Unique Irish Gifts authentic traditional souvenirs of Ireland
Do you have an Irish fan on your shopping list for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays or just any old time? Or maybe it’s you who is in love with Ireland. Perhaps you made a trip and forgot to pick up an Irish souvenir for yourself? Alternatively, maybe you just want to share your love of Ireland with some authentic Irish gifts.
Many a time I’ve walked out of a store thinking should I or shouldn’t I and every damn time I totally regret the fact that I didn’t and spent the time dithering.
These days I am much luckier I actually get to live here so it’s all good and I can indulge my love of Irish gifts. How lucky can a girl get? If you have forgotten to bring home that perfect Irish souvenir here are all my favourite Irish gifts that can be ordered online to surprise your family and friends or purchased on your dream visit to Ireland.
- Unique Irish Gifts authentic traditional souvenirs of Ireland
- FAQS All you need to know about what Irish gifts to buy
- Where to buy your traditional Irish gifts
- My favourite gifts from Ireland
- Celtic Scarves, and Avoca's Irish blankets
- Aran Sweaters
- Irish Caps
- Family Crests and coat of arms
- Celtic Jewelry the ultimate gift from Ireland
- Sláinte! – Irish alcohol & food gifts
- My favourite Irish pantry staples
- Musical gifts from Ireland
- Irish gifts for your home
- Irish signs, pictures and maps for the home
- Irish gift books
- Irish cookbooks you must get
- Irish Christmas Gifts
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FAQS All you need to know about what Irish gifts to buy
What are some popular examples of Irish gifts from Ireland?
When it comes to authentic Irish gifts from Ireland, there is a wide array of unique options available. Some of the most popular examples include Celtic jewelry, such as the iconic Claddagh ring and trinity knot pendants. Aran sweaters are also famous for their intricate knit patterns and warm materials, making them a cherished gift.
Additionally, Belleek pottery, known for its fine craftsmanship, Irish cheeses and Guinness merchandise are popular choices. Other options include Irish caps, tweed items, crystal pieces, and personalized Irish souvenirs that capture the essence of Ireland.
Why should I choose made in Ireland products for gifts?
Choosing made in Ireland products guarantees that you are purchasing authentic Irish items that support local artisans and craftspeople. These products often reflect the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Ireland. Additionally, many items are handcrafted, ensuring high quality and uniqueness. By selecting gifts from Ireland, you are not only giving a meaningful present but also helping to sustain traditional crafts and local economies.
Expect higher prices for handmade goods. For instance, a genuinely handmade Aran sweater can easily cost a few hundred euros. However, if you’re open to a machine-knit version as you consider what to buy in Ireland, you’ll find the prices much more affordable.
What types of Irish souvenirs can I find online?
Online, you can find a vast selection of Irish souvenirs, ranging from traditional items like Aran sweaters and tweed caps to unique Irish gifts such as shamrock decorations and Claddagh jewelry. Many online stores also offer personalized Irish gifts, allowing you to engrave names or special messages on items like bracelets or mugs. Furthermore, you can explore pottery, crystal, and even pewter pieces that make for excellent keepsakes.
What is the significance of the Claddagh symbol in Irish gifts?
The claddagh symbol, featuring two hands holding a heart topped with a crown, represents love, loyalty, and
What can I bring home from Ireland to the USA or Canada?
The main items you can’t bring home with you are raw meat products or things like plants, fruits and seeds. You can bring back 1 litre of alcohol per person. Items such as alcohol, cheese, baked goods, and canned or preserved foods are fine but must be declared and in your checked luggage. If you fail to declare these types of goods you could face up to a $10,000 fine.
To get the most up-to-date information on what’s permitted, visit the US CBP information page: Travelers bringing food into the U.S. for personal use. The rules for bringing food and food products into Canada are broadly similar but with a few differences. Find out more about What You Can Bring to Canada, from About.com’s Canada Travel Guide Jane McLean.
Where to buy your traditional Irish gifts
Well, this can be a tricky one you see Ireland (like every other tourist trap in the world has a myriad of tacky gift/souvenir shops. The most well-known and seen in virtually every city across Ireland is Carroll’s Irish Gifts.
Authentic Donegal Tweeds
If however, you are looking for authentic Irish gifts then you need to look in smaller towns and villages. For example here are the places in Donegal to buy authentic Donegal Tweeds and Knits.
