Our now annual shearing event is about celebrating the small things in life, enriching lives through the once common place sight of sheep in the heart of our town and through it bringing people together in a genuine and natural way to celebrate nature.

Last Saturday we gathered in the Mill Yard, only a few steps from our Mill to shear the beautiful Galway sheep, the first fleece of 2025 which will be nurtured by us at the mill from raw fleece to finished yarn and warm durable textiles.  Young and old gathered again as we ran the sheep into the yard ready to be freed of their beautiful but heavy and very warm coats! 

So many people during and after this years event spoke so warmly about this gathering; there were people of all ages from young kids getting up close with the lambs and sheep for the first time in their lives, to the young farmers and shearer whose year round toil was brought centre stage for the day, and older people of the community coming in to reminisce on the bygone days and having joy seeing a flicker of those times back again.

Photo Gallery here
Credits: Harry Reid, Alex Thompson

In Thanks
The event couldn’t have come alive without the amazing comradery and enthusiastic involvement of some very special friends without whom this gathering wouldn't have been made possible.

Our farmer friends, Paddy & John Morgan of Dalton Farm, who 5 years ago brought the first Galway sheep to their new home in Graignamanagh where they now thrive and flourish year after year.

Luke Barrett, who, with much strength and patience, sheared all the sheep, relieving them of their heavy fleeces for the summer ahead.

Michelle Mahon and Noortje van Deursen of the Workhouse Union who facilitated an amazing biodiversity block printing workshop on the behalf of Kilkenny Biodiversity Office and funded by Creative Ireland Kilkenny. Some very special sheep prints were made especially for the day.

The super talented Jamie Dunne whose eye and brush captured the day on canvas.

Patrick Brooks and Killian Walsh whose music provided the perfect backdrop for the day.

Read more about how we work with heritage Irish wool here