Carraig Donn Celebrates 60 Years of Irish Retail

Carraig Donn, Ireland’s largest lifestyle retailer, is celebrating its 60th year of Irish Retail throughout 2025. As we launch a year of celebration, reflection and patriotic sentiment, we felt it fitting to launch our birthday year on the national celebration of one of Ireland’s greatest female icons, St. Brigid.

Carraig Donn was founded by the late Máire & Pádraig Hughes in 1965. Máire, a mother of thirteen, opened the craft store titled the Carraig Donn Boutique on Bridge St., Westport. The store launched with a selection of Irish Knitwear, gifts and jewellery. Máire, a talented seamstress and gifted knitter, could never have anticipated the global success her company would embark upon over its sixty-year evolution.

Máire Hughes, Founder of Carraig Donn

The Hughes family children all grew up working in the business. Summer holidays were spent producing crafts and working at the store on Inishmore, Aran Islands, which opened in 1969. Countless memories are still cherished by the family of these special days of Carraig Donn. 

Today, sons Pat & Vincent Hughes remain at the helm of the business and are the driving force for its success. Pat joined in 1971, and has led the retail division for over 50 years. Pat, who is the CEO of the company, is proud of the network of 43 stores across provincial towns and cities in Ireland, as well as the multimillion online platform carraigdonn.com. Vincent joined in 1982 and is the COO of Aran Woollen Mills, which produces and exports thousands of Knitwear items annually. The company once sold 35,000 sweaters on a QVC broadcast in the United States in just one day! Phenomenal, we know!

Pat Hughes, current CEO Carraig Donn Group, modelling for one of the first Carraig Donn photoshoots in the early 1970s

Vincent Hughes, COO Aran Woollen Mills, also modelling in one of the first photoshoots for Carraig Donn

The Carraig Donn Head Office, multiple warehouses and manufacturing plants are located throughout Mayo. The heart, creative hub, and direction of Carraig Donn is still very much rooted where Máire once started things off on the Lodge Road, Westport, just opposite the former Hughes family home.

While Carraig Donn is proud of its heritage roots, the company has evolved over the years. The product offering has diversified over the generations. It has flourished into a modern high-street chain with a contemporary range of exclusive labels in its fashion, jewellery and homeware collections. The stores stand proud in Shopping Centres across Ireland next to all the top international retail brands. The stores offer a unique boutique style shopping experience with a wonderful selection of products, all with exceptional quality and design. With the buying power of a chain, retail prices are maintained affordable, making the collections very commercial.

Carraig Donn is best described as a lifestyle store offering extensive fashion for many aspects of life. Event dressing is well catered for and customers love not only getting the perfect dress, but also the finishing touches through the beautiful offering of jewellery and accessories. Carraig Donn has established a significant fanbase for its divine homewares, which offer an attractive mix of exclusive products alongside some of the finest established Irish Brands. 

Late last year, Carraig Donn was named as Ireland's Best Fashion Store at the prestigious Retail Excellence Ireland Awards for its outlet in Golden Island Shopping Centre, Athlone.

Retail Excellence Ireland Best Fashion Store 2024/2025

With weekly deliveries of new product, the Carraig Donn customer is kept hooked on the quick-turning products. Loyal customers pop in for regular visits to see what’s trending and new and also to catch up with the teams around the country. The demand for the collections is very encouraging for the Carraig Donn team, which strives to keep things fresh and always introduces new ranges into the collections.

With over 600 employees nationwide, Carraig Donn attributes it's success to the dedication and passion of their teams. The talented buying and design team sources unique products you cannot get anywhere else. While their styles and focus all vary, they all have one clear focus in mind - and that’s buying for the Irish customer. 

Many of the stores are run by teams who have been with the company for many years. Each of these stores is rooted in their communities and actively engages in local fundraising and social events. 

The Hughes Family, 1968

Carraig Donn is very grateful to every customer who has supported it through their 60 years of business. The future is bright and expansion is on the horizon. We know that both Máire & Pádraig Hughes would be proud of what once was a modest business on the main street of Westport to now having such a significant footprint throughout the world.

We are Irish, we are local, and we are proud of the story that is Carraig Donn. Join us as we celebrate this iconic 60th year of Irish Retail and Style with a range of celebratory events, products, and promotions.           

Lá Breithe Shona Carraig Donn! Slainte!