The Sheep & Wool Centre first opened its doors in 1992, founded with love and dedication by Michael and Kathleen O’Toole. Their dream was simple yet heartfelt – to preserve and celebrate the traditions, skills, and stories of Connemara’s long-standing sheep and wool industry, and to share them with the world.

Michael O’Toole brought a lifetime of expertise to the project. Having spent his career as an agricultural scientist specialising in sheep, his knowledge of the craft ran as deep as his love for the land and its people. Today, the centre remains very much a family affair, managed with pride and care by their daughter, Áine O’Toole.

From the beginning, our goal has been to invite visitors and locals alike to step back in time, to witness each stage of the wool-making process, and to experience the handcraft traditions exactly as they were practised in days gone by.

The story of wool in Leenane stretches back well before our own — to the late 1880s, when the Congested Districts Board worked to bring education and employment to rural Ireland through the revival of indigenous crafts. A thriving weaving industry flourished here, producing fine hand-woven tweeds from workshops based at the Leenane Hotel. Local wool was spun, dyed, and woven with care, and the finished jumpers, cardigans, and clothing were sold both in Ireland and overseas.

This weaving tradition was nurtured by Robert McKeown, the hotel’s owner, who provided workshops for preparing and weaving the wool, and a small shop to sell the finished pieces. Even after the board’s work ended with Independence, local weavers continued to create for their community, ensuring the craft never truly disappeared.

In the 1950s, wool brought seasonal employment to many in the region. John M. Joyce, one of Ireland’s leading wool merchants, bought the finest quality fleece from farmers along the west coast. His bustling operation ran from a purpose-built Wool Store on the Westport Road, while his family home, Bayview House, stood proudly across the way — both still remembered fondly in local memory.

Today, at the Leenane Sheep and Wool Centre, we bring these traditions to life once again. The old looms clatter into motion, spinning wheels hum softly, and visitors witness age-old techniques that are as sustainable and environmentally kind now as they were generations ago.

Our hope is that everyone who steps through our doors leaves with more than just knowledge — we want you to feel the deep connection between sheep, wool, and the people of Connemara; a connection that has shaped our past and still warms our present.