Hanna Hats

Inspired by the gorgeous nature around Donegal, Hanna Hats come in a range of muted hues – woven tweed caps and hats that are simultaneously traditional whilst being wholly on trend. Topping the heads of big-name actors, fashionistas and country folk, it seems that there’s few people a Hanna Hat won’t suit.

Choose from a range of hats to suit your needs including bucket hats, flat caps, newsboy caps and duck bill caps, each made by hand by skilled cutters in the workshop using techniques honed for over a century. Using authentic materials such as Irish tweed, Harris tweed and Irish linens, the fabric is measured with chalk and tape, cut with traditional scissors, and made into small patchwork squares which then create a hat that is totally unique.

The story starts in 1921 with a boy from Belfast who saw an advert for a tailoring apprentice position. Cycling over 100 miles to Donegal, with a dream in his pocket, David Hanna joined McDaid’s Tailors. When the proprietor died unexpectedly with no heir, David stepped up to the role, and the company began trading in 1924.

Focusing on tailored suits, he by chance realised his skill for making hats when a local chap called in for a trilby. A resounding success and with a flair for headwear, the direction of the company changed and thus Hanna Hats was born. Passing on his skill and knowledge to his sons including the late John Joseph Hanna, today the third generation helm the artisanal hat makers, brother and sister Eleanor Hanna and her brother John Patrick continue with the legacy of their forefathers – and creating jolly good caps in the process.

Another great addition to the Wild Atlantic Way, Hanna Hats gives you the opportunity to bring home a handcrafted souvenir, created with age-old tradition.