uniqueirishgifts.com Blog

Why You Should Plan Trip To The Emerald Isle Of Ireland

2006-08-11T21:53-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Ireland is one of the most diverse and beautiful places in the world. With rolling hills and unique architecture, the landscape of the country is truly distinctive and memorable. The Irish people are renowned for their hospitality and traditions and you will totally enjoy immersing yourself in their culture.

Ireland has no shortage of beautiful scenery such as the Cliffs of Moher that rise nearly 600 feet from the Atlantic Ocean affording expansive views. People don't think about Ireland having pretty beaches but they do. All of the nicer ones are in the Southwest of the country. If you like beaches, try Barleycove in West Cork, it's a big beach with dunes and pretty water.

Of course the Emerald Isle is famous for the pubs that are all over the place as well and after hanging out at a few of them you will have a hard time finding any that can match them. Do your research before you go and have a list that you want to visit, it doesn't matter what part of the country you stay in there will be plenty to choose from.

The music of the country is another reason people love to visit, you will hear plenty of traditional Irish music at the pubs with many of them having live music nightly. The town of Cork hosts the Cork Jazz Festival which is always a fun time filled with food and music.

Of course the things that many people think about when thinking of Ireland are the castles, which there are many of. If you like, you can even arrange to stay at some of the castles as they have been renovated for such use. The Blarney Castle is the home of the world famous Blarney Stone and is always a favorite with tourists as is the Dublin Castle, which you will definitely want to see while you are there. One of the favorite castles to stay at is the Ashford Castle in Mayo on the west coast of the country. It has been renovated to include a resort with many dining rooms, unique activities and even a health spa. By the way, if you are into spas, try out the Samas Spa at the Park Hotel in Kenmare.

Don't be a stick in the mud while you are visiting the beautiful country, get out and enjoy the area and take advantage of activities like horseback riding or golf. The golf courses in Ireland are some of the most beautiful in the entire world. If you are a golfer you must golf while in Ireland, your friends would never let you live it down if you didn't.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about Ireland and Irish Gifts at http://www.uniqueirishgifts.com

What You Never Knew About Traditional Irish Weddings

2006-08-11T21:49-04:00

by Gregg Hall

The distinctive traditions like Claddagh rings, superstitions, a special toast, as well as kilts and bagpipes make it really easy to distinguish an Irish wedding from the wedding celebrations of other countries. Let's take a close look at some of these unique components in the Irish wedding.

One of the most unique of all is the Claddagh ring, a traditional Irish ring made to resemble a pair of hands holding a heart with a crown. According to tradition, these rings must be passed down from mother to daughter and since they are intended to be passed down through many generations it is considered improper to purchase one of these rings on your own. There is also a tradition that states how the ring is supposed to be worn. If someone is engaged, the ring is to be worn with the tips of the crown facing outward towards the fingertips. Someone who is not romantically involved would wear the ring in the outward position, meaning that the tips of the crown are pointing to the wrist.

Some of the other unique aspects of traditional Irish weddings are the strange superstitions that surround them. Although a rainy or overcast day is really unwanted at any wedding, it is even less desirable at an Irish celebration because according to tradition the sun must shine down on the bride so that the couple will be blessed with good luck. The Irish are very superstitious people; another sign of good luck for a new couple is the sound of a cuckoo or the sight of three magpies. When it comes to wishing the couple well and congratulating them it is bad luck for a female to be the first one to offer congratulations to the bride. This is why a relative or close friend of the Groom will always be sure that he is first.

No celebration in Ireland would be the same without the sound of bagpipes and the presence of kilts. By tradition it is customary for the pipes to be played by family and friends of the couple as they walk into the church and also to the reception. In addition, these people who have brought their own bagpipes may also continue to play the pipes for dancing. It is a great opportunity for these individuals to dress in traditional kilts creating a truly distinctive occasion.

Superstitions a play a large role in a traditional Irish wedding and many of the traditional superstitions relate to objects or occurrences that are thought to bring the couple good luck. These events are festive celebrations that involve family, friends, lots of food and great music.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about Ireland and Irish Gifts Online at http://www.uniqueirishgifts.com

What Ireland Is Known For By Most

2006-03-13T09:10-05:00

Ask anyone what they think of when they think of Ireland and they will probably tell you leprechauns, shamrocks, or St. Patrick’s Day. Ireland actually has a lot more to offer not the least of which is some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet from rolling hills to beautiful beaches with crystal blue-green water. But let’s take a look at the fun stuff.

Leprechauns are very small sprites said to be about a foot tall who sometimes live in farmhouses or wine cellars. They are known to aid humans and perform small labors for them. Sometimes they ask humans for supplies and furniture, for which in return they give objects which bring luck and fortune. Leprechauns are called fairy cobblers, for they make shoes for elves (but always one shoe, never a pair). They are seen quite often by humans and are described as merry little fellows gaily dressed in old-fashioned clothes; green, with a red cap, leather apron, and buckled shoes.

When they finish their daily tasks, leprechauns like to organize wild feast, during which time they are referred to as cluricauns. These (often drunk) cluricauns can then be seen riding in moonlight on the back of a dog or a sheep.

According to popular belief, a leprechaun possesses a treasure (usually a pot of gold) which a human may obtain if he succeeds in capturing one, which is extremely difficult. Even after capture, a person may not take his eyes off of him for an instant, for then he will vanish. Leprechauns are mainly found in Irish folklore.

