Recommended: Foxford Woollen Mills
Disclosure: I was invited by management to visit Foxford Woollen Mills in Foxford, Co Mayo. I received a personal tour of the woollen mills, the kitchens, the restaurant and I was gifted items from their shop. All opinions below are my own.
The road from Dublin to Westport is a long one, especially on a Friday evening. The motorway out of Dublin to Kinnegad gives the illusion that it’s going to be an easy trip, but it appears that the EU money ran out after Mullingar. From there, it’s slow and steady progress through villages and small towns, slowed down by commuter traffic, tractors and lorries. Randomly, there is a brand new stretch of dual carriageway between Castlebar and Westport, but at this stage, it’s too little too late.
One benefit though is that a small detour from this road will take you to the town of Foxford, home of the Foxford Woollen Mills, combining a working mill, shop and restaurant.
In general, the production areas of the mills are not open to the public, but managing director Joe Queenan gave us a whistle stop tour. Boy, can this man walk, zipping up and down, here and there, knowing every single detail, with information and good humour literally bubbling out of him. In a very progressive move, the workers in the mills work a four day week, and Joe says that productivity has never been higher.
As it was a Sunday, the mills weren’t running and we got to see all the processes suspended mid-way, with stretches of fabric sitting partially woven or hanging in the various finishing machines. We saw it all, from creating the warp framework, the looms, the washer and dryer, the inspection tables and finally the storerooms, stacked high with finished items. I’m eternally fascinated by production processes and I bloody loved this peek behind the scenes.
Like many Irish institutions, Foxford Woollen Mills has a religious connection. It was founded in 1892 by Mother Agnes, an Irish Sister of Charity. And while the nuns have long ceased to be involved, there are still holy statues to be found dotted around the manufacturing floors, perched comfortably on Foxford woollen throws. At this stage I suppose it would be very bad juju indeed to remove them.
Foxford originally used Irish wool, but sheep from the West tend to have coarse coats. I’d imagine that living outdoors on mountains overlooking the Atlantic, with the wind constantly up your arse, leads to one choosing function over fashion. These days Foxford sources lambswool, angora and mohair from across the world, which are dyed and spun to Foxford specifications. So while Foxford is no longer a full vertical producer e.g. taking in raw wool and turning out the finished product, it still maintains control over all aspects.
From there, Joe whizzed through the two kitchens, one of which is used by the onsite restaurant and the newer one is used to produce their range of retail items, including biscuits, granolas, jams, chutneys and much more. One wall was stacked high with Christmas puddings, made in February, now slowly maturing their way to the end of the year.
In the restaurant, the style is fresh and simple. Foxford buys locally as much as possible, even working with farmers and producers to take gluts of surplus produce. The counters are laden with bowls of plant-based salads which are heaped generously along side items such as sausage rolls and fish cakes. I dare you to go past the cases of home-baked treats and cakes, the kind that you wish every cafe had, but disappointingly few actually do. Everything is immaculately fresh and tasty, a wonderful example of what a cafe like this can be.
During lunch, local man Joe tells us his Foxford story which started in 1987 when he was one of the receivership team appointed to the mills. Thankfully, he saw the potential and managed to put together a deal that kept the name and operation alive.
He makes it all sound so, well, normal, but as we later walk through the show rooms, which beautifully display luxurious bedding (made to Foxford designs), gorgeous woollen throws, scarves and homewares, I am in awe of what Joe and team have achieved since the 80s. This place is bright, vibrant and utterly Irish. It’s a magnificent modern showcase for the thoroughly traditional Irish craft of weaving, enhanced by the fresh and tasty food of the restaurant.
We leave Foxford utterly charmed. Joe’s warmth and drive, the charming staff and the quality of the production process has converted me to a lifelong customer. I’ve already been on the Foxford website, browsing for my next purchase. Our current cheap, fluffy blankets which we use while watching TV are going to be relegated to the dog’s bed, and will be replaced by some fine Irish wool throws.
If you can’t make it to Mayo, Foxford items are also available from Arnott’s in Dublin and Mount Congreve in Waterford.