The Making of The Mayo Throw
FOXFORD CREATE THE MAYO THROW TO CELEBRATE ALL IRELAND WIN
For the 75th anniversary of Mayo’s last win, FOXFORD weavers took to their looms to create something special for the 2026 Mayo Team – the Mayo Throw in a check pattern of county colours.
As one Ireland’s oldest working mills, we at FOXFORD wanted to show their county team that there was true belief behind them as they approach the All-Ireland Final. Crafting something creative, memorable, and long-lasting takes time and deep passion, something FOXFORD and this Mayo team have in common.
“We have been weaving throws in our mill on the river Moy in Foxford for over 130 years. We knew this year was special so to mark the 75th anniversary of our last All Ireland win we created the Mayo Throw. We hoped it would act as a symbol of belief in the current team. Seeing them lift the Sam McGuire after 75 years was a dream come true for many.
Our Mill was founded here in 1892 with the hope of creating a place with community and craftsmanship at its core. We hope this throw celebrates that dream and becomes a symbol of our great county, and all our local communities can achieve!” says Joe Queenan, MD, FOXFORD.
The joy of sport and the feeling of celebration that echoed around Mayo and further afield upon winning, makes this throw even more iconic.
The Mayo throw is woven from 100% lambswool - a fine, soft wool that comes from the first clip of a 9–12-month-old sheep and creates a light-weight, but extremely soft and warm throw.
The Making Of An Icon
The Spinning Process
Once we select our yarn, in this case our iconic green and red, it is spun by specialist craftspeople, chosen for their commitment to quality. We then take the spools of wool which are ready to weave to our weaving shed.
The Weaving Shed
The weaving process begins in our design studio, where the warp plan is developed. The warp consists of threads which run vertically from the top to the bottom of the cloth. The number of threads to be wound onto the warp beam (which is approx 180cm wide) depends on the thickness of the yarn and the weight and width of the cloth required — with some cloths made of up to 2,500 threads. Once on the loom, the weft yarn is introduced. The weft yarn is the thread that runs across the warp yarns. It is in the weaving that the pattern of the cloth emerges, the combination of the colours in the warp and the weft plan.
Checked By Hand
When the fabric has finished being woven, it is pulled by hand across an underlit table and inspected carefully for blemishes or faults. These are then individually repaired with a needle and thread — a perfect example of our centuries-old commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
Fringe & Finish
Our team then add a fringe, for our Mayo Lambswool Throw, it is in the form of a twisted fringe. This step adds a styled weight to the throw and gives the piece a clean, finished look. The fabric is inspected again before it moves to the next stage.
Cutting
Once the fabric has been mended, fringed and finished to our highest standards, it is then cut into individual throws. We typically cut 200 throws from one beam of fabric on our looms.
Label
The final step is to add our seal of approval, the Foxford label. This ensures the throw has completed the full process and has been signed off with the quality we’re known for.
130 Years of Expertise
Our small team of craftspeople here in Foxford add to our history with each new item they created. Our new Mayo Throw is now an important piece of that story. The joy of sport and the feeling of celebration that echoed around Mayo and further afield upon winning, makes this throw even more iconic.
The FOXFORD Lambswool Throw is now available for sale in-stores and online for €132.
