Ireland may not be known for its contribution to modern fashion and couture, but instead the culture's input can be seen more in the foundational basics of texture, patterns and materials. Celtic - as a style, language and a culture actually combines Irish and Scottish influences and since both are seaside nations with pasts marked by tumultuous religious exploration, Celtic usually means things made of wool, in colors representing the countryside and weaves and knits resembling fishing / maritime knotting and religious iconography.
The most symbolic is the classic Fisherman sweater, identified by the telltale cable knit wool. Often hand knitted by the fishermans' wives, the sweater was made using unscoured, undyed wool that retained its natural oils (like lanolin) therefore making the sweater water resistant. A fisherman's tools are few but meaningful. The cable or rope moored his ship when in port, lashed canvas sails to the mast and provided strength in his net. Therefore the cable knit is said to be a wish for safety and good luck. Another type of stitch on variations of the fisherman sweater is the basket stitch, which represents hope for a plentiful catch. Lastly, to be a true Fisherman sweater, the stitch must be symmetrical from the center on both front and back. This symmetrical interweaving can represent all the convergence of all paths in life which conveys a somewhat religious connotation.
We love the versatility of wool - especially for scarves. Wool can be used from not only sheep but alpaca and goats and can be woven many different ways. The characteristics of wool differentiate it from hair because of the way it's clumped together. The wool from an alpaca wool has long strands or fibers. The diameter of a strand determines it's softness. For example, Merino is a very fine gauge or diameter so it is extremely soft.
Also, a strand of wool has scales. That's what causes some wools to be itchy. Merino wool is much softer because the scales lay flat. Another popular wool is Mohair which is actually goat hair. Angora can either be from a rabbit or a goat. And contrary to popular belief the word pashmina is not a style of wrap, but the contents of the wrap. Pashima is the wool made from the hair on the chin of a cashmere goat.
Regardless of time and place, our wardrobe still needs to satisfy our basic needs for warmth and protection. The colors, patterns and textures we choose beyond those needs can become symbols of our family, our identity, our religious beliefs - basically our 'fashion' as an individual or part of a community. We've come a long way from needing a sweater to protect us from the elements while battling waves aboard a fishing vessel in the Irish Sea, but it's grounding to recognize how our ancestors mined and multipurposed everything the land gave them.