Ireland is a country rich in heritage and culture, and is well known for its Celtic history, music, and time-honored clothing. Discover the importance of Irish cultural artifacts here.
From aran sweaters to claddagh rings, many of the patterns and designs used in traditional Irish clothing and jewelry have hidden symbolism and can be traced to intriguing Irish stories and legends.
Table of Contents
Irish Cultural Artifacts - A Reveiw
In this info-graphic you will learn about the origins of some of the most well-known Irish cultural artifacts, how they were made in the past, and how these traditional crafts continue to this very day. The origins of Irish claddagh rings and tin whistles are also explored.
Here's a wonderful informational graphic from Murphy of Ireland, illustrating the origins of these Irish cultural treasures......
Many thanks to Murphy of Ireland for submitting this wonderful infographic. You might be interested in learning more about Murphy's Law and the origins of this saying associated with Ireland.
Exploring Symbols of Ireland
There are many cultural artifacts that are considered to be symbols of Ireland and an integral part of Irish culture. Here, in the Irish American Mom community, we love to explore the icons and emblems that remind us of our homeland.
Here are some of my favorites...
The Irish Harp: A Tale of Ireland’s National Emblem
The Thatched Cottage As A Symbol Of Ireland
Everything You Should Know About The Book of Kells
The National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street in Dublin is home to some of Ireland's most treasured artifacts. There you'll find some of Ireland's gold and Viking treasures.
It is home to the Ardagh Chalice, which was found by two school boys in 1868 and dates back to the 8th century and the time of the early Irish church. This ornate chalice survived the tumultuous Viking age in Ireland.
This museum is also home to the Tara brooch and ancient bog bodies from over 2,000 years ago. Their prehistoric Ireland exhibit also features a hollowed out boat from thousands of years ago made from the trunk of an oak tree.
Early bronze age and iron age artifacts can also be seen, including pottery, Celtic designs (Celtic knots, or endless knots or mystic knots) for jewelry and ancient gold torcs.
The Claddagh ring and its history can be explored at the Galway County museum. It is Ireland's beloved symbol of love, friendship and loyalty.
Donegal tweed is another cultural artefact from Ireland that weavers continue to make to this very day. Craft weaving is a great skill, and this master crafts people display their work in their craft shops in County Donegal. The tweed industry was the main source of income for many families in this northern county in Ulster in years gone by.
I hope you enjoy exploring your Irish heritage through my recipes and ramblings about all things Irish. Thanks for following my blog.

Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Disclaimer: Irish American Mom does not have any business relationship with Murphy of Ireland. I really liked this info-graphic and the information it portrays, so I decided to share it with readers. I do not have an affiliate contract with this company. I hope you enjoy this image as much as I do, and thanks to Murphy of Ireland for creating it and promoting Irish crafts and small businesses.
Wise Old Words
- What is Murphy's Law?
- Irish Blessings And Sayings About Faith
- Irish Proverbs About Proverbs
- Irish Turf Giveaway
Gifts
- The Dog Who Lost His Bark By Eoin Colfer
- Introducing Captain Cillian Plus A Fun Irish Giveaway For Kids
- Christmas Gift Giving With An Irish Flair
- Irish Gifts For Her
brian@irelandfavorites
Hi Mairead, I could go on and on about the differences in Irish craft in all things, even as simple as a tin whistle. a product made by one manufacturer is a delight while another is a disaster. The business of selling Irish made product has drifted to online dealers as it's gotten harder and harder to maintain a bricks and mortar store and the costs associated while trying to sell to a niche customer base. The real problem arises in what exactly is Irish product, depending on the seller it can mean almost anything. I use to tell people about products they perceived as being Irish, were made on an island, just not the island of Ireland. The stickers with the "made in" were easy enough to peel off. I had one fellow come in with a waterford vase he purchased in the Shannon airport duty free to find out it had been manufactured in the Czech republic needless to say he was a bit upset.
Well now that that bit of venting has been done, the true Irish craftsmen and women are a special bunch. Hand knit Aran sweaters-true hanknits- like Condron knitwear of Dublin are hard to beat. Real Irish Crystal such as Heritage Irish Crystal in Bilberry Waterford is extraordinary, Nicholas Mosse pottery, Shandon caps of Cork or Hanna of Donegal are a couple of reputable companies. You do them a service by reminding people that craftsmanship and pride in ones skills still exist.
Cheers,
Brian.
Irish American Mom
Brian - I think the story of Waterford Crystal's outsourcing and eventual demise in Ireland is a tragic cultural loss for the Irish people. Real Irish crafts are beautiful and something we should all be proud of, as you so wonderfully point out. You fully understand this business and how it has evolved and changed and been exposed to unfortunate competition over the past few decades. I hope that in the coming years true Irish crafts will establish a greater share of the market and that our duty free shops will do a better job of supporting our artists.
Best wishes, and thanks so much for your insights.
Mairéad
Cheryl Barker
Mairead, I loved seeing the different examples of the sweaters. I think the Irish Moss stitch is my favorite. Looks especially cuddly 🙂
Irish American Mom
Cheryl - These stitches are amazing and part of our cultural heritage. Glad you like them.
All the best,
Mairéad
Donna Kelly
I make items of tatting. This old art came from the nuns in Cork county. In 1845, the potato crop failed and the poor people were eating grass. Those nuns brought out their needlework and sold the beautiful lace. They gave the money to the poor people. Once the lace was shown, the weavers copied their designs. Today, tatting is popular all over the world. I make tatted tiaras, ear rings, on note cards, and angel pins.
Irish American Mom
Hi Donna - it's lovely to know that the art of tatting continues to this very day in Florida, and that you are continuing to share your skills and artwork with others. I really enjoyed learning the history of tatting and how it helped to sustain lives during the famine. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Donna Kelly
I am grateful that I learned to tat. In Winter Garden, Florida, I teach and demonstrate the art of tatting.
Marty Gallagher
We are opening a new Irish Cultural Center in the Springfield Ma. area. We are looking for ideas that visitors would be interested in, for example a Indoor Hatch Roof Home , Top ten Professional Irish Boxers List/ poster, Old tools and equipment. ( Such as an old field plow) , mural scenes for walls list of famous Irish Artists( (Singers, Painters, Acters. Help us with some of your creative ides?
Irish American Mom
Hi Marty - Wishing you every success with your new venture. It sounds wonderful. You might consider including a list of famous mythological characters like Fionn MacCumhaill, Cuchulainn, Ferdia, Queen Maeve etc. You could also include famous castles, and ancient sites including dolmens and ring forts. There are just so many topics to include. You might also wish to look at each county and provide information on famous people who were born there, places to visit etc.
I hope these ideas are helpful.
All the best,
Mairéad