Our Story
Our Story
“Bringing you back to a place you thought you’d left forever.”
Selling their shirts in the local fairs and markets in Bantry, Kenmare and Killarney to both farmers and tourists, Denis and Loretto soon realised there would be a strong export market for the Irish flannel products. They both had fond memories of their own grandfathers wearing this type of collarless shirt in days gone by, and quickly set about re-kindling this traditional garment.
Lee Valley Ireland - The Old Creamery, Inchigeelagh
In 1986, Loretto and Denis renovated the old creamery in Inchigeelagh. In bygone days this was where local farmers gathered, pasteurised their cow’s milk, made cheese and butter which were then sold on to the butter market in Cork.
Denis started to design and cut his flannel grandfather shirts and with the help of the local outworkers and from this old creamery Lee Valley Ireland was born.
Using the same soft flannel which he used in his grandfather shirts Denis designed and made his now famous Lee Valley flannel nightwear. By now this product was being exported to all corners of the world.
As demand grew for our Irish Country Clothing we have carefully expanded our range to include several styles of coats, jackets, tweeds, and hats. All of Lee Valley’s designs draw inspiration from the local landscape from fabrics to colours.
Today Lee Valley continues to operate from the village of Inchigeelagh and have added on to their facilities an outlet store which attracts a large amount of tourists.
Lee Valley Clothing Shop
