Crolly Dolls, Crolly, Co Donegal

Min Na Craoibhe, Anagaire, Leitir Ceannan
Co. Dhun Na NGall

This page was compiled by Lindel and forms part of the Donegal Genealogy Resources Website

You may link to this page but not copy it

If you have anything which you'd like to contribute to this page, please feel free to Contact Me

 

Notes:

This page is still under construction

The information and photographs were sourced from the internet, except for a few photos of my own Crolly Dollies

If you would like to add a photograph of your Crolly Doll, please EMAIL me

 

Further reading : Ask About Ireland - Crolly Dolls

 

In 1939, the old factory building in Crolly, Co Donegal, was taken over by a company which was to become one of the most famous doll companies in Europe. They began by making small dolls with composite heads, hands and feet, a soft pilled body, and clothing made from local fabrics and knitted garments. This continued, along with the production of other soft toys, until the early fifties when they started the production of plastic play-dolls. High quality Porcelain dolls were then produced.

The following is a segment from the now defunct Crolly Dolls website -

Our dolls are produced from original sculpts, beautifully crafted by Emma, Our in house sculptress and designer. We make all our own moulds, and our own slip, The delicate hand painting, firing, assembly and final dressing, is carried out by our award winning team of ; Elizabeth, Nuala, Anne, Jim and Matt, Maria. From Concept to sculpture, from design to finish hand-knit sweaters, hand woven Donegal tweeds and linen, we maintain the attention to detail and level of quality which first made the Crolly Doll famous. Each piece we create is looked upon as our very first, and is cared for with complete dedication until we pass it on to it's special place in your heart and home.

The original staff at Crolly Doll factory 1939

Crolly doll in a cottage in Glencolumbkille, by Bernie

(click to see full photo)

 

Bridie Gallagher singing the Crolly Doll song - click here

The Crolly Doll, by Sean Mac Bride

One time and I wanted a nice Crolly Doll,
O, you know where they make them in west Donegal
No finer or better you'd get anywhere
With the best that there is, Crolly dolls can compare
Well I dressed myself up and I started away
I tell you my lads, I'll remember yon day.
The bus rolls along, very soon we were down
Where they're all making dolls down in Crolly's wee town

I say's "Where's the dolls?" to a man at his door
And he says "Me brave buachaill, come in on the floor".
Yes I was a stranger and they took me in
And six dolls I found there, some fat and some thin.
Man! They looked at me there with their big eyes so bright
"I think" says their ma, "we would suit you alright"
"O, bedad" says their father "no bother at all
If all that he wants is a nice Crolly doll."

A wee bit alarmed, I said "You've got me wrong
Sure I didn't think your dolls were so big and so strong.
Sure I thought your dollies were small, nice and neat"
Oh these words simply left me no way of retreat.
For up jumped wee Maggie and stood by my side
Oh, it's me that you're wanting, sure I'll be your bride."
And they wouldn't take no for an answer at all
And that's how I got her, my own Crolly doll.

The wedding soon over, one wonderful day,
The myself and wee Maggie we started away
And now she is running myself and my house
But I tell you, my lads, that she leave's me no grouse.
For she is the dolly with jizz in her toes
What she couldn't do , och, the Lord only knows
So now my brave buachaill, have no fear at all
Go yonder – they'll find you a nice Crolly Doll!

Types of Crolly Dolls

Below are descriptions of some Crolly dolls, along with photographs of various dolls I either own, would like to,

or have have found on various sites on the internet

 

Select the images below to go to the different types of dolls

Porcelain

First Dolls

Early Plastic

1960s/70s

Singing, Talking & Walking Dolls

Leprechauns
1990s Porcelain Dolls
"MAEVE" "CLODAGH" "ERIN"

"ROSIE"

 

Young queen of the west of Ireland. Mauve is an 18" soft-bodied porcelain collectable doll. Her beautiful cape is made from the finest hand-woven Donegal tweed. Her pantaloons, underskirt and blouse, are trimmed with lace, and her cape is fastened with a traditional "Tara". Maeve comes complete with wooden stand, certificate and green presentation box

CROL H295 - Green velvet/Lining
CROL195- Donegal Tweed/Green Lining

 

Clodagh is an 18" soft-bodied porcelain collectable doll. She comes in a variety of traditional outfits, all of which are made of the finest hand-woven Donegal tweeds and hand-knit Aran sweaters, hats and scarves. Clodagh comes with a wooden stand and a presentation box. Her hand-knit scarf is pinned by a claddagh brooch

 

 

Erin is dressed as an Irish Step Dancer. Her velvet costume is lined with satin and authentically embroidered in traditional Irish harp and shamrock design. She stands 18" high and has red hair and green eyes. Her hair is tied with a hand made plaited hair band.

