Foxford Woollen Mills launches Mayo Throw celebrating 2026 All-Ireland champions

Two months on from Mayo’s historic All-Ireland final victory, the county is continuing to find new ways to mark the day that ended a 75-year wait and weave the achievement into its history.

At the Woollen Mills in Foxford, that has meant taking the green and red to the looms to create a special throw celebrating the 2026 All-Ireland champions.

The Mayo Throw will go on sale tomorrow, marking the first full production run of the blanket inspired by Mayo's long-awaited Sam Maguire triumph.

As one of Ireland's oldest working mills, FOXFORD has spent more than 130 years weaving blankets and throws in Mayo. Inspired by the mill's traditional checked designs, the Mayo Throw incorporates the county's famous green and red colours to celebrate the 2026 All-Ireland champions.

The launch comes just in time for Sam Maguire's return to Foxford. In July, the town welcomed the cup as Cian and Darren McHale carried the trophy across the River Moy. This Saturday, the famous trophy will make an official visit to Moy Davitts GAA Club.

Marketing Manager at FOXFORD Sinéad Farrell said the throw had attracted significant interest both in Mayo and further afield, with the level of demand surprising the team.

“We were quite surprised with the amount of interest in the throw itself,” she said. “We are so happy to be from Mayo, and it is a strong part of our cultural identity here in the company. It's a great story for us, and it's a dream for the Mayo team to have won.” 

The first sample was made ahead of the All-Ireland final and featured in a video from the mill wishing the Mayo team luck. Since then, around 60 have been sold. Another batch is due before Christmas for those who miss out on tomorrow's release.

“We have had a huge reaction to this beautiful throw and can’t wait to see it in homes across the world this Christmas,” she said.

Every throw made at FOXFORD has its own story, but this one weaves in an extra layer of meaning.

Managing Director of FOXFORD Joe Queenan said the throw began as a tribute to Mayo's long wait for Sam Maguire, but the county's historic victory has given it an even deeper meaning.

“We have been weaving throws in our mill on the River Moy in Foxford for over 130 years. We knew this year was special, so to mark the 75th anniversary of our last All-Ireland win, we created the Mayo Throw,” he said.

“We hoped it would act as a symbol of belief in the current team. Seeing them lift the Sam Maguire after 75 years was a dream come true for many.” 

“Our Mill was founded here in 1892 with the hope of creating a place with community and craftsmanship at its core. We hope this throw celebrates that dream and becomes a symbol of our great county, and all our local communities can achieve,” he added.

The Mayo Throw is woven from 100% lambswool, a fine, soft wool taken from the first clip of a sheep aged between nine and 12 months, creating a lightweight, soft and warm throw.

The Mayo Throw will be available from 9am on Friday, September 25, in the FOXFORD flagship store, the Westport store and online, with a retail price of €132.

The craft process behind making a throw is in six stages.

Firstly, the spinning process. Once the yarn is selected, it is spun by specialist craftspeople, who then take the spools of wool, which are ready to be woven, to the weaving shed.

This is when the weaving process begins in the design studio, where the warp plan is developed. The warp consists of threads which run vertically from the top to the bottom of the cloth. 

The number of threads to be wound onto the warp beam, which is approximately 180cm wide, depends on the thickness of the yarn and the weight and width of the cloth required. Some cloths are made of up to 2,500 threads.

Once on the loom, the weft yarn is introduced. The weft yarn is the thread that runs across the warp yarns. In weaving, the pattern of the cloth emerges from the combination of the colours in the warp and the weft plan.

All throws are then checked by hand. Once the fabric is woven, the team pulls it by hand across an underlit table and inspects it carefully for blemishes or faults. These are then individually repaired with a needle and thread, just one example of FOXFORD’s centuries-old commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

The team then add a fringe, usually in the form of a twisted fringe. This step adds a styled weight to the throw and gives the piece a clean, finished look. The team inspects the fabric again before it moves to the cutting stage.

Once the fabric has been mended, fringed, and finished to the highest standard, it is cut into individual throws. FOXFORD typically cuts 200 throws from one beam of fabric on the looms.

The final step is to add a seal of approval, the FOXFORD label. This ensures the throw has completed the full process and has been signed off with the quality they are known for.