Celtic engagement rings - Celtic wedding rings

On a recent visit to the National Museum of Ireland, at Collins Barracks , I discovered an exhibition with a high presentation quality.  The name of the exhibition was The Way We Wore, which focuses on the clothing that was worn over the past 250 years in Ireland.  The featured clothing was beautifully presented behind large curved glass displays.  There was also a special feature on jewellery.
 

The exhibition illustrates how Ireland’s clothing and textile industries competed on the world market and how Irish accessory industries, such as stockings, were famous across Europe and the world for their high quality.  Many people still think of ‘Irish Dress’ in the context of woollens worn in the West of Ireland.  However, this exhibition shows that the majority of Irish people dressed in styles which competed with the fashion conscious of Europe.
  

Textiles were produced in a number of different ways, either by individuals working at home producing wool and linen, weavers working under the control of their Trade Guild or workers, including children, working in factories producing wool, linen, poplin and cotton.  Tailors, seamstresses and dressmakers then turned those textiles into clothes.  Their jobs would eventually be almost eliminated by mass production and ready-made clothes.
 

 Ireland’s accessory industries, including products such as periwigs and fans but in particular, shoes, gloves and stockings were renowned for their high quality.  Middle-class Irish women in the 19^th century excelled in making clothing accessories, including bags, purses and stockings at home.  Embroidery was seen as an appropriate domestic pastime, but for many it was a source of income.

Ian 
        

Being a brand means so much more that having a well known name.  Being recognised in your own business world and at consumer level is a sign that your dedicated hard work has shown positive results.  But as always getting there is only half the work, staying there is sometimes even more difficult.
 

The first requirement to establishing a demand for your brand is to convince the retailer to buy and display your product.  Quality and price are very important criteria.  The perception of your company as a corporation with high standards is a prerequisite.  Brands can be created and destroyed on their reputation including ‘word of mouth’
 

The support for your brand is ongoing.  Display, brochures, speakers, boxing, pamphlets and special occasion materials are some of the enhancements used to reinforce the brand.  Depending on your budget you can also advertise in the various media at strategic times of the year.  You must use your logo everywhere possible to get the consumer familiar with your range and having bought one piece hopefully coming back for more.
 

Patrick, as a young lad of sixteen years was captured by an Irish band of raiders, Kinsmen of Niall of the nine hostages near Bologna in Gaul and taken with many others to slavery in Ireland.  He was first brought to Mayo, but later sold to an Antrim farmer and he spent six years in captivity as a shepherd on Slemish Mountain.  One cold winters night while Patrick slept, he heard a voice telling him “it is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country” and a short time later a voice said to him “look your ship is ready”.
 

The spirit guided St Patrick to the south of Ireland near Wicklow where he boarded a ship with a cargo of dogs bound for Gaul.  At this time an invasion of Gaul had left much of it desolate.  Patrick and the crew of the boat wandered for 28 days until all food had run out.  Patrick said to the crew “turn to God and he will provide” and suddenly a heard of pigs appeared and they had food once more.  Patrick had performed his first miracle.
 

For a number of years Patrick wandered through Gaul.  Conscious of his lack of formal training in theology and law he spent his time talking to and learning from the wise deacons and bishops and soon he himself was made bishop in Rome.  He was lonely in Gaul so he went to visit his relations in Britain.  While he was there he had another vision in which a man arrived from Ireland with many letters and one was for himself.  The letter said “we ask you boy to come and walk once more amongst us”.  Patrick was delighted and went immediately.
 

The people of Ireland were pagans under the influence of the Druids and they worshiped idols and the Devil.  Patrick had first to rid the country of these “magicians” and this is symbolised by the banishing of the snakes forever from Ireland.  He now set about converting the people to Christianity.  His deep faith and belief in the blessed Trinity made this doctrine a centre piece of his instruction.  To help explain the mystery he used the simple 3 leaf shamrock to illustrate 3 persons in one God.  St Patrick died in 461.  By this time he had created an established structured church throughout the country.  His converts were across the entire social classes from Princes to Slaves and many of his priests and deacons were from the youth of Ireland.  He is still to this day the most famous figure in Irish history and is one of the best known figures throughout the Christian world.
  Watch the St Patricks Day Parade Live on the Streets of Dublin

http://www.rte.ie/stpatricks_07/video.html

12.20 pm Irish time, 7.20am Eastern time or 4.20am Western.              

Ireland and Scotland played the second last round of matches in the 6 nation’s rugby tournament this past weekend.  At stake was the Triple Crown, which only Ireland could have won due to the fact Scotland had already lost to England.  The Triple Crown includes Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.  France and Italy are excluded.
 

Ireland had a powerful start full of control and going forward repeatedly.  However they failed to convert their dominance into points.  This gave Scotland some belief and after 20 minutes they reversed the dominance by showing some attacking play.  The first half finished with a couple of penalty points a piece.
 

At the start of the second half a slow clearance by the Scottish outhalf allowed Ronan O Gara to block down the ball and after a series of support play passes he went over the line for the only try of the match.  Scotland came back again when their prolific kicker and captain Patterson capitalised on Irelands errors by kicking the ball over the posts.
 

Finally Ireland finished off the match with two more penalty kicks by O’Gara, however the match finished in controversy when O’Gara was chocked on the neck by a Scottish player till he went blue and passed out.  He had to be revived by a fellow player John Hayes.  Ireland won the Triple Crown for the third time in 4 years.  

                                                         Six Nations

The Assay office in Dublin has been in existence since 1637 some 370 years ago.  It is organised and run by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths of Dublin who are representatives of the jewelry trade in Ireland. The function of the Assay office is to ensure that the various gold, silver and platinum alloys measure up to declared standards. Example, 18kt gold should contain 750 parts pure gold per 1000 parts i.e.75% pure.

Each manufacturer and wholesaler is obliged by law to submit all his products to the assay office for testing. If the standards are not met the product will be destroyed or marked with a lower carat stamp i.e.  13.5 can only be marked as 10kt.
 
This stringent adherence to high standards ensures that the consumer is given maximum protection.  So when you purchase a Celtic diamond ring, a Celtic wedding ring, a Celtic pendant or Celtic earrings from the Shanore range you can be assured that you have the genuine article. 

Please view the Assay office chart below to see the hallmarkings.

Frank Maher

Shanore is proud to announce the 2007 Wedding and gift Collection Brochure. This years theme is based on “Reflections” . The inspiration for “Reflections” came from the picturesque landscape of Ireland’s countryside and architectural buildings in Ireland’s cities, counties and towns. 

The brochure features new and existing Celtic wedding rings, Celtic engagement rings, Claddagh wedding rings, and Claddagh engagement rings. The other titles that we have featured are “Diamond Claddagh and Celtic Rings”, “Eternity and Anniversary Rings”, “Claddagh and Celtic Crosses” and “Trinity”. 

In the gifts section we have a stunning pearl collection, which we have simply named “Celtic pearl”. We have also added a splash of colour to our gifts section this year, which we have titled “Celtic Colour”.

Our final collection is “Celtic swing”. These amazing pieces have a swinging movement and are very easy on the eye.  We at Shanore hope that this year’s brochure will support you in generating new business. We will commence shipping the brochure the week beginning March 12^th. 

Shane Maher