23-05-2025
Irish Grown Wool Council ‘bringing the bog' to Bloom
The Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) is set to 'bring the bog' to this year's Bord Bia Bloom festival in Dublin next week.
For one day only, Thursday, May 29, the council will be part of the Design and Crafts Council Ireland's 'Irish Craft Village' in the craft demonstration area in the Phoenix Park.
Visitors will be able to view Portach Álainn (Beautiful Bogland), a felted sculpture by textile artist Sharon Wells, made using Irish grown wool and recycled yarns to create dragonflies, heather, bog cotton and moss.
The piece was made using hand dyed wool from all over the country, sourced directly from the farms, along with recycled yarns, old jumpers, old tapestry wool thread and gorse and eucalyptus dyed fibres.
Irish Grown Wool Council at Bloom
The IGWC stand will have interactive activities for all ages, including wildflower wool sculpture felting and peg loom demos plus a showcase of Irish-grown wool products.
The stand will also display wool products with a sustainable focus, for home, gardens and beyond, informing visitors of the potential of this sustainable biofibre for their homes and gardens.
Recent shifts in global economies, market demands and the emergence of unsustainable fibres have significantly impacted the Irish grown wool industry.
The Irish Grown Wool Council was established in April 2023 based on the recommendations of a Department of Agriculture Food & Marine (DAFM) sponsored report.
Its objective is to transform Irish grown wool; an underutilised and undervalued resource, into a branded value-added product for the benefit of farmers and wider supply chain.
The group facilitates collaboration in product and market research to ultimately apply innovative product solutions.
Catherine Phibbs from the Irish Grown Wool Council said that the Bord Bia Bloom festival is a fantastic opportunity 'to be able to share the challenges, opportunities and innovations taking place with Irish grown wool to a large public audience'.
Over 100,000 people are expected to attend Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland's largest gardening festival which runs from Thursday, May 29 to Monday, June 2.