CROL 195 RED VELVET
CROL 1495 GREEN VELVET
CROL 1295 GREEN

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Crolly Doll with striking Red Hair is wearing a Donegal Tweed Trouser Suit with matching hat
"PADRAIG" "CAILIN" "BRIDGID" "ENYA"
  

 

"Irgohaig" the net mender; Padraig is a full-bodied porcelain collectable, representing the net menders of the West Coast of Ireland. He is dressed in Donegal tweed and linen. His vest is of 100%pure wool, hand-knitted in the famous Aran pattern. The net he carries is also made in Donegal. He comes complete with stand and green presentation box, certificate and story card.
Padraig is a finely sculpted, full porcelain bodied doll, standing 22". He has Donegal tweed trousers, and a hand knit Aran slipover. He comes complete with cap, spectacles, net, crewed hook, and creel basket. he is numbered, limited edition of one hundred.

 

 

18" Porcelain Doll with soft body, red hair and green eyes. Cailin is dressed as a Traditional Irish Colleen, with snow white blouse, satin skirt and black velvet waistcoat with green lining / Cladagh brooch.

Complete with wooden stand and presentation box, she is available in red or green satin skirt, and with a handknitted shawl or velvet waistcoat.

 

 

   

18" Porcelain doll with red hair and green eyes.
She is dressed as an Irish step dancer.
Her velvet costume is lined with satin and authentically embroidered in a traditional shamrock torc design.
Her hair is tied with a hand made plaited hair band

CROL W195 - Green Velvet
CROL W295 - Black Velvet

"ANNIE MOORE" "ANNIE MOORE" "ROSIN" "OISIN"

 

Annie our emigrant doll is dressed in a tweed costume with white blouse and carrying her suitcase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14" Soft bodied porcelain doll. She has Auburn curly hair and green eyes. She is wearing a green dress and white Pinafore with green pockets. Roisin is playing her fiddle

 

 

 

 

14" Soft bodied porcelain doll. He has auburn hair and greem eyes. He is dressed in short blue trousers with matching waistjacket, cap, and cream linen shirt.
Oisin is playing his Bouran
"SILE" "TARA" "KATHLEEN" "MARY THERESE"

18" Blonde porcelain doll with soft body. Hand knit Aran sweater, hat, leg warmers, spectacles and cloddagh brooch.

Sile is available in the following models

CROL-A595   CREAM
CROL-A195   RED
CROL-A395   GREEN
CROL A295 PURPLE

 

18 " soft bodied porcelain doll with black hair.
She is wearing an Oatmeal Aran Jumper with a black and red checked pleated skirt, with matching scrf and cloddagh brooch

 

 

 

18" Soft bodied porcelain doll.
Kathleen is a "Tattie Hoker" from the great famine.
She is dressed ina tradtional costume which would have been worn by farm hands, complete with her sack-cloth bag used to collect her "tatties".

 

 

 

 

14 " Soft bodied porcelain doll with red curly hair and green eyes. She is dressed in her white holy communion dress.

 

 
"AISLING" "WEE HUGHIE" "MARIA" "HANNAH"

 

 

14" Soft bodied porcelain doll with brown curly hair and green eyes. Aisling is wearing a floral dress white pinafore with floral pockets and is holding her skipping rope.

 

 

 

 

14 " Soft bodied porcelain doll. Hughie has brown curly hair and green eyes. He is dressed in short brown linen trousers, waistjacket and matching cap, with a cream linen shirt, and is carrying his school satchel.

"SHANNON" "MADGE" "MARGARET MARY" "MEGAN"

 

"EMMA"

 

 

"BERNADETTE"

"FIONNUALA"

"AOIFE"

 

Her Certificate reads - Fionnuala is the First Special

Limited Edition Crolly Doll. She was lovingly

hand finished on 3 Aug 1994

 

 

18 " Porcelain doll with soft body, Red hair and blue eyes.
She wears a green velvet and satin bridal dress with claddagh or harp design.
She is carrying her bridal bouquet of white flowers & has a matching floral head - dress

 
 

1990s Crolly Playdolls

 

1939/40/50s Crolly Dolls

 
   

 

 

Early Plastic Dolls

 

 

The 1960s & 70s

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

Singing, Talking & Walking Crolly Dolls

 

 

1960s crying/laughing Baby Crolly Doll

 

1960s singing Crolly Doll

 

Leprechauns

 
   

(select Larry to view an enlargement)

 

 

Last, but not Least - Crolly Teddies!

 

 

My Crolly Dolls Video

 

 

 

More to come..................

....................but before I go

Other Donegal Dolls

Jay of Dublin

                      Have                                                          Have                                                          Have                          Bought & paid for but seller kept                      Don't have                                        Have

                                                                                                                                                                                           my money & the doll - thanks for

                                                                                                                                                                                           nothing, Sonja Lindamood of

                                                                                                                                                                                           Felton, CA!

Lindel Buckley

© 1998 Donegal Genealogy Resources