Based in Westport, County Mayo Lina Stein is a light in the world of Irish millinery. Her flamboyant and extravagant creations signal her presence and individual creativity. Through her workshops, she has inspired countless novice milliners to take up the thimble, needle and thread and helped to open their minds to other creative dimensions.

She has exhibited from Stuttgart to Los Angeles. Her pieces are always a sensation at race meetings and special events both in Ireland and abroad, seducing the crowds with their exotic elegance, style and wit. Lina's background in classic theatrical millinery provides her with the unique expertise to unite traditional hat-making know-how with modern design, creating hats of great sophistication and clean lines.

Her education has brought Lina around the world from Sydney, Australia, where she spent 3 years training, gathering her skills from a variety of places, such as East Sydney Tech and the Australian Opera to Stuttgart in Germany, where she worked with local milliners expanding her wealth of skills and knowledge to the seaside town of Westport, Ireland where she now lives, teaches and works.

You can take time to browse Lina’s designs or meet Lina to commission a one off piece. You could take a day out of your hectic program, get creative and learn to make a beautiful headpiece and all in the beautiful town of Westport.

Westport is a unique town because of its layout and location. It was planned and designed by the renowned architect James Leeson. Situated near Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s most famous mountain and on the shores of Clew Bay, its old world harbour was once a thriving port serving the County of Mayo.

If you enjoy shopping in an old world atmosphere, then a browse through the shops in Westport will prove interesting. Many of the shops have retained their old world facade, giving Westport streets a unique atmosphere. There are plenty of activities on offer for the energetic visitor such as golfing and cycling. Not to be missed is the Greenway, Ireland’s longest off-road walking and cycling experience. Traversing the Atlantic coast between Westport town and Achill Island it links the picturesque villages of Newport and Mulranny (Mallaranny). It passes by some of the West of Ireland’s most dramatic mountains and offers magnificent views of Clew Bay and its many islands.