Our Story
Our Story
Lee Valley Ireland has designed and manufactured high quality Irish country clothing since 1986. It is a family business set up by Denis and Loretto Hurley based in the quaint village of Inchigeela, County Cork. Denis saw a market for flannel grandfather shirts, a style associated with Ireland of long ago. He began drafting patterns and cutting fabric at home; he then outsourced the production of these shirts to local tailors who operated from their homes.
The humble beginnings of Lee Valley Ireland.
Lee Valley is situated in the Uibh Laoire parish through which the River Lee flows, hence the name Lee Valley Ireland. Denis and Loretto restored the old creamery and was as such the original Lee Valley Ireland premises.
“Our Customers Built Us”.
The Creamery became a stop-off for American tourists visiting the old sod, and they loved the grandfather shirts. Many tourists from all over the world suggested that this is a product that would sell really well in stores across globe, soon Lee Valley Ireland was wholesaling worldwide.
Based on customer feedback, the business expanded its range to include Flannel Sleepwear, Organic Shirts, Tweed Vests and more. We now export worldwide to countries including France, Germany, UK, USA, and Canada, supplying over 100,000 customers globally.
Almost three decades on from cutting his first grandfather shirt, Denis and the Hurley family remain committed to offering high quality Irish country clothing: “it goes to prove that comfort, quality, and durability never go out of style”.