Triona – Donegal Tweed & Irish gifts, The Diamond, Donegal Town
Donegal Tweed Visitor Centre, Main St, Ardara, Co. Donegal
Magee of Donegal, The Diamond, Donegal Town
Avoca Weavers
Avoca is a name that screams Irish weaving and you will find many locations where not only can you indulge in your love of fine woven scarfs, throws and much more but you can also visit the Avoca Mill and have a tour of the weaving floor.
You will find Avoca locations all over Ireland including in Belfast but my personal favourite was found at Powerscourt. Here there is a market where you can buy all kinds of foodie gifts, grab a lovely snack in the café and enjoy the stunning Powerscourt gardens.
My favourite gifts from Ireland
Celtic Scarves, and Avoca’s Irish blankets
Remember when you stopped in that beautiful Avoca store and you didn’t buy that soft as down throw that was so colourful and you left the shop glancing back thinking should I buy it shouldn’t I buy it and you bloody well didn’t.
Yeah, me too but guess what? You can buy them online. This fabulous green and pink Avoca throw is 100% lambswool and it is to die for. Alternatively, how about this amazing purple and green cashmere throw, I can wrap myself up in it and it’s perfect for a blingy night out or a peaceful night in by the fire. I adore Avoca products.
Aran Sweaters
One of the best gifts from Ireland and an absolute must-have is an Aran sweater made right here in Ireland. This is one I simply love. I like a long sweater with pockets and this one is so perfect it even has a hood so I can wear it under a good coat (the layers thing again ya know) and my head is warm. Best yet it comes in extra-large woo hoo. I do love the green (so Irish ya know) but it does come in a load of colours including (get this only the Irish) parsnip.
For the man in your life, I really like this cardigan sweater with a nice roll type collar and buttons. Like the ladies’ one, it’s 100% merino wool. So soft and warm, and It comes in a nice deep charcoal colour and looks great dressed up or down.
For the little ones in your life I cannot resist this isn’t it gorgeous? A lovely hooded jumper in Merino wool with buttons on the side so damn cute.
Irish Caps
The first thing my hubs bought when we got to Ireland was an Irish hat. Now there are two types of flat caps here. Here he is wearing it in Paris.
The first is the kind of flat cap you see in the TV show Peaky Blinders it’s a softer cap with a bill that the top of the hat snaps to as seen here. This Biddy Murphy one is a true Donegal tweed cap that comes in 4 colours and has a nice warm quilted lining.
This green one is not as soft and squishy as the Peaky Blinders style but it’s a firm more shaped flat cap and the green is just perfect it’s also made from pure Donegal tweed.
Family Crests and coat of arms
If you’re looking to find family crests and coats of arms in Ireland, there are several options, both traditional and modern, to help you trace your family’s heraldic history or acquire personalized versions of your coat of arms.
Heraldic Shops and Souvenir Stores
Throughout Ireland, particularly in major cities like Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Kilkenny, heraldic shops and souvenir stores often offer family crests and coats of arms. In Dublin, places like Carroll’s Irish Gifts or The Irish House offer a range of family crest merchandise, from plaques and framed certificates to jewelry and clothing. These stores typically have access to large databases of Irish and Anglo-Norman surnames with their corresponding heraldic designs.
In addition, popular tourist destinations such as Bunratty Castle and Kilkenny Castle frequently have shops selling personalized items featuring family crests, allowing visitors to take home a piece of their heritage.
Celtic Jewelry the ultimate gift from Ireland
Claddagh Rings
Now, this is absolutely beautiful and really hard to resist. It’s called a wedding band but it is so beautiful I would wear it without the husband. It’s a women’s sterling silver Claddagh band and it’s irresistible. The best place to buy a Claddagh Ring is in Galway at The Claddagh a jewellery shop that specializes in Claddagh’s.
How should you wear your Claddagh ring:
If you’re not in a serious relationship, wear it on your right hand facing outward.
If you’re in a serious relationship, wear it on your right hand facing inward.
If you’re engaged, wear it on your left hand facing outward.
And finally, if you’re married, wear it on your left hand facing inward.
Tara Brooch
I love a brooch or a pin whatever you want to call it. I like to wear 5 or 6 on my jackets all together and I do love this Tara Brooch pin with Connemara Marble which is based on the Tara brooch, a famous and beautiful brooch for all occasions. It is a Celtic Cloak brooch from 700 AD and can be seen in the National Museum of Ireland. The Brooch wasn’t found at the Hill of Tara it was found in Bettystown on the beach.
