The Dun Lar Woolen Mills
The most famous product of Dun Lar’s mills is the “Rathmor Gansey,” a garment woven to withstand the relentless gales and salt spray of the seas around the islands.
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The Dun Lar Woolen Mills
The town of Dun Lar, perched on the southern edge of Little Rathmor, has long been recognised as the center of the island’s wool industry. From the windswept hillsides of the island, where hardy sheep graze on coarse grasses and heather, the raw fleece makes its way into the town’s great mills. Powered originally by waterwheels and later by steam, these mills became the lifeblood of the community during the 18th and 19th centuries, providing steady work and a sense of pride for generations.
Rathmor Gansey Poster
The most famous product of Dun Lar’s mills is the “Rathmor Gansey,” a garment woven to withstand the relentless gales and salt spray of the seas around the islands. Strong, warm, and practical, it became the trusted companion of fishermen and sailors who braved The Straights. Each jumper was traditionally knitted in distinctive local patterns, said to be unique enough that men lost at sea could be identified by their weave. Over time, the Rathmor Gansey came to symbolise not only utility but also heritage, passed down through families and treasured as a mark of island identity.
Beyond the jumper, the mills also produced cloth for trade: tweeds, blankets, and heavy outer garments that found buyers across the Islands. The industry helped bind Little Rathmor to the wider archipelago, its bales of wool and rolls of cloth carried out by ferry and train.
Though modern times have brought competition and decline, the woolen mills of Dun Lar remain active, blending old craftsmanship with new methods. Visitors can still tour parts of the historic mill buildings, hear the clatter of looms, and purchase garments made in the very place where the Rathmor Gansey was born.
Dun Lar mills c1900
Dun Lar woolen mill c1940
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The Dun Lar Woolen Mills
Located in the east of Little Rathmor
