Irish Gifts

By Mairead Foley

Loads of Irish gifts are now on sale online and we don't just mean tourist-related merchandise, there is also a wide range of meticulously hand-crafted goods such as crystal, pottery, linen and glassware.

Crystal is always popular on any list of Irish gifts and you can choose from some superb craftsmanship produced by the factories of Waterford Crystal, Tyrone Crystal, Galway Crystal and Cavan Crystal to name but a few. From decanters to chandeliers, Irish crystal remains one of the top gifts from this part of the world.

Ireland has always been well known for its pottery crafts and ceramics. These have fulfilled the needs of anyone looking for Irish gifts at any time of the year. Obviously Belleek Pottery and Royal Tara China are really popular and other household names that have established themselves include Nicholas Mosse, Judy Greene, Louis Mulcahy, Bandon Pottery along with many others.

Both Belleek and Donegal Parian China produce a vast range of tableware that never fails to catch the eye of an eager shopper while the same can be said of the modern day designs of John Rocha's glassware. Also widely favoured as the perfect gift choice is the produce of Irish Dresden as its array of porcelain figurines.

The age-old quality of hand-woven Irish tweed has maintained its popularity with Magees of Donegal probably the best known of the lot. Tweed is usually used in men's clothing but it has been known to make it onto the rails of women's clothing shops and can range from overcoats and jackets to scarves, caps and even throws.

Other more gimmicky Irish gifts include grow your own shamrock kits, leprechaun costumes, Irish road signs, plaques, prints or tea towels while the Guinness brand merchandise is always a good choice for something with an Irish feel to it.

In fact, if you're visiting Ireland our top tip is to check out the Irish gifts in local shops and you may unearth a complete gem of a present!

Check out http://www.GoIreland.com for more articles on Irish All Things Irish

Mairead Foley writes for Ireland travel website GoIreland.com