Carraig Donn, a craft and knitwear company based in Westport, Co Mayo on the west coast of Ireland announced it was creating 150 jobs this afternoon in the presence of the Taoiseach (head of the Irish government) Enda Kenny.

Mr Kenny attended the jobs announcement at the company's headquarters in Westport and described Carraig Donn as an outstanding example of an indigenous Irish family business which had become a major international success story.

Mr Kenny also said it was particularly significant that the company was marrying traditional skills with the growing online market for Irish fashion and craft wear. Carraig Donn has already created 57 of the 150 jobs this year, some of which are based in Westport.  

The company currently already employs a workforce of 300 in Westport and at its 28 fashion and craft stores around Ireland.

Carraig Donn started as a small family run craft business in 1965 when the late Padraic and Maire Hughes and their 13 children began producing knitwear for the tourist market. The company is now a leading producer and retailer with an international reputation for quality Irish knitwear.

The company operates a modern plant of Stoll computerised flat knitting machines including Knit & Wear machines for seamless or complete garment knitwear.