As far as the Shamrock goes, the first known written reference is from 1571 where it was worn on the lapel on the Saint’s feast day. It was also used as an emblem by the Irish Volunteers during the era of Grattan’s Parliament in the late 1700’s. The act of wearing the shamrock was considered to be an act of rebellion and during Queen Victoria’s time Irish regiments were forbidden to wear it. Today, on St. Patrick’s Day, a member of the British Royal Family presents Shamrock to the Irish Guards regiment of the British Army.

As for me I like St. Patrick’s Day, the celebration of the Irish Patron Saint who reputedly drove snakes from Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day has become popular all over the globe and especially in the U.S. where it started being celebrated in 1737 in Boston. Why do I like it? It’s a good excuse to take the day off and go to McGuire’s Irish Pub in Pensacola where they have one of the largest celebrations anywhere and we can drink green beer all day long.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For a great selection of Irish Gifts go to http://www.uniqueirishgifts.com

A Look At St. Patrick

2006-03-08T08:55-05:00

According to Irish lore regarding St. Patrick he was actually born in Wales around 385 A.D. and given the name Maewyn. As a youth he was far from being a saint and actually considered himself to be a pagan. Around the age of 16 he was kidnapped by pirates who raided his village and sold into slavery in Ireland where he was forced to work as a shepherd. It was during his captivity of about 6 years that he became closer to God.

It is said that he had a vision that directed him to a ship which allowed him to escape to France where he then studied to be a priest under St. Germain, the bishop of Auxerre for about twelve years. During this time he felt his calling was to bring pagans to Christianity.

Patrick, as he was now called desired to fulfill his calling by going back to Ireland to convert the pagans there to Christianity but he was overlooked by his superiors of the church who sent St. Palladius as the first bishop in Ireland. Two years later Palladius was sent to Scotland and Patrick got his wish and was made the second bishop to Ireland.

Patrick was so successful at converting converts that the Celtic Druids running the country has him arrested several times, but every time he escaped. He set up schools, churches, and monasteries all over Ireland to help him to bring the native populace to Christianity.

One of the things that Patrick is aid to have done was to use the three leaf clover to teach people the concept of the Holy Trinity. It has also been said that he raised people from the dead, which of course was never substantiated.

One of the biggest legends surrounding Patrick was that he drove snakes from Ireland though biologists tell us that there never were snakes in Ireland. He is also said to have exiled a dragon to an Irish Lake until Judgment Day, though it is not known which lake this was supposed to be.

In Ireland, March 17, believed to be either the Patrick's birthday or his death day, is a time to celebrate the life of the beloved patron saint.

In the United States, St. Paddy's Day has little religious or historical significance. Established in Boston in 1737, it is essentially a time to put on a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" button, and parade drunken through the streets singing a mangled version of "Danny Boy" in celebration of one's real or imagined Irish ancestry.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get authentic Irish Gifts at http://www.uniqueirishgifts.com

An Overview Of Irish Gifts

2006-02-14T10:14-05:00

Today many people are turning to shopping for Irish products to find artistic and meaningful gifts. Many Irish products use special Celtic designs that date back over 5,000 years. Each of these traditional Irish designs has a special meaning or story attached to their creation. Because Irish designs are made to be so meaningful, Irish products make great gifts for special occasions.

When you are shopping for some Irish gifts, you must first consider your location and the type of product you wish to purchase. Some people prefer to visit Ireland to find Irish gifts. It may feel more authentic to purchase gifts directly from Ireland shops. Do not fret if you cannot afford to visit Ireland to purchase gifts. There are many other methods you can use and there are many Irish stores located all over the world.

The most convenient way for purchasing Irish gifts today is to use the Internet. Large numbers of web sites with an assortment of Irish gift shops are available online. You can view pictures of the products and order directly from most Irish shopping websites. The shipping costs may differ widely, depending on where you are located and where the Irish shop is located. You may order from a shop in Ireland and pay more for shipping, or you may order from an Irish shop that is closer to your location.

When you visit an Irish gift shop or website, you will notice a variety of Irish products that you can purchase. The most popular items seem to be jewelry, especially rings and necklaces. Irish jewelry is usually made from either gold or silver. Artwork and other display items are also popular Irish gifts.

Authentic Handmade Clay pipes presented in a high quality box with parchment history scroll are also very popular gifts. Maps of Ireland made from slate that has been salvaged from one of the fast disappearing derelict old cottage ruins dotted around Ireland. Craftsmen have spent many long hours selecting and restoring the most suitable pieces to finish these in the craft decoupage to make them a lasting and pleasing decoration.

The Celtic Cross, like the Shamrock and Harp, is symbolic of Ireland and its Celtic heritage. Though used by early Christian monks (600 A.D.) to mark the limits of an ecclesiastical enclosure, around 800 A.D. its primary use was a visual one in the propagation of Christianity. It was in the period 800 A.D. that the Celtic Cross with a circle surrounding the vertical and horizontal bars was popularized. The now familiar ring added to the simple Latin Cross and interlacing similar to those in the Book of Kells, Durrow and other such manuscripts of the period began to appear on the Crosses as also episodes recorded in the Gospels resulting with the Celtic Cross sometimes being referred to as a Scripture Cross.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For a great selection go to http://www.uniqueirishgifts.com/