Our Story & Values

My name is Ciara. I’m a twentysomething, living in housing crises Dublin, but I grew up in the sea-flanked hills of Wexford, with a gaggle of dogs.

My love for animals was instilled in me by my mother, and if there is one constant in my life, it’s my love for trudging through the Irish landscape, dog in tow. I’ve always believed something magic lives in the Irish landscape, something that many people, much better writers than I, have tried to articulate a thousand times.

My idea for Mac Tíre is all thanks to my lurcher Cú. Over the past five years, since she was just a pup, Cú and I have travelled to 5 different countries and lived in both Ireland and Belgium. During our time together, I've had the challenge of finding sustainable, high-quality, and visually appealing dog gear, especially in post-Brexit Ireland.

I wanted to provide the best for my dog while avoiding mass production. I found it a pity that in a country and culture where many of us cherish dogs, where heroic canines feature in so much of our mythology and poetry, there was no community-driven platform, selling quality dog supplies while honouring and safeguarding the land and oceans we call home.

And so Mac Tíre was born. Mac Tíre means wolf in Irish and directly translates to Son of the Land, a word perfectly depicting the connection between madraí and this ancient terrain. As well as its clear link between the land and the wolf, the name was also chosen for those of us who walk the dogs.

Walking and hiking hold a unique significance for the people of Ireland; this beautiful and unforgiving land is ingrained in our identity. Even within towns and cities, the land's presence is inevitable, the mountains peer over concrete structures and the rain batters down, reminding you where you are. We are a nation of ramblers.

Our Values:

Mac Tíre is a queer owned brand that believes in community, decoloniality, the right to roam, ecological conservation and animal liberation.

One of the best facets of shopping small is the personal experience it offers both the customer and the business. Everything you see on this shop has been crafted by individuals much like myself—people who wanted better for their dogs, the planet, and the people.

All the products that we stock are made sustainably in Europe and the US. They have been sourced and carefully curated by myself, and I can contest that each item is crafted with the safety and well-being of your dog as the top priority. We use recycled materials, eco-friendly packaging, and offset our carbon footprint to ensure minimal environmental impact.

Aside from stocking great products, we want Mac Tíre to foster community, collaborating with local artists and supporting non-profits.

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As you're reading this in our initial phase, we're excited to have you join us from the outset and look forward to sharing our journey as we expand and evolve.

Go raibh míle maith agat!

Ciara & Cú.