Menu
ABOUT
ABOUT
About Lowry’s
Lowry’s Sweater & Gift Shop is owned and run by Ann & Pat Casey in the beautiful picturesque seaside town of Clifden, Connemara, Galway, Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Winner of “IRISH GIFT SHOP OF THE YEAR” at the recent Irish Independent Retail Awards is testament that LOWRY’S deliver on our mission statement
“That every customer enjoys a top class shopping experience”
As a small family run business you are sure to meet or be looked after by one of us whether you call to our store or shop online with us. We offer a level of personal service that cannot be matched by the bigger franchises or the chain stores. Furthermore we appreciate your business more than any of our competitors.
On our website you will find a selection of products, the best of Irish craftmanship which we have sourced from our wide network of suppliers throughout Ireland. It is not possible to put all our stocks on our website so a personal visit to our store is a must for anyone touring the Wild Atlantic Way or exploring our historic town Clifden and the Connemara countryside.
We have returning customers from all over the world, people who have valued our advice and that of our long time knowledgeable staff. Thank you to the many customers who have taken the time given us such favourable reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and Facebook.
In our store you will find the finest selection of quality Irish goods specially selected from the very best Ireland has to offer. From hand finished Traditional Aran Sweaters to the latest contemporary Aran designs. Top designs in Irish Jackets crafted from the highest quality Irish yarns to luxurious walking capes, stylish Irish ponchos and capes.
Accessorise with our large range of scarves in many fabrics, handcrafted Irish hats and flat caps (made famous by the TV series Peaky Blinders) also gloves and mittens in super soft Merino wool.
All the above available in Ladies, Gents and Children’s ranges.
We also stock the Guinness clothing range, tee shirts andhoodies in our own unique design.
We also carry waistcoats and the famous “grandfather shirt” in both adult and children’s sizes.
Finally check out our selection of souvenirs, Thomas Joseph designs, Wacky Woollies, vintage metal signs, vintage posters, Hippy Sheep and other soft toys.
History Of The Aran Sweater
The Aran Sweater originated in a small cluster off islands off the west coast of Ireland. The Aran Islands lie at the mouth of the Galway Bay. The islanders earned a living and provided for their families by sea fishing and farming sheep on small plots of land bounded by stone walls, with relentless weather and harsh winters conditions, the heavy handknitted Arans knitted by the women of the islands evolved , keeping the men folk warm and dry (originally some Aran sweaters would be made using oiled wool, where the natural oils were left in the wool, producing a waterproof effect). The Aran women were highly skilled and inventive and so evolved the different intricate stitches that gave each sweater a unique appearance. Many of the women also knitted matching headwear , scarves and gloves, Aran accessories as we know them today.
There were no knitting patterns in these times, everything was done from memory, but as individual family patterns evolved these were passed down from generation to generation and kept as closely guarded secrets.
As time went on, and patterns began to become recorded and written, individual stitches evolved such as the:
The Cable Stitch: This is probably one of the most frequent stitch on Irish sweaters the plain cable represents the Fisherman’s ropes and represents a wish for a safe and fruitful day at sea. A plaited stitch represents the interweaving of family life with daily toil.
The Diamond Stitch: Represents the small fields of the Aran Islands, wishing wealth or success.
The Zig Zag or Half Diamond Stitch: Represents the twisting cliff paths on the islands
The Moss Stitch: Is a depiction of the seaweed that was used to fertilise the barren fields and produce a good harvest. This was often found inside a Diamond Stitch, hence the hope of wealth and/or success.
The Tree of Life Stitch: One of the original stitches and is representative of the importance of the clan – in clan unity and the wish for long life for parents and the production of healthy, strong children.
The Trellis Stitch: Symbolises the landscape patterns created by fields fenced in with hand-cut stones that offer protection from the winds battering this island.
The Honeycomb Stitch: Symbolises the hardworking bee and promises reward for the hardworking, honest labour.
Blackberry Stitch: Symbolises the promise of a rich bounty of Nature.
The Aran Sweater is now a fashion icon, on display at the New York City Museum Of Modern Art, and made famous through the movies and by the Clancy Brothers folk group.
In recent times it is much sought with the contemporary styling by top modern fashion designers.
Over the years the Aran has been worn by celebrities such as Steve Mc Queen, Stephen Spielberg, Elvis Presley,Mariyln Monroe and Grace Kelly, while in various guises it has been seen on other celebrities such as Olivia Palermo, Kate Bosworth, Nicola Roberts and Gwenyth Paltrow.
While the Aran takes it’s name from the Aran Islands, in reality they are now made all over Ireland, particularly in coastal areas.
