaeltachta in conjunction with Áislann Chill Charthaigh hosted a talk on Thursday night of last week about the history and the development of the tweed industry in the Southwest Gaeltacht over the last 120 years. 

Áislann Chill Charthaigh was full to capacity for the event with an estimated crowd of 300 people attending from the three parishes of Cill Charthaigh, Gleann Cholm Cille and Ard an Rátha and further afield.

The event celebrated the textile industry in Cill Charthaigh (Kilcar) and in the southwest and how it evolved into a vibrant textile industry which provides employment for over 250 people in the Southwest Donegal.

The event also premiered a film, in which local people related their own personal experiences of working in the tweed, wool and related textile industries. The bilingual film (Irish and English) was produced by Údarás na Gaeltachta and Áislann Chill Charthaigh.

The talk focused on the key contribution the southwest Gaeltacht made to the textile industry in Ireland, from the early days of the state-sponsored cottage industries through to the foundation of the modern companies, which are at the forefront of textile design, processing and production in Ireland today. Collectively they provide employment for over 250 people in southwest Donegal.

Donnchadh Ó Baoill and Maurice Hegarty, the main drivers of the event

This continuity of practice retained a wide range of textile skills in the area. The third and fourth generations of several families continue to be involved in various aspects of spinning and weaving to this day. These heritage skills undoubtedly contributed to the resilience and regeneration of the industry in the southwest Gaeltacht.

Among the platform party on the night were Eunan Mac Cuinneagáin of  Áislann Chill Charthaigh, who was MC; Antáine Ó Lúdhóg, Cathaoirleach Bhord na hÁislainne; Muiris Ó hEigheartaigh, Áislann Chill Charthaigh; Donnchadh Ó Baoill, Údarás na Gaeltachta; Brenda Hegarty, Local Enterprise Office and Micheal Mac Giolla Easbuig as Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Much praise was  lauded  on Maurice Hegarty for his persistence in driving the need for the history of the industry to be recorded. Maurice enlisted the support of Donnchadh Ó Baoill, Údarás na Gaeltachta and the 18 minute film shown on the night is the first step in recording the great history of the industry in the county of Donegal but in the south-west Donegal area in particular.

It is hoped to gather even more  information and record it in book form as the next step.

On the night Maurice Hegarty, Anthony Molloy, Brenda Hegarty and Micheal Mac Giolla Easbuig were among the speakers with the main presentation given by Donnchadh Ó Baoill, who outlined the very interesting history of the industry from the first factory in Kilcar in 1904 to the present day with a 45 minute  powerpoint display.

It was interesting to note that one of the key factors in Kilcar being such a stronghold for the textile industry was the influence of their native politician, Micheal Og McFadden, who was a representative for the county from  1927 to 1954, as either a TD or Senator.

For a village of its size, Kilcar by far outnumbers any village similar in size in the country for the amount of jobs it has created through the textile industry.

Thanks were extended by many speakers to those individuals from Ardara, Glencolmcille and Kilcar who took part in the specially commissioned film. Thanks were also extended to Declan ‘Dal’ Gallagher for his professionalism in producing the film. The aerial footage was particularly spectacular.

Presentations were made by the chairman of Áislann Chill Chartaigh, Anthony Molloy, to the people who volunteered to take part in the film. Among them was Charlie McGroarty, who recounted the story of his father winning a gold medal back in 1958 for his weaving skills. The medal was to be presented at the Munich handcrafts exhibition in Germany but unfortunately the letter of invitation to the presentation only arrived the day before the event. This was one of many stories related in the very well produced film.

The participants in the film were Roise Carr, Kathleen Meehan, John Heena, Gerry Gillespie, Charlie McGroarty, Sean Brady, Tristan Donaghey, Charlie Ó Domhnaill, Donnchadh Ó Baoill, Muiris Ó hEigheartaigh and Chris Weiniger.

After the talk and film, those present were able to reminisce about days working in the local factories, something which connected nearly every family in the south-west.

A section of the large crowd at the event in Aislann Chill Charthaigh Picture: Siobhan McGowan