Irish Jewelry and Celtic Jewelry go hand in hand and their story is interrelated across the past few hundred years. Many pieces of Irish and Celtic jewelry gain their inspiration from a specific location in Ireland and within this blog, we want to link these locations to some of our products.
Have you ever wondered where does that piece of Irish jewelry originate from? Or have you ever wanted to know more about a piece of Irish jewelry and the history behind it? Here we will try to connect some of the dots for you.
From Claddagh jewelry to Tara Brooches and from Ogham stones to Celtic Warrior jewelry there are many spectacular locations across the island of Ireland that give us the origins of handcrafted Irish jewelry.
Below we look at 6 Irish locations that are the inspiration for some of the unique Irish jewelry we have on our site.
Claddagh, County Galway – Irish Jewelry Claddagh Ring
Claddagh in County Galway on the west coast of Ireland is of course the home of the Claddagh ring. From a small fishing village back in the day to now been well known worldwide, this piece of Irish jewelry truly has an amazing story.
There is now of course a full range of Claddagh jewelry and you can view our full range here.
The Claddagh design displays a heart wearing a crown and embraced in two hands. The hands represent friendship, while the heart represents love and the crown, loyalty. Initially, the Claddagh ring would have been more known for a token of love but it is more than that now, it is equally known for friendship due to its meaning of loyalty.
For more information on the meaning of the Claddagh ring including facts, myths, and how to wear one click here.
Hill of Tara, County Meath – Tara Brooch
Many believe the Tara Brooch to be the finest piece of Irish jewelry. It dates from the 7th century AD and represents the pinnacle of achievement by the early medieval Irish metalworkers.
There are one or two stories about the true origins of the Tara brooch. While the brooch is named after the Hill of Tara it actually has no connection to the Hill of Tara. According to experts, the brooch was supposedly found in August 1850 on the beach at Bettystown, near Laytown, in County Meath, and about 25 kilometers from the Hill of Tara.
The brooch is seven-inches long in length and consists mainly of silver gilt with a knitted silver wire, decorated all over with intricate Celtic interlace pattern work which many agree was way ahead of its time.
The original Tara brooch is currently on display at the Treasury room of the National Museum (Archaeology) in Kildare Street, Dublin, Ireland where you can see it for free.
View our full range of Tara products including Tara crosses, Tara Brooches, frames and prints here.
Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry – Ogham Jewelry
The name Ogham comes from the ancient word Oghma, who was the Celtic God of elocution or fine speech. Ogham is an ancient linear script and it was the first known written language of Ireland which is now thousands of years old.
The Ogham alphabet consists of groups of lines from one to five, set across a vertical stem-line. Each group represents a different letter. This is then reflected in our range of Ogham jewelry which incorporates this ancient Ogham text.
Our Ogham jewelry features your name which will be engraved in Ogham on the front and in English on the back which will be all handmade in Ireland.
To learn more about Ogham jewelry and our product range click here.
Ardagh, County Limerick – Celtic Warrior Jewelry
The Celtic Warrior jewelry Collection comes from and is inspired by one of Ireland’s foremost treasures, the Ardagh Chalice. The Chalice is an 8th-century artefact and is made of silver and decorated with over 300 pieces of gold, brass, copper, and enamel beading.
In 1868, it was found in County Limerick by two men digging potatoes believe it or not. This 8th-century piece is Ireland’s most prized artefact and is held in the National Museum of Ireland. We believe our Celtic Warrior Irish jewelry collection symbolises the past (keeps with ancient skills and traditions) but also reflects contemporary fashion and design work.
View our Celtic Warrior products here.
Belleek, County Fermanagh – Belleek Pottery
Belleek Pottery was founded 156 years ago by John Caldwell Bloomfield of Castlecaldwell Estate in Lower Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh, in Northern Ireland.
Belleek Pottery holds a very special place in Ireland’s cultural and commercial heritage.
Did you know:
Belleek pottery traditionally passed through 16 pairs of hands before it was fully finished and signed off on.
Belleek Pottery is known for its handmade craftsmanship and quality. Our Belleek Pottery range includes china, cutlery, mugs, Christmas ornaments, vases, gift sets, and much more.
All of our unique range can be seen here.
Dark Hedges, County Antrim – Irish Jewelry Celtic Tree of Life
If you’re familiar with the Irish and Celtic culture and Irish jewelry, you may have come across this significant symbol. Trees have always played a large role in Irish mythology and are known for their great significance.
They were seen as a source of life by the ancient Celts and were regarded as an important part of nature that provided food and shelter for both humans and animals. There was even a wide held theory that the Celtic Tree of Life represented everything on the planet as interconnected and as one.
It is reported that the very first Celtic Tree of Life dates back to the Bronze Age. Jewelry including necklaces, rings, bracelets, and other forms now feature the Celtic Tree of Life. The symbol has also become widely popular in the tattoo industry in recent years.
You can view all of our Celtic Tree of Life products and related products and designs here.