What to Buy in Ireland - the best Irish souvenirs to bring home
Magical, mystical Ireland, the land of the thousand welcomes, feeds the imagination and the soul, with its misty mountains, rugged landscape, glorious cliffs, lively towns and intriguing castles and ruins.
Not for nothing is Ireland called the land of a thousand welcomes and no matter where you go, you will always find a friendly hello or make some instant friends in a charming local pub.
You won’t want to leave, of course but when you do, what better way to bring a piece of Ireland back home with you than the perfect Irish souvenir.
From unique and handcrafted, tasty to toasty, or traditionally kitsch and cute, a keepsake memento from Ireland is a gift to treasure.
Whether you are looking for the best Irish gifts to wear, the best Irish food to bring home, the best gifts to share Irish wisdom or the best literary gifts, here are some of the best ideas and inspiration for what to buy in Ireland to bring home as a keepsake souvenir for yourself or a loved one.
The Best Irish Gifts to Wear:
Bringing home a souvenir that can be worn for years afterwards is like bringing home your very own cozy Irish hug. And luckily Ireland has some beautiful traditional items than will continue to bring you joy.
The Aran Jumper is well-known, iconic and practical. The tradition of this hand-crafted woollen jumper goes back centuries and originated on the Aran Islands, off the west coast. The main trade and sustenance on the islands was fishing and these thick woollen garments kept people warm and dry. Different clans developed distinctive patterns to their jumpers (which also helped identify individuals).
Nowadays, although you can still buy a purely traditional Aran sweater, there are plenty of more affordable (and less scratchy) versions available. These are machine-made but still provide a warm and practical, authentic Irish souvenir to wear for years to come. And it’s not just jumpers, you can buy beautiful Aran hats, scarves, cardigans or even belts.
Irish-made jewellery is some of the prettiest! The famous Claddagh Ring is probably the most well-known but there are also many Irish artisan jewellers who can provide you with a unique Irish gift to wear.
But it doesn’t have to be just clothing or jewellery. A cute broche, a scarf or handy bag. Ireland has a great variety of craftmen and women who make wonderful creations to wear.
Best Irish Gifts for the Home
Irish Linen is renowned for its craftsmanship and is a beautiful and practical gift to take home with you where it will grace your home for years to come.
Another timeless Irish classic to treasure is crystal. If you want to bring something a little bit special home, be it for yourself or as a gift, a beautiful piece of Irish crystal - Waterford Crystal or Galway Crystal are two well-known brands - is a wonderful choice. Be it a set of whiskey tumblers, a sparkling little bowl or a mantelpiece clock, the choice is fairly endless.
And then of course, you also can’t go wrong with a tea towel with a traditional Irish scene or saying printed on it - a fun and cheerful souvenir of Ireland!
Or how about an artistic set of coasters - a colourful and practical way to bring a memory of Ireland home.
Irish Bog Oak and Turf - Hidden in the vast Irish bogs for centuries, these materials were traditionally used for the fire - and still are - but are nowadays also crafted into beautiful sculptures and ornaments.
An Irish Blessing. Ireland has many wonderful sayings and blessings and they’re a lovely and thoughtful memento to bring home after your travels in Ireland, be they on a tea towel, a plaque, a card or perhaps in the form of a traditional St. Bridget’s Cross. These crosses are most often made from rushes or straw and were traditionally woven on February 1st and then hung from the rafters or over the front door of the house, to ward off evil and bring St. Bridget’s protection for the year.
Irish Food and Drink. In recent years, Ireland has, rightly, gained a reputation for some fantastic artisan foods as well as the quality of its restaurants. Share some of these experiences, by bringing some Irish cheese, artisan chocolate or fudge, soda bread or biscuits home.
And of course we can’t forget the likes of Guiness, or a nice bottle of Irish Whiskey!
And if you would like to try your hand yourself at making some traditional Irish food, make sure to bring home a cookbook with Irish recipies! The doyennes of Irish cookery books are Darina and Rachel Allan and any Irish bookstore will have a good selection of Irish cookery books for you to choose from.
The most important to take back with you from any trip of course are the memories, but having something tangible to remind you does help to keep those memories alive.
I do hope these suggestions have given you some ideas of of quality, long lasting and thoughtful souvenirs to bring home from that beautiful green island of Ireland.