Clothing - Irish Centre Boutique



Aran sweaters were originally made by men and women on three remote islands off the coast of Galway in the early part of this century. On cold dark winter evenings, women sat by the turf fires spinning the island's natural wool, while the menfolk handloomed sweaters to brave the elements. Knitting was a communal activity and skills were passed down from one generation to the next. Patterns were never written down and any new pattern spread like wildfire in the community.

Each type of stitch has a significance: The Trinity or blackberry has religious significance Cables represent fishermen's ropes Trellis represents the patchwork of fields and stone walls The zigzag shows the rugged cliffs and the ups and downs of married life The moss stitch is for wealth The diamond signifies success The Irish Centre carries knitwear designed to reflect the natural and untouched beauty of the Irish countryside. The creation of an Irish sweater begins when the sheep are shorn and the wool is spun and dyed. The designs are inspired by a rich Irish heritage and an appreciation for the natural blend of soft shades found across the beautiful Irish landscape.

The Irish Centre stocks Aran sweaters for men and women. Today, they are made by craftspeople all over Ireland. Children's sweaters with matching tams and mittens are also big favorites at the Irish Centre.

The Irish wool retains the natural lanolin of the sheep, making these sweaters naturally water repellent. Skiers love them and, of course, they are perfect for walking on the boardwalk in Spring Lake on a cool day.

Linen, cloche-style hats, Irish tweed jackets and capes in popular colors and warm shawls are designed by the the most expert of tailors, hand finishers and weavers. The pure Irish wool that is woven through the tweeds gives them a luxurious, lightweight feel.

The Irish designers represented at the Irish Centre are Mary Flaherty, Jimmy Hourihan, Geraldine
Gray and the Weave of the Irish, all chosen by owner Mary Reilly for their excellence in tailoring,
their colors and the rich, timeless look of the clothes.

As far as headwear, the patch cap and patch walking hats are the best selling hats at the Irish Centre. "County Donegal has always been famous for its tweeds. Even up until the mid-80's, the tweeds for the caps and hats were handwoven in the thatch cottages by local farmers, while their wives sat contentedly by their turf fires, hand sewing the brims," comments Michael Latchford, representative for the David Hanna Hat Company.

In 1964, David Hanna set up his business of handcrafted hats and caps. Hanna collected the tweeds and brims from the farmers weekly and made the headwear in town. The patches of tweeds that were remnants were made into caps for the men and boys of the farmers' families.

An American in Donegal saw the local men wearing the "patch caps" and couldn't find them for sale anywhere. He went to the Hanna factory, explained what he wanted and a fashion item was created.

When browsing or shopping for clothing at the Irish Centre, one will find the very helpful and knowledgeable staff on hand for helping to make choices and for offering advice on how to wear the clothes and how to coordinate outfits and accessories such as complementary jewelry.

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