A remote island knitwear firm, located on the smallest of the three Aran Islands, Inis Meain, last year enjoyed a substantial increase in profits and revenues.

Accounts recently filed by Cniotail Inis Meain Teoranta fpr Inis Meain Knitting show that the firm's accumulated profits more than doubled to €68,358 in the 12 months to the end of December 2012.

Authentic products

Established in 1976, the firm sells high-end knitwear garments ranging in price from €250 to €1,500 and has stockists around the world, including shops across the US and also some in Japan, Australia, Germany, France, the UK, Sweden and Italy.

“We design, market and produce our products on Inis Meain,” said the Founding Managing Director of the firm Tarlach de Blacam.  Dublin-born Mr de Blacam added that the business had come through a couple of difficult years.

“We had a few very difficult years as a result of the financial crisis, but in 2012 and 2013 the business has come back and has now moved forward,” he said. “I believe that the future is bright for us. There is a great revival of interest in authentic products like ours and the provenance of those products – and long may it last.”

Future concerns

The company employs 16 on an island that has a population of around 160. Mr de Blacam said that he lives in fear of the Government withdrawing the year-round air connection to the mainland. “It is absolutely critical to what we do here and we would be in real trouble if that service was withdrawn. It would be disastrous.”

The business has been in place over 30 years and Mr de Blacam said that some of the youngsters he employed when starting out are still with the company.

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