Blarney Woollen Mills

Blarney Woolen Mills were developed by the Mahoney Family in 1824. The industry prospered and by
the mid 1830's, a few years before the famine, the mill employed 120 people, and had to be
extended substantially in the 1840's. The presence of the mill shielded Blarney from the worst effects
of the famine and few deaths were recorded in the area during that national
catastrophe. The success story at the mills continued until a disastrous fire in 1869, a few weeks before
Christmas when much of the mill was gutted.

By August 1871 the mill was once again operational with a labour force of 222. Employment continued to
grow and it reached 600 by 1881 and 700 by 1950. The mills closed due to recession in the textile
industry. In 1976 the late Christy Kelleher, who had himself had been a mill worker, bought the old mill
property. In short period of time Christy and his family transformed the mill into one of the finest
gift and craft retail centres in the world, a restaurant and a hotel.

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