Breed Study: Galway

Galway is currently the only native sheep of Ireland, although it was largely influenced by English Leicesters, in particular Dishley Leicesters, it was introduced by Lord Roscommon in the late 1700s hence they were once called the Roscommon. These were heavily crossed with the old native sheep that strongly resembles its Leicester root. The numbers of Roscommon dwindled significantly, in 1923 a group of breeders selected a small number of the finest animals and registered them in a new breed book - they are called Galway because that was the city the breeders gathered. The older and less refined Roscommon’s thus became extinct.

Galway tops and a mini skein of test spin

Galway is sometimes referred to as Irish Longwool, however apart from the somewhat long locks and wavy crimp pattern it has little in common with its part origin… Galway is more crisp than sleek; matte than shiny; and the fibre feels to have more “body” and more “independent”.

I spun a small sample from the tops using a Turkish Spindle in the size S (Munchkin) and I let the fibre dictate how it wished to be spun. It drafted fairly easily although it was a little grippy from time to time. Plying was quite interesting, it feels that the two strands of singles almost didn’t want to be with each other, they rather wanted to be on their own.

Galway sample swatches

I spun around 5g of the fibre but I forgot to measure the meterage, but you can see from the photo above I managed to get two swatches out it and still have a little bit left over. Although the yarn was spun mostly worsted it is quite airy.