We are a proud country with a rich history of producing quality jewelry, craft and design. Our Celtic past has been the inspiration to many of our designs. These designs have reached the homes of so many millions of people abroad, especially in the United States. This week, we give you a short history of one of the main reasons for Irish presence in the United States of America.
If you visit the capital city of Ireland, Dublin, you may witness the famine memorial on the bank of the river Liffey. We have taken to the streets ourselves to give you a short glimpse of what this memorial looks like.
The potato famine in Ireland caused so many deaths among families. Ireland at that time depended so highly on the potato for their main meals on a daily basis. Many ate them for breakfast, dinner and supper. When the disease of the crop set in, there was no cure for families but to die, or to set sail for a land that promised hope and survival. America was the country that the Irish reached out too. The young and able were the first to leave their family homes, if they had enough money, and take whatever they had on their back and sail on small ships to America. It was in Dublin that many made their way to the port.
Once they set sail, their next challenge was to stay alive until they could reach Ellis Island in New York. Their challenge there was to look healthy enough to be passed through immigration. Those who did, had to start all over, and many perished on the streets. Those who managed to survive, began a new journey. The journey of growth in a country filled with opportunity.
Our ethos in Gifts of Ireland, our promise to our customers, is to continue to build on the appreciation you all have of Irish craft and design. We understand how deeply and uniquely connected our country is to so many people abroad, to those who have Irish connections, and to those who simply appreciate the effort we put into providing you the opportunity to wear or experience symbols of our rich past and present.
