Heritage, Irish hospitality, wool and wonderful makers. What better way to spend a Sunday than celebrating the very best of Ireland’s crafting community?
There is something rather special about bringing together a love of knitting, a passion for Irish heritage and the pleasure of discovering somewhere new. And that is exactly what we did this past Sunday when Knitting Tours headed to Athlone, in the very heart of Ireland, for the inaugural Midlands Fibre Festival.
With its rich history, beautiful setting on the River Shannon, warm Irish welcome and a gathering of talented fibre artists and crafters, Athlone proved to be a wonderful destination for a day celebrating all things woolly!
Athlone is one of those places that captures the spirit of Ireland beautifully. Sitting on the River Shannon, where the counties of Westmeath and Roscommon meet, this historic town has long been an important crossroads for travellers, traders and storytellers.
The mighty Shannon, Ireland’s longest river, has shaped the town’s identity for centuries. Its waters provided a vital route through the country, while the crossing point at Athlone made it an important strategic settlement. The town’s name comes from the Irish Áth Luain, meaning the Ford of Luan, recalling the historic river crossing around which the settlement developed.
Dominating the riverside is Athlone Castle, a reminder of the town’s strategic importance through Ireland’s turbulent past. Standing beside the river and looking across the bridge, it is easy to imagine the generations who have travelled this route, each leaving their own mark on the story of the Midlands.
Today, Athlone combines this fascinating past with a lively town centre, independent businesses, welcoming pubs and a thriving cultural scene. It is a place where history and modern Irish life sit comfortably side by side and a lovely reminder that there is so much more to discover beyond Ireland’s better-known tourist destinations.
For those of us who love knitting and traditional crafts, there is also something fitting about visiting a place so deeply connected to the idea of heritage. Just as skills are passed from one generation to another, the stories of places like Athlone continue to be shared, remembered and celebrated.
No visit to Athlone would quite be complete without a stop at the legendary Sean’s Bar, widely recognised as Ireland’s oldest pub, with a history traditionally traced back to around AD 900.
Stepping inside is like stepping into another time. With its characterful interiors, historic artefacts, cosy atmosphere and stories accumulated over more than a thousand years, Sean’s is a wonderful expression of traditional Irish hospitality.
The pub’s story is closely tied to the River Shannon and the early settlement of Athlone. An inn once stood at this important crossing point, welcoming travellers making their way through the heart of Ireland. Remarkably, Sean’s Bar continues that tradition of bringing people together today.
And, of course, what better way to pause and soak up the atmosphere than with a warming Irish coffee?
Coffee, whiskey, a little sweetness and that delicious layer of cream make for a classic Irish treat that is particularly welcome on a day spent exploring. There is something wonderfully comforting about sitting in a historic Irish pub, enjoying a little indulgence and knowing that countless conversations have taken place within those walls long before yours.
At Knitting Tours, we believe that the experiences surrounding a craft journey are every bit as memorable as the craft itself. The places we visit, the people we meet, the stories we hear and those lovely little pauses along the way all become part of the adventure.
Sean’s Bar certainly offers plenty of atmosphere and a story or two to take away!
From historic Athlone to the colourful world of Irish yarn and fibre, our Sunday continued with a visit to the inaugural Midlands Fibre Festival, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone.
Organised and sponsored by the Republic of Yarnia, the festival brought together the world of fibre, yarn, craftsmanship and creative community in a celebration of the people and skills that make handmade Ireland so special.
For anyone who loves knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving or simply the feel of beautiful wool between their fingers, a fibre festival is a little bit of heaven.
There is something irresistible about being surrounded by yarn in all its colours, textures and possibilities. From the softest fibres to beautiful hand-dyed skeins, inspiring creations and the work of independent makers, these events offer an opportunity to appreciate just how much imagination, knowledge and care goes into the things we make by hand.
But a fibre festival is about so much more than what is on the stalls. It is about the people behind the product – the dyers, spinners, designers, farmers, makers and small businesses who devote their time and talent to their craft.
It is about conversations over a beautiful skein of yarn, discovering a new maker, sharing a favourite technique and meeting people who understand why a project bag full of wool can bring so much happiness!
