A young Donegal fashion designer is on a concerted drive to bring back traditional heritage skills in a bid to breathe new life into communities across the county.
Sarah Gallagher, from Bunbeg, designs under the ‘Sarah Lorraine’ label and has opened a boutique in the centre of the town.
She has now come up with an initiative to teach sewing to novices, and harness those skills to build an enterprise that she believes will offer real opportunities and options to jobseekers in the area.
Sarah, who comes from a well-known business family in the area, says she had a moment of inspiration while watching some of her family members sewing and mending some garments.
She said “It truly felt like a moment that connected my past with my future. I grew up watching my mother and aunts sewing; they were so nifty, with brilliant imagination and could literally transform garments. There was almost a magic in that, and they always seemed so contented and rooted in what they were doing.
“As a designer I am so conscious of the need for excellent crafting skills, and I thought it would be a great idea to offer courses to get people sewing!
“I now organise weekly two-hour sessions, where participants bring garments to renew and practice sewing techniques. The reaction has been so incredibly positive, and it has really taken off. We meet every Tuesday for two hours and people bring old garments they can practise with and renew. Sewing is an incredibly useful and valuable skill.
A model wears one of Sarah’s stunning capes.
“It is one that ‘travels’, people can sew from anywhere at all and it offers real opportunities to women, in particular, who may wish to work from home and earn a living. It’s really like the old ‘cottage industry’ which is part of our fabric in of life in Donegal. This sustained families over generations”
“I come from a line of strong women who were ahead of their time and always promoted self-sufficiency and independence. Learning a skill like sewing really embodies those principles Sewing is an invaluable skill—; most of us grew up with items of clothing that may have been handed down and were ‘new’ to us .
“I was brought up with a huge grá for and respect for the people and traditions that went before me , and I am blessed to have some items belonging to my Grandmother for instance. As well as being beautifully symbolic, this is real sustainability.”
Each year, the fashion and textile industry produces vast quantities of clothing, much of which ultimately ends up in landfill sites, says Sarh.
Indeed, it is estimated that over 92 million tonnes of textiles are discarded annually, making fashion one of the most wasteful industries
She adds “So many clothes are going into landfill, we know that this is one of the greatest polluters, billions of items go into landfill every year.
“It is shockingly wasteful.
“We can all do our bit to reduce this, and this is another reason why my courses have taken off. People want to do something that they know will make a difference, something they can control and something that is tangible.
“I am so happy that I am playing my own part in this by passing on the skills I leant, it is a lovely to think that we are continuing what was an intrinsic part of Donegal for aeons.”
Going full circle is part of Sarah’s DNA.
She delights in the fact that she has now working out of the same shop that was first opened by her Great grandmother in Magheraclogher, Bunbeg.
She says “I absolutely love the fact that my shop, Sarah Lorraine, is now operating out of the same premises that my lovely Great Grandmother, Annie Bonner ran. She was a legend both in my family and in this area and I know she would be proud of what I am doing.
“I want to build on this initiative of teaching people to sew and grow a team of workers for my brand who in turn will be pivotal to its growth. I want to provide options for women essential as it is they who make up the bulk of the participants. I am all about lasting initiatives that are genuinely meaningful.
Sarah Gallagher’s Sewing Classes take place every Tuesday evening at the Ionád Naomh Padraig from 7pm to 9pm while her ‘Made In Donegal’ is a bespoke range from ‘Sarah Lorraine’ .
Its range includes handmade stunning capes made from 100% Merino Woll from the well-known Molloy & Sons and lined with satin which sell all over Europe, USA and Canada as well as Ireland .
For more see www.SarahLorraine.ie
Donegal fashion designer Sarah Gallagher comes up with something ‘sew’ new was last modified: September 12th, 2025 by Staff Writer
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