You can’t walk a mile anywhere in Ireland without coming across a Celtic store filled with never-ending displays of souvenirs.
Leprechaun dolls, tweed hats, shamrock t-shirts and the like, these items might serve you well on St. Patrick’s Day, but none of them can accurately represent what it’s really like to live in Ireland.
So if you’re the kind of traveller who likes to forgo silly trinkets and are looking to bring some truly creative Irish souvenirs back to your homeland, look for these authentically Irish things as you collect your favourite Irish gifts.
- Irish Fairy Door
Ireland is best known for its myths and legends, and some of its most notable tales include the mystical Irish fairy.
It is then no surprise that nearly everyone in Ireland has an Irish fairy door. These doors are said to serve as a portal between the fairy world and our own and are sure to liven up any house or garden. You can buy a fairy door practically anywhere in Ireland, from bookstore chains to local markets.
- Claddagh Ring
Possibly the most authentic and sought-after souvenir in Ireland, the Claddagh Ring is a traditional Irish ring that originated in the small fishing village of Claddagh in Galway.
The design of the Claddagh Ring shows a heart held by two hands, with a crown resting upon it. “The hands are for friendship, the heart is for love, and loyalty is shown with the crown up above.”
How you wear the Claddagh Ring is very important in Irish culture, so learn all you need to know before you take one home.
- Aran Wool Sweaters
The Aran Wool Sweater holds strong historical significance in Ireland with its precise stitching possessing a wealth of knowledge about Irish clans and their identities.
Fighting against water and the cold, both fishermen and farmers claim the Aran Wool Sweater to be the most effective article of clothing when braving the Irish weather, and is also a fashionable choice to give as an Irish gift.
Photo source: Aran Sweater Market
- Avoca Handweavers
Officially known as Ireland’s oldest business, as well as being its oldest working woolen mill, Avoca Handweavers has a variety of Irish products, ranging from clothing and homeware to skincare and food!
While anything from this shop will make a suitable souvenir, you really can’t get any more Irish than with their signature, coloured wool throw.
- Irish Tea
If Ireland had a national drink, it would most certainly be tea.
Consumed here more than anywhere else on the planet, only Ireland knows how to brew the perfect cuppa and the brand all Irish are reaching for is Barry’s Tea (although Lyons and Thompson’s are both worth a mention!). Founded in 1901, Barry’s Tea is a family-run business which cemented its expertise in tea when it won the Empire Cup of tea blending in 1934.
Whatever brand you choose, be sure you serve it scalding hot if you want to have a proper Irish tea!
- Guinness
When they aren’t drinking tea, you can be sure to find the Irish with a pint of the black stuff in their hands. But anyone who knows Guinness knows it doesn’t travel well, which makes packing it in your suitcase a fruitless task.
You can still honour this staple in Irish history by picking up some Guinness merchandise or by stopping at the Guinness Storehouse to learn how to pour a proper stout, taking home a certificate to prove your talents.
- Irish Whiskey, Mead or Poitín
If your heart is set on bringing back the best distilled liquors of Ireland, whiskey is the obvious choice and Jameson, Bushmills, Tullamore Dew and Paddy are the way to go.
But if you’re looking for something that packs a heavier punch, see if you have the luck of the Irish when you try Ireland’s Mead and Poitín. But be warned! Poitín might be just a little too much for a non-Irish liver to handle!
- Irish Food
Irish food is incomparable and there just isn’t enough room in one suitcase to bring it all home (unless you carry it on your waistline!). The next best thing is to pick up a traditional Irish cookbook, so you can learn to make these savoury dishes in your own kitchen.
But if you’d prefer to have food made directly in Ireland, the best souvenirs include Soda Bread, Butlers Chocolates, Tayto Crisps and Kerrygold Irish Butter.
- Newbridge Silverware
Known for its impeccable taste and style, Newbridge Silverware is Ireland’s best designer of jewellery, homeware and giftware products. The top recommendation for Irish souvenirs is one of their many stunning Christmas ornaments.
And if you shop at the main store in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, you can check out the Museum of Style Icons, exhibiting clothes and artifacts from famous icons such as Princess Diana and Audrey Hepburn.
- Waterford Crystal
This luxury manufacturer is best known for its flint glass, having had nearly 200 years to perfect the craft. Waterford Crystal is world-renowned for its fine glasswork, as you’ve no doubt seen some of their crystals in famous buildings and artifacts including the chandeliers of Westminster Abbey and the New Year’s Eve Ball that is dropped in Times Square each year.
- Gaelic Gear
One of the most unique things about Irish life is their Gaelic sports, with the most popular being Gaelic Football and Hurling.
You can pick up a jersey from your favourite county or province while catching a game in Croke Park, as well as in many sporting goods stores across Ireland. Or you can kick things up a notch and purchase a hurley and sliotar, and see whether you possess a hidden talent for Hurling.
- Penneys
A trip to Ireland just wouldn’t be complete without a shopping spree at Penneys. Also known as Primark outside of Ireland, this is the place to shop if you love both fashion and keeping money in the bank!
While these items may not scream “Ireland,” you can guarantee every Irish man or woman is sporting something they bought at Penneys. So if you want to bring home a piece of Irish life, this is as real as it gets.
- Pottery
First brought to Ireland by Neolithic settlers, hand-crafted pottery is an Irish speciality, and you can find many workshops across the Emerald Isle.
You can visit “the godfather of Irish craft,” Louis Mulcahy, in the west, Stephen Pearce in the south, Derek Wilson in the north, and Ruth Power in the east, as well as many others across the country. You’re guaranteed to find the right piece that perfectly expresses Ireland’s natural beauty.
- Turf (peat)
Turf is dried peat found in the bogs of Ireland and has served as a fuel source for Irish people for thousands of years.
Today, you can find turf fashioned into many great souvenirs, from jewellery to candles. And of course, you can always bring back a few pieces of turf as is to add to your burning fireplace.
Photo Source: Dreaming Place Project
- Celtic Instruments
There is nothing like the lilt of traditional Irish music, and it’s certainly one of the strongest connections to Ireland by far.
While my fellow North Americans won’t find much use in buying Irish music CDs (European CDs are incompatible to North American devices), you can always pick up a musical instrument to keep the good times rolling, including the Celtic harp, whistle, fiddle or bodhrán.