Experiences and gifts from Ireland

 

Do you have an Irish fan on your shopping list this holiday season? Or maybe it’s you who is in love with Ireland. Perhaps you made a trip and forgot to pick up an Irish gift for yourself. Alternatively, maybe you just want to share your love of Ireland with some unique 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. I have decided from here on in if it is something, I am going to dither over then it’s something worth buying. If I pick up a piece and think pretty but put it down and move on I know it’s not for me. This is my little Irish Gift Shop, it’s all the things I wish I had bought but didn’t the first few times I went to Ireland.

These days I am much luckier I actually get to live here so it’s all good and I can indulge my love of Celtic gifts all the time. How lucky can a girl get? So in case you want to share the Celtic gift love here is…my Irish Gifts Shop and Guide.

Irish Gift Experiences from Tinggly

I have recently heard of this amazing gift-giving experience called Tinggly and I have to admit to being a bit slow but it took me a moment to understand the concept. When I got it I thought it was a brilliant idea. Imagine not having to think about what to give someone – simply gift them with a gift box  – and they get to choose the experience, amazing!

So the way it works is this. They like to say “give stories not stuff”. So you head to their website and you will see a series of Tinggly Gift Boxes. You get to choose from a huge selection suitable for everyone and anyone on your gift list. There are Bucket List Gifts, Happy Birthday, Time Together, Dream Weddings, Best Balloon Rides, and many more there is a brilliant selection of gift boxes.

Once you have purchased your choice of gift boxes you then gift that to the person on your gift list. They can then go online to Tinggly and choose their very own personalized experience. 

If they are visiting Ireland, for example, they can click on the Experiences map and look at the choices from Ireland. These do change but currently, they can choose from an Arran Islands and Galway Rail Tour from Dublin, or how about a Jameson and Guinness tour and tasting?

There’s a Helicopter ride over Derry in Northern Ireland or a Connemara Wild Atlantic Way Sea Kaying Adventure for Two, there’s a Dingle Bay Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour or a Dingle Bay Speedboat Tour. 

Do you see what I mean? These are definitely stories, not stuff.  I can’t think of a better gift idea for travellers. Tinggly’s menu of choices covers literally hundreds of incredible experiences in over 100 countries. No-one will ever return this gift for a refund. Not only do they cover all kinds of experiences the person who receives the gift box has 24 months to choose their experience. 

There are currently 28 different gift boxes to choose from, each with its unique array of excursions. The gift box only takes 1-2 business days to arrive or you can choose to have a Tinggly e-voucher emailed to you instantly. 

For your traveller friend or family member who wants to visit Europe, there is a curated collection of experiences that include a Greek Island Tour, Gelato Making in Verona, A Globe Theatre Shakespearean experience in London, or how about a Game of Thrones experience in Croatia?

Or if that doesn’t appeal there’s a gift box called 2 days in 100 Capitals which allows you to buy the absolutely perfect one-night getaway as a gift for a traveller. They get to choose their hotel and it comes with breakfast in any of over 100 cities right across the world. 

I love a map and this 1930’s map of Ireland is a real treasure a rare vintage print it makes the perfect gift for your Irish family.

Pog Moin Thoin Doormat, a little bit of craic for those that don’t speak “Irish”.

Gifts from Ireland 

For the soda bread baker, this lovely dish comes complete with a really good soda bread recipe and it’s pretty enough to put right on the table for your guests. 

 

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 this I cannot resist isn’t it gorgeous. A lovely hooded jumper in Merino wool with buttons on the side so damn cute.

For someone who loves a great scarf to dress up an outfit here is a beautiful Irish silk one with lovely shades of blue. Decorated with a fabulous Celtic knotwork print this makes a brilliant pressie.

Love a throw blanket? Then this lovely and warm Merino wool shamrock blanket will be just the ticket to keep you snug and warm this winter.

 

Here’s some classic Irish fare for you. From Bewley’s tea to fabulous Irish cheeses this gift basket will please everyone.

 

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 based 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. Made from gold and silver it contains amber and glass beads.

Here’s another Tara brooch this one is made with Connemara marble and it makes a lovely keepsake if you forgot to get yours when you visited.

 

Every woman wants a Claddagh ring and this is one of the nicest ones you can get. It’s 14k gold with a trinity band just gorgeous.

The first thing my hubs bought when we got to Ireland was a flat cap. Now there are two types of flat caps here. 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.

When I first went home to Ireland the gift I wanted to bring back to Canada was an Irish doorknocker, preferably a Claddagh one. This absolutely stunning Claddagh door knocker is made in Bronze with an antiqued finish so it’s a rich black colour.  It’s also quite large at 5″ x 5″.

 

Here’s something so Irish you just can’t turn it down, a subscription to Father Ted Ireland’s best-loved priest and his antics. You can watch it for free with a Prime subscription because you get 30 days free.

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.

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. 

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.

Here are a few smaller items that you just can’t do without when you leave Ireland. How about some Taytos crisps, a variety pack including the world-famous cheese and onion. 

 

Ireland’s favourite tea has always been Barry’s and it can be ordered from Amazon right here.

Remember when you stopped in that beautiful Avoca store for a tour of the ancient mill and the weaving rooms. Like me, you didn’t buy that soft as a down throw. and you left the shop glancing back thinking should I buy it shouldn’t I buy it and you bloody well didn’t. This is partly the reason I wrote this Irish gift guide, I wanted things that reminded me of Ireland and I do all this all the time I say no because I get cheap and then regret it later.

Yeah, me too so now 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.

Darina Allen is Ireland’s favourite chefs; 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.

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.

Last but certainly not least here are some truly original and inspiring Irish themed gifts from some incredibly talented Etsy folks. These are shipped from Canada and in many cases shipping is free.

This absolutely stunning Irish Ogham- divination card deck. Includes 20 vibrant, large cards (3.5″ x 5.75″) enclosed in a custom printed box with lid. The front of each card features a feda, its corresponding tree and a mineral mined in Irish soil.

Personalized Metal Monogram-Last Lucky Shamrock Irish Family Sign (Various Colours Available).,

I absolutely love this little Irish fairy charm bracelet. Absolutely dazzling, this showstopper piece of jewellery features a whimsical combination of fairies, pixies and Swarovski crystals which is handcrafted in Timeless Stainless Steel, Free from Tarnish. Lifetime Warranty.

 

Have you ever been to Ireland for Christmas?