Trinity Knot – Celtic Pendants and Celtic Crosses
Depicting the trinity and dating back to ancient times in Ireland the Trinity can signify: God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, or girl, mother and crone depending on your spiritual outlook I guess. These are beautiful gold Trinity Knot Earrings you can order online.
Sláinte! – Irish alcohol & food gifts
Irish whiskey is famous worldwide, but I bet you didn’t know that the Irish also distil some very fine Gin. You can purchase any of these fine whiskies or beers in most liquor shops throughout Ireland.
Traditional Irish Whiskey
The word “whiskey” comes from the first word in the Gaelic phrase “uisce beatha,” which means water of life, and of course in Ireland, you can taste and tour many a whiskey distillery.
Jameson: New Midleton Distillery in Cork produces Jameson and other local whiskeys. Jameson is a blend of low pot still and fine grain. A sweet and subtle whiskey with gentle notes of vanilla. You can order some here.
Bushmills: The world’s oldest distillery, in Northern Ireland, produces a blend of lighter grain and malt whiskey. A smooth warming taste that is sweet with floral aromatics – a must-try.
Tullamore Dew: Founded in 1829 in the town of Tullamore, located between Dublin and Galway.
My favourite Irish pantry staples
These are just a few of my favourite Irish pantry staples. I cannot go without my Barry’s tea and the Ballymaloe relish goes on everything.
Barry’s Irish Tea Assortment Gold 40ct & Irish Breakfast 40ct (80 count total) Imported from Ireland. The perfect cuppa.
Tayto’s crisps: Tayto Cheese and Onion flavour crisps from Ireland (24x25g Packs). The only way to make a chip buttie is with Tayto’s. Ireland favourite snack
Ballymaloe Original Sauce, 11 Ounce: I put that s**t on everything – remember that commercial for hot sauce well this relish literally goes with everything. I’ve had it on cheese sarnies, lamb roast, and cold meat platters just use your imagination. It’s gluten-free. It’s virtually fat-free and made from all-natural ingredients.
Irish Soda Bread: Brown or white it all tastes amazing. An easy to make bread you can find a recipe here.
Irish Boxty: Usually served with breakfast boxty is a sort of potato pancake also known as fadge in Northern Ireland. Why not buy a book of traditional Irish recipes?
Irish Chocolate: Cadbury’s is of course the most popular brand of chocolate and obviously available in virtually every corner shop or petrol station in Ireland. Cadbury is a British brand though. Order it through Amazon here.
Musical gifts from Ireland
Now onto more musical things. Everybody knows the Irish love a good trad music night and there’s nothing more trad than knowing the words to those ancient songs. Well here’s The Big Book of Irish Songs that you can’t pass by. It has over 70 songs with piano guitar and vocal arrangements. What a great way to learn all those old favourites before you hit the pub.
Fancy a traditional Irish Bodhran? This is a traditional 18″ in diameter Bodhran with a standard tipper and it can be ordered from Amazon and shipped all over the world.
How about learning the Tin Whistle? Easy to pick up and even easier to pack so when you come to Ireland you can bring it with you and have a play on one of those many trad music nights you attend. This comes with a CD and it’s in several different languages as well.
Irish gifts for your home
Irish turf
The aroma that sings of Ireland and the old peat bogs a smell that haunts you after your visit. Well, now you can bring it home but only in incense form.
Real Irish Turf is real miniature sods of turf from the bog in the heart of Ireland all packaged with a tiny Irish cottage. In Ireland, turf had a crucial role in being the only source of fuel available to most households. It burns with a distinctive aroma which wafts through the countryside even today!
Nowadays the bogs are being preserved as a precious resource but there are still many bogs where turf is cut in the traditional way. The bog is cut into sods and then stacked into piles and left to dry in the sun.
Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal is one of the most famous brands associated with Ireland but it is no longer (sadly) made in Ireland in fact it is fact made in Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany.
You can buy Waterford all over Ireland in many fine gift shops and museums all over Ireland.
Belleek China and Pottery
Belleek China is situated in the picturesque village of Belleek in County Fermanagh on the banks of the River Erne. Collected by mammies for years Belleek is an iconic Irish brand of fine china handcrafted for over 150 years.
