The day started out with a tour of the Tribune newspaper located in Milford, but it serves a whole host of other towns like Carrigart and Downings. On the newspaper tour, the owners talked about how when they started the newspaper, they used different wholesalers, but are now all manufactured in-house. He also discussed how it is important to split the news around all of the towns because customers will not buy it if there is not something specific to their area, which he noted as being challenging, especially in the off-season when not many things are going on. From the newspaper we headed off to McNutt’s Tweed for a talk with the owner.

When at McNutts, we talked with the owner about how his business got started and how it has changed over time. What particularly caught my attention was how the business we saw today and shopped at was not always the same business that his father had started many, many years ago. He discussed how he and his brother took different roles throughout the years, and that he landed in the goods to be sold rather than the fabric industry, like he was once in. Another interesting point was how they had to rather quickly change their marketing when Great Britain left the EU because it made trade a bit harder and considering that Great Britain was the majority of their customers they had to get a new customer base and retain it so that they could continue to improve upon their business.

When looking at both businesses together, they are quite different, but in reality, they are similar and have had similar struggles. This is because they share a fundamental reliance on trust and reputation, yet they build these assets in distinct ways. The newspaper forges its brand identity through journalistic integrity, transparency, and a deep-rooted commitment to accurately reflecting its community’s life and values. Its reputation is built on accountability and its role as the authentic voice of the local population. In contrast, the textile manufacturer establishes its brand on the quality and reliability of its products, with trust earned through consistent craftsmanship, ethical production, and a robust supply chain. While the newspaper’s primary audience is local, the manufacturer’s reach extends globally, and its brand narrative focuses on its unique product and the heritage behind it. Both entities, however, benefit immensely from their shared location. For the newspaper, being in Donegal isn’t just a location; it’s the very subject of its reporting, making its identity inseparable from the community it serves. For the textile manufacturer, the Donegal location is a powerful place-branding tool, evoking a sense of authentic heritage and tradition that adds significant value to its products in the global market. The rugged landscape and local history provide a compelling narrative of craftsmanship and quality that differentiates both businesses from their competitors and strengthens their respective brand stories. After the morning filled with meetings and comparisons we headed off to lunch and then Murder Hole Beach. We finsihed the day at the singing pub for dinner.