# Ardfinnan Woollen Mills

Ardfinnan Woollen Mills is an historic former textile watermill, that traded under messrs. Mulcahy, Redmond and Co. Ltd. in the Suir valley at Ardfinnan, County Tipperary, Ireland. Founded below Ardfinnan Castle in 1869 for spinning and weaving of woollen and worsted wool cloth, it specialised in tweed. Tailoring ready-made suits on-site from the 1940s, it was noted as the only Irish firm completing all stages of processing from fleece to clothing. A leader of Irish textiles, controversy followed its closure in 1973.

## History
### Early history

John Mulcahy chose the site of a gristmill which had been in existence since before the mid 17th century on the historic Ardfinnan bridge and below Ardfinnan Castle, to establish the woollen mills of Mulcahy, Redmond in the 1860s. The river Suir flowed under the mills and was utilised for powering machinery and washing and dying processes of locally sourced wool, mostly produced by sheep in the surrounding Galtee and Knockmealdown mountains. The village had a long tradition of independent handweavers and spinners.
In 1883 a large fire destroyed the main six-story building, damaging surrounding structures and Mr. Mulcahy's adjoining dwelling at Mill House. Employment numbers were estimated upto 100.
Having installed a water turbine by 1885, built in New Jersey by T.C. Alcott & Son, it was among only two other mills in Munster to employ this source of power, those being Ashgrove Woollen Mills and Kerry Woollen Mills. Rows of cottages were built by the company to house its workforce, of which had a large influence on the growth of the village and later Ardfinnan GAA as the men often played football on the green opposite the mill after a days work. With its own gas and electrical supply predating 1921, the latter was provided to a total of 14 homes in Ardfinnan and all of its electric street lights until the ESB introduced the Rural Electrification Scheme which took over the supply in January 1953.
Mulcahy, Redmond was selected to represent the Irish Woollen Industry along with 12 other firms at the Cork International Exhibition of 1902.

### Galtee Motor Cloth

In 1906 the firm patented the Galtee Motor Cloth, an innovative cloth combining warmth with a waterproof-breathable functionality. Named after the Galtee Mountains and evoking the inclement Irish weather, it was claimed to be "the warmest cloth ever made for motoring coats". It was a layered cloth of Irish frieze and merino wool woven with mohair from the Angora goat. It would be slightly porous when dry, therefore crucially breathable and thus hygienic. However, when the outer surface became wet, the pores of the cloth closed due to its contraction and subsequently became rainproof.
In late 1906 King Edward VII commissioned the firm to produce lengths of Galtee Motor Cloth for his motoring coat, at which time his was the first royal household to adopt the use of the motorcar. Irish motoring pioneer Richard J. Mecredy, remarked in 1908, "We have used one of these coats for several years, and find it perfect from every point of view", highlighting that it truly was waterproof not only after continuous use, but also when exposed to a water hose. In Great Britain and Ireland, the Galtee Motor Cloth became popular for bespoke tailored car coats. Ready-made coats were first supplied by Pim Bros.
For inclement weather conditions on the road, these woollen coats were superior in their multi-purpose functionality to either fur coats, rubber Mackintosh or cotton gabardine Burberry raincoats. High market demand was brief however, as the introduction of car windshields made weatherproof motoring coats obsolete.

### 1914 - 1960s

The British War Office signed large contracts with Mulcahy, Redmond during the First World War to produce khaki serge for military uniforms. Following this, the mills expanded to the opposite side of the road and had the largest boiler in the south of Ireland, imported from Glasgow. John Mulcahy bought Ardfinnan Castle in 1921.
Later contracts by the Irish Free State commissioned uniforms for the civil service, including special commissions for suits and overcoats for Éamon de Valera to wear representing Ireland at the League of Nations, including both as President of the Council of the League of Nations in 1932 and President of the Assembly of the League of Nations in 1938.
Following the Second World War the firm established a men's and boy's and later women's ready-made clothing department employing over 70 female workers, making Mulcahy, Redmond the only firm within the Republic of Ireland that was completing all stages of clothing manufacture from fleece to a tailored garment.
In both 1961 and 1962, Ardfinnan thornproof tweeds won the Premier London Award and Georgian Silver Cup at international level in London.
Tweed was proudly designed and produced for the uniforms of the airline staff of Aer Lingus.
A Gold Medal of Industrial Excellence was awarded to Mulcahy, Redmond for their bouclé tweed at the 1965 Leipzig Trade Fair in Germany, out of 350 entries from all fields of industry.

### Closure

With up to 500 people dependent on the mill, over 100 workers were left unemployed when the firm closed in early January 1973 due to a competitive disadvantage with the onslaught of cheaper imports, largely taking its toll with Ireland's admission to the EEC. The firm had run into financial debt of over £200,000. Its closure resulted in a large protest in the nearby town of Clonmel as promises by the Fianna Fail government to sustain the mill through financial aid of £250,000 were not followed through. Youghal Carpets was the only Irish industry to receive such financial aid.
Trade showrooms were located on Dublin's South William Street. The company's former Dublin offices were at Ardfinnan House, 17 Trinity Street, Dublin 2. The steel plate name Ardfinnan House remains on the building. Their United Kingdom partner was at Londonderry House, Chichester Street, Belfast.