Magee of Donegal

Founded in 1866 in Donegal Town by John Magee, the company that bears his name has almost a century and a half of heritage and history. Over the years the original Magee store has developed from a small draper’s to a reputable clothing store. Today the company has three shops in Ireland and is a wholesale supplier for high quality independent retailers across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. It is also renowned for its luxurious and colourful fabrics.

The original store in Donegal Town is located on the Diamond and is just 100 metres from historic Donegal Castle.  The store is one of Donegal’s most important visitor attractions. Magee has always been famous for its own hand-woven tweeds but also stocked other leading brands. The giftware department in the Donegal Town store specialises in authentic Irish gifts including Irish Linens, Newbridge, Nicholas Mosse and Bellek Living.

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During the past decade, while the retail scene in Ireland was changing, Magee made huge efforts to keep abreast of fashionable trends. It now makes much sharper, slim-line suits. It also does continental, soft tailoring.  It makes elegant linen shirts, jackets and suits, and luxurious flecked wool sweaters. It produces gorgeous raincoats which challenge even the smoothness of Burberry. In addition it has been creating some womenswear lines and household pieces, such as table linens and blankets — all at great prices for the quality you get. In 2010 Magee launched a men’s formal wear hire service, available through all their stockists and stores, and from their website. It has been a tremendous success.

Up until relatively recent times the tweed used by Magee was traditionally produced by hand in the cottages around Donegal with patterns and colours inspired by the local landscape. While modernisation over the years has resulted in an alternation in the production and design techniques, the colours and inspiration of the cloth remains essentially the same.