A graduate in Celtic Languages from Trinity College Dublin, Tarlach de Blácam spent a year in research with Coimisiún na Logainmneacha (Placenames Commission) in the Ordinance Survey Office, Dublin.  Discovering he was not suited to research or academia, he moved to Inis Meáin in the Aran Islands in 1973 to begin a writing career, having married Áine Ní Chonghaile from Inis Meáin that year.

Realising that the Aran Islands had been left behind the rest of Ireland in terms of infrastructural development, the couple became hugely involved in community development on Inis Meáin where a knitwear business using local skills and know-how was established making classic styles for the tourist market. Tarlach and Áine began to create fresh new styles and high quality garments aimed at the best stores in Europe, Japan and North America. New methods were introduced and collections were brought to Paris, Cologne and Tokyo. And so Inis Meáin Knitting Company was founded.