Galway Crystal
Galway Crystal is renowned for its exquisite, high-quality crystal creations. Inspired by Ireland’s natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage, Galway Crystal is celebrated for its intricate designs, including fine glassware, tableware, and decorative items. Each piece is crafted with precision, often featuring traditional Celtic motifs or modern Irish aesthetics, making it a sought-after choice for gifts, special occasions, and collectors worldwide.
Irish signs, pictures and maps for the home
This is one of the finest and rarest old maps of Ireland, showing all of the original counties and provinces.
I adore these vintage travel in Ireland prints. These make for great memories of your trip to Ireland.
Or how about a vintage map of Ireland for your walls?
Irish gift books
Everybody needs A Massive Book Full of Feckin’ Irish Slang That’s Great Craic for Any Shower of Savages. With this, you will know exactly what everyone is saying when you hit the pub. The craic will be mighty and you will be able to insult the Irish in terms they will understand, and you will be able to translate what is being said about yourself.
This Stunning Ireland Photography Book by one of Ireland’s favourite photographers. Ireland a Luminous Beauty.
Ireland’s landscapes and scenery are stunning and this beautiful coffee table book is the perfect way to enjoy them and reflect back on your Irish memories.
Irish cookbooks you must get
Darina Allen is Ireland’s favourite chef; she founded and runs the Ballymaloe School of Cooking that every foodie worth their Himalayan Pink Salt knows. If you want to surprise one with a fabulous cookbook from Ireland Darina’s book Irish Traditional Cooking is the one to buy.
A passionate advocate for Irish food Darina Allen is one of Ireland’s most famous chefs. Founder of the Ballymaloe School of cookery. This edition of her best-selling cookbook contains 300 traditional dishes using Irish local ingredients. There are also 100 new recipes and all of Darina’s recipes are enhanced with great tips, historical insights, Irish customs, folklore and legends.
Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook
Choose from Bantry Bay mussels, Dublin Coddle, Kerry apple cakes, traditional fruity barmbrack — the Hallowe’en favourite — Guinness stew, Bailey’s cheesecake and of course the famous Irish Coffee. The book also contains related anecdotes, about the recipes, Irish folklore and legends. All the recipes include metric, imperial and US measurements.
In this book are dozens of technique photos illustrating some 200 essential kitchen prep tasks and all the measurements include metric, imperial and US. Each chapter has incredible photos (which I adore in a great cookbook) and there are chapters on drinks, finger foods, preserves as well as the usual meat, chicken and so on.
Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell have been involved in Ireland’s foodie scene for many years and in fact along with Darina can be credited with actually creating Irish food culture.
Brian McDermott grew up in Burt County Donegal and has built a reputation as a Chef by creating healthy tasty food based on traditional recipes and local produce. Whether it’s cooking freshly-caught mussels for the fishermen at Greencastle pier or sharing his skills with others at his cookery school, Brian loves to celebrate the best of his home county’s warmth and traditions.
Irish Country traditions pub fare to country classics
Everybody loves a pub in Ireland whether you are a drinker or not and Irish pubs serve some of the best-homecooked food in the country. This cookbook includes more than 125 Delicious recipes. From breakfast and homemade bread to stews and pub food, this awesome pub cookbook will take you on a tasty journey filled with timeless mouth-watering recipes and unforgettable feasts.
Irish Christmas Gifts
Are you a Department 56 collector? Then you won’t want to miss this piece. Christmas in the City Village Murphy’s Irish Pub Lit House the perfect new piece to join your collection and brighten up your Christmas scenes.
Just for fun who could resist some greatly tacky shamrock Xmas lights. Drape them over the Xmas tree or save them until St. Patrick’s Day it wouldn’t be Irish without some shamrocks.
You can’t go wrong with a Guinness bauble for your tree either.
Last but not least, I couldn’t resist this little figurine of an Irish step dancer, isn’t she cute? What a lovely way to decorate the tree.
So did you manage to find your unique gifts from Ireland? I hope you find something to enjoy your Irish memories for a long time to come or at least until you next come to Ireland. If you don’t manage to fit all your Irish gifts in your luggage most Irish shops will ship the items to your home address, and if you forget something well this handy gift guide will show you were to buy your Irish souvenirs when you get home – whose going to know?
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