First of all to explain why there are so many tartans, way over 2000 in fact. There are an awful lot of Scottish clans to start with and on top of this each clan can have many different tartans and names associated with it.
Each tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
County Laois is found just south of the midlands region in Ireland and is mainly filled with rural countryside. The first record of people in Laois is from around 8,500 years ago, and the area continued to be inhabited throughout the Neolithic period, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age where it was mainly governed by the Fitzgerald clan. Following the 12th century Norman invasions, many stone fortresses and strongholds were built across the land, including Lea Castle, and a number of the town's were first established such as Castletown, Timahoe and Durrow. By the early 14th century, the region saw a huge Gaelic revival which eventually forced the Normans to leave. The region fell into English control in 1556 after being shirred by Queen Mary and County Laois was renamed the 'Queen's County'. In the Irish War of Independence in the early 20th century many of Laois' predecessors left an everlasting mark on the county soil, resulting in the new Ireland giving the Laois its old and rightful name back!
The County Laois plaid is mainly a reddish brown and has stripes of yellow, blue and black running throughout.
Castle Durrow was built by Colonel William Flower as a family home in the early 18th century when the aristocracy believed inherited land should be removed from the burden of agriculture. They set out to revive the landscape with grant stately homes and mansions that were far removed from any original farmhouse buildings. Williams son was also made the first Viscount Ashbrook which was a title in the Peerage of Ireland and it still remains in the family today. Castle Durrow is now a luxury hotel which is uniquely decorated in an elegant style and has wonderful views of the splendid Irish countryside and the scenic river Erkina, which flows right through the estate. The Castle is also perfect for a magical Irish wedding with a timeless setting, and our Wedding Outfits and Accessories and our wide variety of Irish Tartans would most definitely help you make your day extra special!
The name Laois comes for the Irish 'Uí Laioghis', meaning 'people of Lugaid Laigne'.