The Irish Gifts & Jewelry Blog

I just added a new article to our website on Celtic Crosses - their origins, and meaning.  You can visit the article at the link below.

Celtic Cross

I’ve just published our first Squidoo page, though there is still a bit of work to be done, including some house-cleaning and addition to it.  However, feel free to drop by if you’d like!  You can find us here.

With Christmas fast approaching, this is the perfect time to think of that Irish gift for that special lady in your life. Our large Claddagh pendant is the perfect piece of Irish jewelry to fit that bill. The Claddagh ring dates back many centuries, and this pendant is another way to wear its beautiful design and meaning.

This wonderful Irish pendant is handmade in Ireland, and hallmarked in Dublin Castle.  The craftsmanship is quite evident, and it is beautifully gift boxed.  The pendant is complete with an 18″ bell chain and clasp.  Give an irish gift this season with a truly personal touch, and one full of ancient Irish meaning.

This wonderfully charismatic Irish Wall Cross is one of our most popular Irish gifts. Made from hardy resin, ir can be used indoors or out.  Perfect for any Irish home, it is wonderfully detailed with an Irish cottage and an Irish Home Blessing.

Crafted with a rustic look and feel, this cross would be perfect for a Christmas gift or housewarming present.  Features lovely Celtic knotwork as well as vivid colors.

One of my absolute favorite Irish Gifts is anything to do with Guinness.  When it comes to Guinness barware, particularly, this Guinness Signature Party Pack is perfect for so many Irish celebrations.  This nicely packaged set contains:

• Two large Guinness signature pint glasses
• Four beer mats
• One large bar towel
• One packet of Guinness playing cards

Just add Guinness and you have all the makings for a very entertaining evening!  It is perfect for housewarmings, birthdays, and/or Christmas.  And let’s not forget about St. Patrick’s Day!  It is both an affordable and very creative Irish gift.  Everything that comes with theis set of officially-licensed Guinness merchandise.  Visit our store to see our entire range of Guinness gifts!

The Mo Anam Cara series of pendants consists of a variety of designs – perfect for any taste and budget. They make wonderful Irish gifts!   These beautiful pendants are crafted in sterling silver, your choice of white or yellow gold (10K, 14K, 18K), or platinum. In Irish, the term Mo Anam Cara translates to My Soul Mate. These stunning pendants are classically Celtic in nature, and serve as a permanent symbol of the intimacy and bond that your share with you soul mate.

These pendants are also available in a variety of sizes, in solid or pierced designs, with or without a set stone, and also in a two-tone (gold bead on sterling silver) presentation. Additionally, there is also a version of the pendant available in Ogham script – one of the earliest known Irish languages.

There are two main sizes of these pendants available. The smaller of the two measures approximately 21.6mm in height and 14mm wide. The larger size is approximately 29.8mm high and 23.5mm wide.

All genuine Mo Anam Cara jewelry is handcrafted in Ireland by master craftsmen and is hallmarked at the Assay Office in Dublin Castle. Hallmarking of jewelry has been Irish law since the year 1637.

Each Mo Anam Cara pendant is completed by an 18” bell chain and is presented in an attractive lined box.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn some basic Irish phrases, you can do so in this hilarious video from Richie Kavanagh. Enjoy!

One of our all time favorite lamps is this beautiful Claddagh lamp.  Made in the Tiffany style, it features a large 12″ diameter shade, depicting the Irish Claddagh.  The Claddagh is likely the best known Irish symbol, dating back to the 17th century.

Originally used for Claddagh rings, this symbol of Love, Loyalty, and Friendship is used today in a wide variety of Irish merchandise.  This beautiful lamp is no exception, featuring the Claddagh in richly colored stained glass.   The heart represts love, the hands stand for friendship, and the crown symbolizes loyalty.

Mounted on an antiqued 20″ metal stand, this Irish lamp would be a wonderful addition to any Irish household.  Would make a welcome and spectacular Irish wedding gift!  Operates on normal US household power, with a rotary On/Off switch on the cord.

A very popular Irish wedding tradition is the wedding bell. During the ceremony, the bell is blessed, and the couple encouraged to give it a “good ring” while celebrating of their new union, its future, and the joy and happiness of the moment. We like the special touch of the Irish couple joining hands and ringing the bell together.  Wedding bells make great Irish wedding gifts!

The bell from your ceremony should then be kept within easy reach in your home. It is a great reminder of your Irish wedding day and serves a practical purpose as well. Should an argument arise, one party should take the opportunity to ring the bell - thus signaling a truce. Both parties should then take a quick moment to think back to their wedding day, the joy that they experienced, and the reasons that you both decided to join in marriage. More often than not, arguments are not about important things, and taking a moment to consider the “bigger picture” can show what a futile effort they are!

We’d encourage you to continue this wonderful tradition.  We have a Belleek Irish Wedding Bell and a Mullingar Pewter Irish Wedding Bell in our store.  Both are made in ireland.  Either one would be perfect for your Irish wedding day!

Intimacy and belonging played important and inseparable roles in Celtic life. Celtic people believed that souls could interconnect, forming the deepest of bonds. When this occurred, a person was said to have found their soul mate. In Irish, “My Soul Mate” translates into “Mo Anam Cara,” and is pronounced muh onum kara.

The Celts understood that all phases of life involve a journey from darkness into light. It begins with conception where we develop in our mother’s dark womb. We then emerge into the light at birth. As we progress in life, there are many physical, mental, emotional and spiritual changes. Each one can be seen as a similar journey. Finding one’s soul mate is no different.

Having a soul mate means that your barriers are completely down. You are willing to share anything and everything without reservation. While this takes tremendous amount of courage on your part, the reward is a companionship that is like no other.

These connections of the soul were by no means trivial in nature. Your soul mate is another being with whom you feel completely compatible with, in a variety of different ways. Those ways include spirituality, intimacy, friendship, and love. You could confess the most intimate details of your life to your soul mate in complete comfort, never fearing rejection, or scorn. Your bonds of friendship and love transcend all others, and you live for each other. Life apart is unthinkable.

In celebration of these deep and special connections, the Mo Anam Cara jewelry series was conceived. Each piece is designed to witness and to strengthen your union and devotion to each other. It is difficult to think of another piece of Irish jewelry whose design and meaning is so clear and so beautiful. It is a pure expression of unhindered love.

The beautiful pieces in the Mo Anam Cara jewelry series are meant to signify this special bond. They should be given to your soul mate as an expression of your thoughts, feelings, and spiritual bond. They are perfect for any romantic occasion, but especially for occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Anniversaries, and Weddings.