Musings, ramblings and thought provoking articles from our team of talented writers - all views expressed are their own!
It’s hard to say how the love of the jewelry begins. A psychoanalyst could make a sound argument for the associations formed between necklace and mother or father (some dads wear chains!). And it’s almost iconic—the image of the toddler, held aloft in mom’s arms, necklace in teething mouth, drool droplets spattered about but as […]
Knots don’t always get much respect. Think about how we use the word. Don’t get your knickers in a knot. My stomach’s in knots. Not much good about knots in those phrases. But when you are talking about jewelry and design, Ireland wrote the book on knots, and the whole world wants to read it… […]
Have you ever noticed how often the number three features in all things Irish? Yes, we have 40 shades of green and the four ancient provinces of Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connaught are known as the four green fields, but three is much bigger than that. Three pops up again and again and again. The […]
A birthstone is different from a gemstone, right? George Frederick Kunz, author of The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, writes eloquently about this: “There can be no doubt that the owner of a ring or an ornament set with a natal stone is impressed with the idea of possessing something more intimately associated with his […]
We’ve just done the draw and the winner of the September giveaway is Amanda Moss. Congratulations, Amanda! You’ve won our Claddagh Silver Stone Set Ring: http://www.shanore.com/claddagh-silver-stone-set-ring—product-311.html. Thanks to everyone that took part this month. We’re already looking forward to a great October giveaway. Keep posted! Can’t get enough Claddagh? As if that’s possible? It seems there’s […]
Two hours ago, four hours ago, seven minutes ago—the news is trickling in: Seamus Heaney, dead. He was 74. Every week, we devote writing space to one or more pieces of jewelry, and then to the Irish culture. Another way of saying that, though, is to say we write about Irish culture, every time. From […]
There’s a reason Irish jewelry is so beautiful. Practice does make perfect, and we’ve been at this metalwork business a good few centuries now. Lots of people are curious about their roots, but what about the roots of their Claddagh ring or Triple Spiral pendant? They have some pretty amazing ancestors too, and they are […]
“Stand, watch, listen.” In one of the best examples—cinematic or otherwise—of complexity in the mundane, we have the glorious Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. In less than the time it takes to microwave popcorn, Streep’s character marshals together history and perspective into something that deflates pomposity and makes you feel […]
The more astute may have noticed that both the Irish government and a particularly popular purveyor of a brand of stout associated with this island both use a harp as a symbol. It isn’t the same harp, mind you, due to copyright laws, but these aren’t the only examples of the harp as a symbol […]
Every week we feature our jewelry. We also take a moment and write about something to do with Ireland. This week, well, the prevalence of online dating has all but wiped away an older form of courtship still existing today—in Ireland. What’s consistent in the chatter about the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival is that you need […]
