Punters at the Tinahely Show on Monday gathered to watch Roy Collier shearing sheep with the help of some of his children. Parents from farms and non-farms alike were keen to show their children what happens behind the scenes on a sheep farm.
However, the purpose of the demonstration was to debunk any air of mystery there might be around how the fleece becomes a woolly jumper. Sheep farmer and wool spinner from Carnew, Evelyn Shannon, gathered up the fleece and brought it to the tent next door to sort the wool.
For the purposes of the demonstration, washing was skipped and the wool went straight in to the carding machine. This straightens the fibres.
The 1798 Spinners at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
The wool was then removed from the carding machine and brought over to the spinners.
Removing wool from the carder. \ Philip Doyle
The ‘1798 Spinners’ as the group is known, meet regularly and give demonstrations in different locations across Wexford. The pedal-operated spinning wheels twist the wool into a strand as it is handfed slowly to the orifice and then it is wrapped around the bobbin.
Emily Moffatt of the 1798 Spinners spins wool at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
Emily Moffatt of the 1798 Spinners spins wool at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
Marilyn Wray of the 1798 Spinners, spins wool that has just been shorn by Roy Collier at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
A normal ball of wool would have two or three of these strands spun together to give it strength, but for the purposes of the demonstration this was the finished ball:
The finished ball of wool from the fleece shorn by Roy Collier. \ Philip Doyle
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From sheep to scarf - why Irish farmers do not realise the true value of wool
Punters at the Tinahely Show on Monday gathered to watch Roy Collier shearing sheep with the help of some of his children. Parents from farms and non-farms alike were keen to show their children what happens behind the scenes on a sheep farm.
However, the purpose of the demonstration was to debunk any air of mystery there might be around how the fleece becomes a woolly jumper. Sheep farmer and wool spinner from Carnew, Evelyn Shannon, gathered up the fleece and brought it to the tent next door to sort the wool.
For the purposes of the demonstration, washing was skipped and the wool went straight in to the carding machine. This straightens the fibres.
The 1798 Spinners at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
The wool was then removed from the carding machine and brought over to the spinners.
Removing wool from the carder. \ Philip Doyle
The ‘1798 Spinners’ as the group is known, meet regularly and give demonstrations in different locations across Wexford. The pedal-operated spinning wheels twist the wool into a strand as it is handfed slowly to the orifice and then it is wrapped around the bobbin.
Emily Moffatt of the 1798 Spinners spins wool at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
Emily Moffatt of the 1798 Spinners spins wool at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
Marilyn Wray of the 1798 Spinners, spins wool that has just been shorn by Roy Collier at the Tinahely Show, Co Wicklow. \ Philip Doyle
A normal ball of wool would have two or three of these strands spun together to give it strength, but for the purposes of the demonstration this was the finished ball:
The finished ball of wool from the fleece shorn by Roy Collier. \ Philip Doyle
Read more
From sheep to scarf - why Irish farmers do not realise the true value of wool
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