Genuine Irish fisherman sweaters are a timeless and masculine way to beat the chill of the colder seasons, and lend a rugged, old world charm to any outfit. a number of clothing manufacturers produce Irish-style fisherman sweaters, though shoppers may want to opt for the real deal, purchasing their sweater from an actual Irish company that employs professional knitters. These companies are all authentic Irish garment companies.
John Molloy is based in the town of Ardara, a small town in County Donegal, which is itself on the Northwest coast of Ireland. The Northwest region of Ireland is known for its long tradition of sheep farming, knitting and weaving, as well as fishing. This small company is family owned and operated, and products range from authentic fisherman's sweaters to knit hats, caps, mittens and gloves. The company also sells classic Irish tweed garments such as jackets caps and ties. The fisherman sweaters manufactured by John Molloy are created by hand, and all John Molloy garments are made of real wool, alpaca, cotton and linen.
Fisherman's sweaters cannot be bought directly through the official John Molloy site, but can instead be bought through large chain stores such as L.L. Bean, and can be bought second hand through stores such as EBay. Prices for John Molloy fisherman sweaters generally range from $50-$200.
As indicated by the name of the company, the Aran Sweater Market is based in the Aran Islands, which are considered part of the County Galway. The Aran Sweater Market is also a small company, employing the skills of hundreds of professional knitters who create each sweater by hand. The company was founded in 1892, giving it a long, solid history of creating fine Irish knitwear.
There are three fisherman's sweaters available through Aran Sweater Market, with the most affordable being the 100% new wool Fisherman's Ribbed Sweater. This attractive, masculine and hefty sweater is priced at $78.95, and comes in five different colors, including beige, denim, moss green, charcoal and navy. The Fisherman's Ribbed Wool Turtleneck Sweater is also made of 100% wool, and comes in navy, charcoal or natural white. This sweater is priced at $93.95. Lastly, the Fisherman's Ribbed Sweater with Patches adds a touch of scholarliness to the traditional Irish fisherman's sweater, with attractive shoulder and elbow patches, and three different colors to choose from, such as Caspian blue, charcoal grey and beige. The Ribbed Sweater with Patches is priced at $96.95.
Based in the town of Tara, located in County Meath, Tara Irish Clothing is yet another wonderful supplier of authentic, hand-knit Irish sweaters. Tara's Fishermans Sweater is a Donegal knit sweater with a short collar and quarter button up, and the hem of the sweater falls at the hips. The most striking aspect of the Tara Fisherman's Sweater is the zigzagged line pattern which wraps around the top of the sweater, and which somewhat resembles snowflakes, making it a perfect cold weather garment. This 100% wool sweater comes in one color only, charcoal grey with light grey patterning, and is priced at $124.95.