Irish Wool

Irish breeds originated from England and were imported into Ireland in large numbers at the turn of the 19th century to improve and eventually replace the native stock. The current number of sheep in Ireland is approximately 5 million. As Ireland and the British Isles are both geographically similar in terrain and climate albeit Ireland does tend to have windier conditions. Wool produced from these sheep are similar, although Irish wool does tend to be a little more coarse.  The main types of sheep, like in Britain, are cross and half-bred with an average micron of 33-36micron. Irish wool is predominately used for carpets and bedding. Historically Irish wool was used in large volumes into the tweed trade.