Spins the wheel, rings the wheel while the foot's stirring
Sprightly and lightly and merrily ringing
Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing.
(The Spinning Wheel)

For over three hundred years linen manufacture has been an important industry, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. In Northern Ireland practically every town and village had a mill or a factory. By 1921 there were almost one million spindles and 37,000 looms, with over 70,000 directly employed, representing 40% of the registered working population, with closer to 100,000 people dependant on the linen industry. At end of the 20th century only 10 significant companies, at most, remained employing 4,000 people.

A detailed history of Irish Linen is available

Sean McCartan has kindly donated an article on the role of holly timber in the linen industry.  The article focuses on the near Castlewellan.

Thanks also to Sean McCartan for an article discussing "The influence of on Mid-Ulster’s linen industry".
View some beautiful donated by Sid Quinn of a linen carder.  The carder was brought to Alamance, Guilford, NC, USA  from Killyleagh by someone in the Finley Stewart family and given to relatives who were the descendants of Hans Weaver who settled in Guernsey Co. Ohio in the 1930s or 40s.  Also included are some pictures taken at the pioneer farms in Virginia of that and other implements that were part of the display for the German farm. The linen was soaked in the field rather than in vats and then brought it in to the barn to remove the outer stem and card it.

"Irish linen"

is the brand name given to linen produced in Ireland. Linen has been spun and woven in Ireland for centuries, and during that long period the Irish have gained the skills and standards required to produce the best quality fabrics. Linen is made from the flax fibre, which was grown in Ireland for many years before advanced agricultural methods and more suitable climate led to the concentration of flax cultivation in northern Europe.

The Living Linen Archive is an oral history project set up in 1995 to record recollections of the linen industry in Northern Ireland. Between 1999 and 2002, the Heritage Lottery Fund provided a grant to support recording of information from people involved in the industry. These recordings are available for reference and study at the library of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum (telephone 02890 428428 to arrange an appointment.

Pease click to view an index of the linen firms within the archive.

 Source:  Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

article by Sam Johnson

an article by Ernie Gordon

an extract taken from the History of Banbridge

NEW:  An article on European Flax dated 9 March 1889
 

Other resources:

The Irish Linen Centre and Museum is located in Lisburn, "the birthplace of Irish Linen".
Culture Northern Ireland has a number of interesting articles on industry in Northern Ireland including the linen industry.
It's not just about Linen, but the Linen Hall Library is known for its Irish History and Local Studies collections: 
This site is the "Official Site of Irish Linen" Irish Linen promoting Irish Linen worldwide.  (Supplied by:  Nan Brennan)

LISBURN'S IRISH LINEN CENTRE Woven Treasures By Renata Polt

Cootehill by Patrick Cassidy, Ducas na Muinchille