A Short History of Irish Linen

The ColinRiver, Colin Glen area and the LaganValley have a rich history associated with Irish linen. The McCance estate at Colin Glen was a perfect location for linen production and the bleaching process that turned the brown linen white. William Mc Cance leased the land in 1793 from the Marquis of Donegal. The lease gave him ‘free use of… all springs, streams and other waters for the use and accommodation of said bleach green.’ Another wealthy Catholic family, the Teelings, also owned the Colin bleach green in Poleglass.  Linen production was dependent on a constant supply of water and swathes of land for bleaching. ColinRiver and the surrounding lands and streams were an ideal environment.

During the eighteenth century Ulster was to develop into the most thriving and prosperous province in Ireland. This was directly due to the growth of the linen industry. Linen was perhaps one of the most significant products to come from Ulster. But sadly Irish linen is no longer produced much at home and linen clothes and products are increasingly rare despite the beauty and unique qualities of this fabric. But what exactly is linen? Why has it got such an important place in our history? Where did it come from and how was it made? Below is a short history of linen and an old map of the Colin area that shows the evidence of the linen industry at Colin Glen, Suffolk, Poleglass and Dunmurry.

Early History of Linen

Linen is an eco-friendly bio-degradable fabric. It is breathable and keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. It is made from a plant called flax that bears pretty light blue flowers. The ancient Egyptians were one of the first linen lovers and they believed the flax plant was created by the goddess Isis. Egyptian priests revered the fabric and wore the cleanest finest white linen as a sign of spiritual purity. Linen was the holy cloth of the pharaohs and mummies were wrapped in linen and buried with treasures! The quality of linen yarn produced by the Egyptians has never been achieved since, even with modern technology.

Ancient Irish Linen

The ancient Irish, like the Egyptians, were colourful dressers and also linen lovers. They often dressed in fine cloaks or mantles that were called Léine in Gaeilge. The Irish nobles wore saffron coloured linen cloaks. They believed the colourful saffron dye had special powers to protect health and promote well being. The English monarch Henry VIII didn’t approve of the unique Irish dress sense and tried to make them dress down, in English style, with gown coats doublets and hose. An English tax was imposed on Irish saffron cloaks to discourage the Irish from wearing their flamboyant linen style.

European and English Influences on Irish Linen

Over time linen grew to be a very marketable cloth. It was a valuable export for the English and by 1704 Irish linens were being exported to the American colonies. Irish linen was also used to clothe slaves in the Caribbean while fine linens were popular in London and Manchester. The English traders were keen to produce more and sell it in expanding foreign markets and also at home. Linen production was encouraged in Ireland and the Dutch spinning wheel was introduced to speed up production. The English monarch William III also encouraged European settlers to introduce the Irish to new production methods. He appointed Louis Crommelin, a French Huguenot, as overseer to The Royal Linen Manufacture of Ireland. Crommelin and his Huguenot artisans established a  weaving   premises at Lisburn. Domestic and colonial demand for fine Irish linen grew and grew as Ulster weavers wove Irish linen for the growing London markets. The linen sold quickly and the trade flourished. The English formed the Irish Linen Board in 1711 to promote the growth of the Irish linen trade. The Irish Linen Board existed to 1828. Linen in Ireland was now big business!

The Irish Linen Board

The late seventeenth century brought a new wave of immigrants and plantation in Ulster. Many of the Northern English and Southern Scottish who settled in Ulster were skilled weavers who settled in the LaganValley. The plantation of Ulster brought rapid urban development and the growth of small market towns. Traditional subsistence farming was replaced by commercialized farming and flax was grown widely for the linen market. The Linen Board gave grant aid and subsidies for all aspects of linen production and established bleach greens. Landlords like the McCances of Colin Glen and wealthy families like the Teelings of Poleglass began to use their estates to produce linen and for bleaching brown linen.

Bleaching Linen

The bleaching process of linen turned the brown greenish cloth into fine white linen. From the 1760’s the use of dilute sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) replaced buttermilk and chlorine in the bleaching of linen. Bleaching needed a constant supply of water and lots of land. At Colin Glen, the McCance family utilized the natural assets of their estate to develop their role in the linen industry. The ColinRiver flowed rapidly down from the Belfast hills and the water was diverted to mill ponds, mill races and used to power the bleach works wheels. The surrounding land was used for bleaching and drying the cloth in the sun. If we look at old maps of the area we can see the how natural resources of the glen’s water and surrounding land were used in linen production.

Click here to view a 1904 map and see if you can find the bleaching greens, mill races, mill ponds and other evidence of linen production in the area.

See what else you can find out about linen and the LaganValley. Come visit Colin Glen Forest Park and take part in next years heritage trails and then go on to the Lisburn Linen Museum where you can trace linen’s world wide connections or spin your own yarn on a traditional spinning wheel!

Useful links: www.lisburncity.gov.uk