Inis Meáin is the second-largest of the three Aran Islands that lie at the mouth of Galway Bay, thirty miles off the western shore of Ireland. Inspired by the rugged, sparely populated landscape and cultural heritage of The Arans, Tarlach de Blácam and Áine Ní Chonghaile setup Inis Meáin Knitting Company on the island in 1976. Determined to support sustainable development on Inis Meáin while making a living, Tarlach and Áine turned the rich knitting heritage of the island into a thriving business by reinterpreting traditional stitches and styles in the finest yarns to create hand finished luxury garments.
In the early days of the company off-island delivers were transferred by currach – a small wooden frame boat – onto a ferry to Galway anchored a few hundred meters offshore. For each delivery the currach was carried down the slipway by a three man crew and carried back up the beach after each sailing. Images of currachs being carried overhead along the shore have been a constant source of inspiration for Inis Meáin (see the company logo). For Spring/Summer 2020 the designers revisited these beach-side scenes when creating modern interpretations of classic Aran knitting patterns in linen, silk and organic cotton.
Shop the Inis Meáin Spring/Summer 2020 collection at inismeain.ie.
