Suppliers

I am a sheep farmer and live at Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois with my wife Gesa and my children, Richard and Charlotte. Stradbally Hall is surrounded by 600 acres of rolling countryside and woodland, much of which is ancient woodland. I farm about 300 acres of pasture, the balance being forestry and wildlife habitats. We lamb down 650 Lleyn ewes and keep a few hundred hoggets. We also keep a number of horses and ponies on livery. We have also hosted the Electric Picnic Arts and Music Festival since 2004. We are delighted to be a part of this incentive by Dooley’s Wool and to see our wool being used in a sustainable manner by a local company. I look forward to what the future holds.

I live on the outskirts of Cashel in Co. Tipperary, near the Rock of Cashel. We have always kept sheep here on the farm. As a child going to school, my Mam, two sisters, brother and I would always help Dad out after school. After finishing school, I stayed at home at the age of 17 to help Dad on the farm. I took over the farm in 2005. Working with sheep can be hard work. Lambing season is long hours but very rewarding. I feel there has to be more alternative uses for wool going forward, particularly with the times we are heading into with regards to climate change. There’s no doubt that there will be new and innovative uses for this wonderful fibre. I’m delighted to see our wool from Cashel being used in these Irish wool products and I’m excited to be a part of such a sustainable project.

I am a fourth- generation farmer based in Drangan in south Tipperary. I farm with my wife Áine as well as our three children and my parents, Tom and Eileen. We produce mid-season lowland lamb with most going to a large processor in Kildare and a small amount sold locally through our local butcher. We also have a small flock of pedigree Poll Dorset’s which lamb in the Autumn and which are sold for breeding. We shear our own sheep and are delighted to see a versatile material such as wool put to good use in these wonderful products.

I’ve been sheep farming all my life. I farm Romney ewes in Castletown Geoghegan, Co. Westmeath. They are a sheep who don’t need intervention as far as lambing is concerned and their mothering skills are certainly the best I have ever seen. Left with nature and left to nurture is what they are excellent at. We try our best here to farm to a very high health standard. We farm 650 breeding sheep, fed mostly on a grass and a forage based system. My favourite time of year is lambing season, it is the height of Spring and a fabulous time of year for nature and youth. It is a source of great pride to supply high quality wool to Dooley’s Wool and it is very satisfying to see this wool being used to produce natural and sustainable Irish made products.

“I live on a small farm near Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow alongside my purebred flock of around 35 Romney sheep. I started sheep farming in 2020 when I received 14 Romney sheep as a birthday present! I have always loved wool and it’s products, so after retiring I was delighted to have my own flock of woolly sheep to care for. I love the daily contact with the animals, some of whom are very friendly. Lambing can be stressful but the arrival of new lambs in the fields is always a huge pleasure. Romney fleeces are long , soft and white and are ideal for weaving into beautiful blankets and throws. I am very happy for my wool to be transformed into blankets for Dooley’s Wool. They will look and feel great for years to come.

Thomas Cosby is a sheep farmer at Stradbally Hall in Co. Laois, where he lives with his family on a 600-acre estate of pasture, woodland, and wildlife habitats.