Killybegs, Ireland—Buckingham Palace has a Donegal carpet. So does the Vatican. Donegal carpet designs, formerly custom-made only in Killy-begs, County Donegal, Ireland, were introduced to the trade for the first time at the recent Atlanta International Area Rug Market. A new licensing agreement between Donegal Carpets and Northfield Carpets International, allows the century-old Irish company to bring its hand-knotted rug designs to a larger, popular market. This is the first time Donegal Carpets has authorized production of its designs outside of Ireland, where the original 40-ft. loom is still in use today by the skilled weavers of Killybegs.

Initially, Northfield Carpets will market the Legacy Collection in five sizes, ranging from 5X8-ft. to 10X14-ft. The collection will include nearly a dozen historical designs, taken from patterns in the Donegal archives dating back to 1898. The Armagh rug, for example, was originally created for Armagh Cathedral in Ireland. It features a trellis bordered by flowers and leaves in reds and greens. Downing is a floral design in reds, blues and greens, originally commissioned for the Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street in London. Ardmore, made for the Chicago Athletic Club, was inspired by a drawing from a page in the Book of Kells.

Donegal Carpets’ general manager, Michael McDaid, said he is looking forward to this new direction in the company’s marketing. “In our effort to preserve the historic Donegal name, we have decided to offer Donegal designs at a more affordable price. We think this will allow a much broader audience to appreciate the skills that made Donegal so famous.” McDaid chose to partner with Northfield Carpets because of its understanding of the Donegal brand name, he noted, and its demonstrated ability to produce quality rugs. McDaid worked closely with Northfield Carpets’ co-founders, Tracy Davis and Danielle Freudenthal to launch the new line of ready-made rugs. For more information on Donegal Carpets, visit www. donegalcarpets.com.