If you’ve been telling your friends and family about how excited you are about your upcoming small-group tour in Ireland, don’t be surprised if they ask you to bring them back something nice! Our guests often ask us for gift ideas while in Ireland and we’re always happy to help.
At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice as our guides often don’t know the person at the receiving end. However, in this blog, we have listed a few items that are quintessentially Irish and should go down well… but we can’t make any promises!
Scroll down to get started on our picks! And if you have any questions for the Overland team, please just contact us for the information you need.
Pick Up a Beautiful Claddagh Ring in Galway
During our small-group tours in Ireland, we stop in Galway. Here, you can find an area called the Claddagh. This used to be a typical Irish fishing village just across the River Corrib. Here, a romantic story began over 300 years ago; legend has it that one of the fishing boats was captured by pirates and the people aboard were then sold as slaves. Richard Joyce was one of the captured crew who had married his wife just the week before. He was sold to a Turkish goldsmith.
During all his years away, he never forgot his beautiful wife and he made a dazzling golden ring for her. After many years, he was released and he returned to the Claddagh. He presented her with the ring and they lived ever happily ever after.
The ring has two hands, a crown, and a heart which expresses everlasting love and eternal friendship. If you wear it on the right hand with the crown turned inwards, it means you are looking for love. Worn on the same hand but outward shows a special commitment to someone. On the left hand and turned outwards means that you let your love and friendship reign forever, never to be separated.
Buy an Authentic Aran Sweater!
Some of our Ireland tours visit Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. These islands are world famous for their unique lunar landscape, preserved Irish language, the Red Bull Cliff diving championships, and, of course, the famous Aran Sweaters.
These sweaters were designed to provide the islands’ fishermen with the perfect protection. With the Wild Atlantic right on your doorstep, the conditions on the Island were (and still are) tough! What better than some premium-quality wool to keep you warm? The intricate stitching is not random but represents the different clans and has been passed on from generation to generation. Could this be the perfect gift after one of our small group tours of Ireland?
All this talk of gifts may make you wonder how to organize your suitcase! Be sure to read our blog What to Pack on a Trip to Ireland for some local tips and advice.
Grab a Souvenir Made from Bog Wood
Ireland is a unique travel destination for many reasons, but one you may not know about is that of our boglands. They are one of the great Irish landscapes! Among the best products coming from these lands are turf and peat. The boglands are an excellent preservative and many items have been found in excellent condition. Most remarkably are the bog bodies; naturally mummified bodies found in the bogs.
Of course, we would not recommend taking one of these home! But the bog wood was formed thousands of your ago as a forest was covered by peat, creating a chemical reaction. This changed the color of the wood, transforming it into a material that sculptors and other artists love working with. Some of the resulting items are unique and a great gift for folk back home.
Treat a Loved One to Some Celtic Jewellery
Celtic and Gaelic Ireland was the political and social order that existed in Ireland from the pre-historic times until the early 12th century, before the Norman invasion. The origins of this stunning jewelry date back between 2000 BC to around 550 AD. The style and craftsmanship involved may have progressed, but many pieces still have amazing details and are not too far away from the early days. This jewelry is a perfect gift idea and you can choose from Celtic rings, bracelets, and pendants.
Irish Whiskey is Always a Winner!
The word whiskey originates from the Gaelic word beatha, which means water of life. Irish whiskey was one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe around the 12th century. The number of distilleries was in decline for a long time due to all sorts of tax reasons and only a few of the bigger ones like Jameson survived.
Nowadays, however, there is a revival of sorts with small, excellent distilleries popping up all across the county. Many of our small group tours of Ireland visit Dingle, home to the Dingle distillery. Why not pick up a bottle as a gift for someone back home?
Check out our blog Best Things to Do on the Dingle Peninsula During Your Irish Tours for more travel inspiration in this wonderful town.
Don’t Miss Out on Our Small-Group Tours of Ireland!
We hope you found these Irish gift ideas inspiring. Do you think we missed any? If you haven’t confirmed your trip to the Emerald Isle yet, be sure to browse our small-group tours of Ireland. Our trips regularly sell out, so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment! If you have any pre-booking questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
