Westport House, Westport, Co. Mayo

In the western part of Co. Mayo on the shores of beautiful Clew Bay sits the delightful town of Westport. The town has evolved over the centuries but owes its well laid-out, planned appearance to the efforts of John Browne, Viscount of Westport, who in the1760's as the principal landholder in the area called on the services of English architect, James Wyatt, to help in establishing a plans for what was then simply a village. The prosperity and economic buoyancy of recent years have added greatly to the charms of the area and many buildings have been restored and a considerable number of new restaurants have been established. Westport has become a favorite weekend getaway for harried Dubliners seeking to trade the frantic pace of city life for the slower ways and idyllic setting of this beautiful place.

Here in Westport, the Hughes family have been running their knitwear business for several generations. Firmly based on the traditional handknitting skills of the area, the company has evolved in recent years to employ some of the most modern means of production, all the time ensuring the absolute finest quality in the garments produced. Irish Design Center started importing from Carraig Donn in the early 1980's and still depend on this family enterprise for terrific traditional Aran sweaters as well as garments using the latest blended fibres and contemporary design.