And it is about a community that welcomes beginners and experienced knitters alike, celebrates creativity and recognises the value of keeping traditional skills alive.
One of the most important things about events such as the Midlands Fibre Festival is the opportunity to shine a light on Irish makers and the potential of Irish-grown wool.
Ireland has a long association with sheep farming, wool and textile traditions. Our landscape, climate and agricultural heritage have all played a part in shaping that story. Yet the journey from sheep’s fleece to a beautiful ball of yarn is not always as straightforward as we might imagine.
Much of the yarn available to Irish knitters is imported, while Irish-grown wool can struggle to find its way into local processing facilities and onto the market as a finished product.
The Midlands Fibre Festival is helping to draw attention to this challenge and to the opportunities that exist when farmers, wool processors, designers and crafters work together. Its partnership with Woolstore, a Fibreshed Ireland member, supports efforts to expand local wool processing capacity. That matters.
Supporting Irish wool means supporting the people who produce it, encouraging more local processing, celebrating the qualities of our native fibres and helping to create a stronger connection between the land, the maker and the finished piece.
Imagine the possibilities when more Irish fleece can be washed, carded, spun and transformed into yarn ready for a new project. Each stage creates opportunities to build skills, support small businesses and give this valuable natural resource a new lease of life.
For those of us who knit, crochet and create, knowing the story behind our yarn can make the finished item even more meaningful. A garment or accessory becomes more than something we have made – it becomes part of a much bigger story about place, people, tradition and sustainability.
This is why celebrating Irish crafters and fibre producers is so important. Their work helps to keep skills alive while finding new and exciting ways to bring traditional materials into contemporary life.
A successful fibre festival is built on more than yarn. It takes vision, organisation, enthusiasm and a community of people willing to come together to make something happen.
Republic of Yarnia’s role in bringing the inaugural Midlands Fibre Festival to Athlone is a wonderful example of the enthusiasm that exists within Ireland’s fibre and yarn community.
Events like this give independent makers a chance to connect with customers, allow visitors to discover new talents and create a space where ideas can be shared. They also help to bring attention to the wealth of creativity happening throughout the country.
For visitors, they are an invitation to explore beyond familiar brands and discover the people behind the labels. For makers, they are an opportunity to showcase their work, tell their stories and meet others who share their passion. For the wider Irish crafting community, they help to build connections that can continue long after the stalls have been packed away.
This inaugural festival marks the beginning of a wonderful new tradition for the Midlands — one that continues to celebrate Irish creativity, the potential of local wool and the many talented people working within the fibre arts.
Why Fibre Festivals Matter to Knitting Tours
At Knitting Tours, we love bringing together the things that make a knitting tour special. Beautiful places, local culture, meaningful experiences and naturally, plenty of opportunities to indulge our love of yarn! A visit to a fibre festival fits perfectly into that philosophy.
It gives us a chance to explore the creative side of a destination, discover local makers and learn more about the traditions that have shaped the place we are visiting. It also reminds us that knitting is about connection as much as it is about stitches.
Every knitter has a story. Perhaps it began with a grandmother teaching them to cast on, a friend sharing a pattern or a first visit to a yarn shop that opened up a whole new world. Perhaps it is the pleasure of making something by hand in an increasingly busy world.
Whatever the story, there is something lovely about finding yourself among people who understand the excitement of a new project, the temptation of beautiful yarn and the satisfaction of watching a piece of work slowly take shape. When we can combine that shared passion with a destination as rich in history and character as Athlone, the experience becomes even more memorable.
We returned with a renewed appreciation for the people keeping Irish craft traditions alive and for the exciting future of our fibre community. And, of course, we were reminded once again that there is always room for one more skein of yarn!
Thank you to everyone involved in bringing the Midlands Fibre Festival to life, including the Republic of Yarnia and the talented Irish makers who continue to inspire us. We are delighted to be bringing our own group of knitters to the second Midlands Fibre Festival in May of 2027!
Until the next time — happy knitting, and may your travels always lead you to beautiful places and beautiful yarn!
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