International Women’s Day 2026 at Blarney Woollen Mills
Today, on International Women’s Day, Blarney Woollen Mills celebrates the incredible women who are at the heart of the business.
At Blarney Woollen Mills, women play an essential role in shaping the experience visitors enjoy every day. From leadership and buying teams to retail specialists and dispatch teams, women contribute knowledge, creativity, and dedication across every part of the business.
CEO Freda Hayes leads a company where women play an important role at every level. Across the organisation, from leadership teams to the shop floor, women bring experience, dedication, and strength that help drive the company forward each day.
Many colleagues have been part of Blarney Woollen Mills for many years. Their loyalty and commitment have helped shape the heritage, culture, and strong sense of community that the business is known for today.
Gillian Hayes – General Manager
Gillian Hayes has been part of Blarney Woollen Mills for over 10 years and leads the team as General Manager with dedication and experience.
Throughout her time with the company, Gillian has played an important role in guiding the retail team and supporting the continued development of the store. Her leadership focuses on maintaining high standards, supporting staff, and ensuring that every visitor enjoys a welcoming and memorable experience.
Vicky Madden – Blarney Retail Assistant Manager
My name is Vicky Madden, I’m the assistant manager of the flagship Blarney Woollen Mills store. It feels like I have been at Blarney for a lifetime! I have been working here for almost 35 years! No two days are the same here! I usually start each morning with a staff check to make sure everyone is on the floor and that they are all in the right departments. However, the next minute I could be doing anything from serving customers to organizing a sale or planning a cruise.
My favorite thing about the job is the fact that it keeps me so busy. Every single day is different and brings its own challenges and rewards. When I started working in the store, I began as a sales assistant in the crystal department. After that, I was promoted to department manager and in 2015 I became an assistant manager, so I am very proud of the lifetime of service and having worked my way up the management system.
The shop has improved leaps and bounds over the years. I can honestly say that our standards are second-to-none when it comes to the quality of the product. I’m proud to say that the staff here truly go over and above for the customers and are my second family. In fact, I’m with them longer than I am with my own family!
Olivia Dooley – Retail Manager
Olivia Dooley has been part of the team at Blarney Woollen Mills for the past nine years and now works as one of the Assistant Managers.
Over the years, she has had the opportunity to grow within the business and gain valuable experience in retail and customer service. One of her favourite aspects of the role is working alongside a great team and meeting customers from all over the world who visit this special Irish store.
Lucy O’Sullivan Kay – Buyer
Lucy O’Sullivan Kay has worked in Blarney Woollen Mills for thirty years. As the buyer for Jewellery, Gift Food, Souvenirs, Linen, and Blarney Homewares, she plays a key role in creating the warm, authentic experience visitors associate with the store. Her work blends creativity, instinct, and a deep understanding of Irish craft and design all driven by a genuine love for what she does.
Rebecca Hallissey – Clothing & Accessories Buyer
Rebecca Hallissey has been part of the company for over 10 years, working as a Buyer and Designer for Heritage Aran Knitwear and Menswear. Her work focuses on redefining Irish heritage through thoughtful buying and design, blending traditional Aran craftsmanship with modern and contemporary style to create Irish fashion that feels both timeless and relevant today.
Rebecca works closely with Irish manufacturers and our own factories to bring these designs to life, ensuring that Irish heritage and craftsmanship remain at the heart of every collection. She is passionate about creating timeless, sustainable, and wearable pieces that stay connected to these roots while continuing to curate collections that resonate with both local and global audiences.
Lorraine Ahern – Blarney Customer Service Manager
I joined the company in 1988, aged 18. It was my first real job. I started in the office with general administration work. The time was before email etc. so we contacted customers through letters, fax, or telephone. There was no internet or websites or online shopping as we know it today but we did have a print catalogue. Within a couple years, I was offered a supervisor’s role in our packing and shipping department. We picked, packed and loaded containers for the journey to be delivered to our worldwide customers. I then moved on to Customer Service and never looked back.
Blarney.com just bloomed throughout the years. We have always been aware that what makes us so successful is being accessible and personable to customers. We believe that just because everything is electronic these days, it doesn’t mean you have to lose that personal touch. At Blarney Woollen Mills, we all work together as a team to provide our customers with the best possible online shopping experience.
Becky Kearney – Blarney Dispatch Manager
My name is Becky Kearney, I am 28 years old and I am from Donoughmore. 10 minutes from Blarney itself! I’m the dispatch manager here in Blarney Woollen Mills. I am responsible for ensuring all of the customer orders from both our online stores and physical stores are picked by my team.
We ensure orders are packed with care to the highest standard and shipped all over the world. I’m proud to say that I started here as a temporary packing assistant and have worked my way up to my management position over the past few years.
Geraldine Walsh – Senior Sales Assistant
Geraldine Walsh began working at Blarney Woollen Mills at the age of 14 in the original thatched cottage and is now approaching 44 years of service. Each day, she enjoys coming to work and meeting the many visitors who pass through the store. Geraldine often says that because she chose a job she truly loves, she feels as though she has not worked a day in her life.
Over the years, she has worked in nearly every department, from the hotel to dispatch and the retail store. Through this experience, she gained knowledge across the business and became fondly known as the Lady of the Arans.
Sinead Tobin – Senior Sales Assistant
Women have played a central role in the story of Blarney Woollen Mills for more than fifty years. From the early days of the store to the thriving retail destination it is today, generations of women have helped welcome visitors, share Irish heritage, and build the strong reputation the business enjoys around the world.
Annette Lane – Senior Sales Assistant
Blarney Woollen Mills has been an important part of the village of Blarney since the 1970s, when the historic mill building was transformed into a retail destination celebrating Irish craft and heritage. From the beginning, the store aimed to showcase the best of Irish knitwear, gifts, and traditional products for visitors travelling through the region.
Kathleen Gaynor – Senior Sales Assistant
For many employees, working at Blarney Woollen Mills has become a lifelong career. Over the years, women across the business have passed on their experience and knowledge to new team members, helping maintain the traditions and standards that have defined the store for generations.
Gillian Flynn – Sales Assistant
The continued success of Blarney Woollen Mills is closely connected to the people who work within the store each day. Women across the team have helped shape the culture of service, hospitality, and pride in Irish craftsmanship that visitors recognise when they arrive in Blarney Woollen Mills.
Liz – Head Linker Blarney Aran Experience
Irish knitwear and craftsmanship remain at the heart of the Blarney Woollen Mills story. Women working within the store and its knitwear production continue to play an important role in preserving traditional skills while sharing the story of Aran knitwear with visitors from around the world.
Honorable mention: CEO Freda Hayes
Freda Hayes, CEO of Blarney Woollen Mills, has devoted most of her life to the brand. At 16, she left school to help her family run their craft shop. In 1975, her father, Christy Kelleher, bought Blarney Woollen Mills to showcase Ireland’s best products.
Because family has always been central to the Mills, Freda honors her father’s legacy by expanding Blarney Woollen Mills knitwear and creating the Fisherman Out of Ireland brand. Consequently, the Mills attract over 600,000 annual visitors, many of whom are repeat customers. Therefore, Freda has significantly contributed to the success and legacy of Blarney Woollen Mills!
