The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-11-26
COTTAGE INDUSTRIES IN IRE
LAND

! 1t is surprising that the handwOver
fabrics can still survive against the
production of machinery, but the
| Irish peasant understands how to dye
| his hand-woVen cloths with lichens
and plants which give them an mimi
table effect and their qualities of du-
rability and appearance give them a
distinct value.
The centers of hand weaving and
spinning are in Donegal, Mayo. Con-
nemara and Kerry. where there is
abundant mountain grazing for sheep
with luxuriant wool and where labor
is superabundant The leading CEN
ter, however. is Donegal, and it is es-
timated that $4,000 a year is paid to
the peasants of the impoverished and
barren districts of Donegal for their
homespun cloths. The cloth is usual
ly sold at county fairs, where it is
brought in large rolls or webs about
twenty-eight inches wide. AS a loom
of the necessary size could not be ac-
communicated in the tiny cottages oc-
cupied by the peasants, the homespun
cloths are not made in double widths.
Each district in Ireland produces
cloth of a distinct character. In North
Donegal the cloth is heavy. well WoT-
en-. substantial. and generally dyed in
dark colors with stripes and checks
The market for this is usually a retail
one
The products Of Castelar, resemble
those of North Donegal, but are some
what brighter in color. In Connemara
and other parts of County Galway
there is a peculiar sort Of flannel of
very durable quality. 1t is usually
dyed in red. dark blue or black: and
the Galway peasant women present an
odd but wildly picturesque appear
ance. clad in hoods and cloaks made
of this peculiar material. The Kerry
are well made. but poor in
color and pattern, vegetable dyes be-
ing seldom used.
In each of the cases which have
been mentioned the cloth is produced
for local use, and only the overflow
reaches the outside market but in
South Donegal the case is different,
as there is an extensive homespun in
dustry there carried on specially for
the wholesale market and conducted
upon business principles There is a
hereditary talent for coloring the
cloths prevalent among the Donegal
| easantry, and the cloths which come
from this district are considered as
beautiful as any wooden fabrics pro-
duced anywhere in Europe There are
no statistics available as to the impor-
lance Of this industry.
Hand knitting is still able to COM
pete against mechanical limitations and
IS means of livelihood to many peas
ants in the isolated regions of the /
country. The wild district of Kincass-
cugh, in County Donegal. is an i'm
oortant center. The Arran industry of |
Mayo produces some very fine speci- |
mems
Hand embroidery, as it is done in /
some parts of ireland, cannot be salts /
'actorily initiated by machinery. and !
s cottage industry of importance. /
IRISH art needlework is of the best /
quality and will bear favorable COM
arison with any produced in Europe. /
The center of the cabinet making |
is in the vicinity of Killarney. /
Basket work is engaged in in Litter /
TACK. County Galway; Beaufort. Coun-
Y Kerry, and Castle Conner. County
Kilkenny. Much ingenuity is shown
n adapting the wicked work to useful
Consular and Trade
2eports.