The countdown to Christmas has officially started and it’s time to start thinking about buying presents for our friends and family. Rather than buying from big American or UK based retailers that mass produce products, why not look closer to home in order to find the perfect gift for that special someone? There is such a vast variety of talent on this Emerald isle that it’s impossible not to find an amazing Christmas gift for a loved one that is of Irish origin. Small businesses nationwide provide unique and personal gifts that you simply wouldn’t be able to buy anywhere else. Shopping Irish means you’re not only treating your loved one to a thoughtful gift handcrafted by Irish creators, but you’re also helping a small business to flourish in the overwhelming market of online retail.
Supporting Irish businesses is so important, now more than ever, and that’s why we’ve made it even easier for you to shop Irish by creating this fabulous list of incredible gifts from Irish businesses. There is something here to suit every budget so you’re bound to find a gorgeous Irish gift that will make your loved one’s Christmas extra special.
THE PAMPER ME GIFT
Seabody Wave Skincare Gift Set (RRP €135)
Luxury skincare brand SEABODY is based in County Kerry, and is all about sustainable skincare straight from the ocean! If you’re looking for an Irish-based gift, we would recommend SEABODY’s Wave gift set. It contains their Glycan Enrich Moisturiser, which replenishes the skin, followed by their Beauty Supplement, which helps to support the growth of hair, skin and nails. The perfect gift for any skincare lover. Buy here.
Holos Super Natural Activity Set - Worth €161 Costs, €132
Irish-made Holos Skincare have five beautiful gift sets this holiday season with each one being a smart choice for vegan-friendly kinder skincare that is handmade in Ireland and free from gluten, alcohol, parabens and SLS. This gift set includes everything the lucky recipient will need for a serious routine for seriously good skin. It contains Super Natural Activity Micellar, Super Natural Activity AHA, Super Natural Activity Spritz, Super Natural Activity Triple and Love Your Skin facial towel. Buy here.
Daughters of Flower Mellonia Cleansing Set – RRP €40
From Ireland’s natural skincare brand, Daughters of Flowers, comes a selection of sustainable beauty buys this Christmas. Botanical beauty should not cost the earth, and this West Cork brand is proving that hand crafted, organic beauty can be affordable for everyone. The Daughters of Flowers collection includes sets and products for all budgets - whether you're looking for herbal hair rinses or floral-infused cleansers. This Mellonia Cleansing Set is infused over three moon cycles with wild yarrow, cottage roses and foraged linden flowers, Mellonia Cleansing Balm & Mask has been specially designed to deeply nourish your skin. The Mellonia Cleansing Set comes with a soft botanically dyed face cloth in their signature green drawstring bag. Buy here.
Reuzi Ruth’s Palm Free Unscented ‘Nourish’ Vegan Lip Balm- RRP €6
This all natural lip balm has been especially formulated by Ruth Palm Free to provide everyday care and protection to maintain your lips' natural softness and smoothness. Packed with organic almond and castor oils, perfect for those looking for deep moisturisation, especially during this cold weather. Buy here.
THE TREAT ME GIFT
Liwu Jewellery Christmas Gift Sets – RRP from €118
Liwu means ‘gift’ and Liwu Jewellery Christmas Gift Sets make a meaningful gift choice for loved ones at any time of year. Áine Breen’s fine jewellery is sustainably designed and made in Ireland in a choice of solid 9ct gold, gold plate or pure silver. Three-piece gift sets comprising earrings, a necklace and a bracelet, are available in the popular Triskele design, the Dara Knot, a Celtic Spiral or the Celtic Love Knot symbol. There are also two-piece necklace and matching earrings sets, with prices starting at €118, representing savings of 15-20% over the cost of buying the individual pieces. Each gift set is packaged with a meaning card, explaining the jewellery symbol and sentiment. Buy here.
Aoife Mullane Design, Navy & Gold Halo Band - RRP €65
Aoife Mullane, the inspired Irish designer has stunning hand-crafted pieces this Christmas. Her pop-up shop is now open in Dundrum Town Centre where you can find bespoke products including hairbands like this one, hand-crafted bags and luxe interiors making for gorgeous gifts. Buy here.
Crann’s Blas Sunglasses- RRP €69
A gorgeous pair of sunnies for when the sun decides to come out again or to add to any outfit as a stylish accessory. These turtle shell design sunglasses are made from 100% recycled and sustainable materials so you don’t have to worry about making a negative impact on the planet when you buy these. Crann’s deliveries are also carbon neutral, making these a great gift for your eco conscious loved one. Buy here.
THE WEAR ME GIFT
Rua Red Collection from Aran Woollen Mills – RRP various
The design-led capsule collection offers the ultimate in cosy, luxe clothing and accessories for men and women. Rua Red pays homage to classic Aran designs with a contemporary twist and features a unique new arrangement of classic stitches crafted by the Aran Woollen Mills’ in-house designer. Made using supersoft yarn, pieces feel velvety soft to the touch. The rich red colour of the Rua Red collection is dyed and spun especially for Aran Woollen Mills to their unique specifications. Drawing inspiration from the iconic red petticoats and skirts traditionally worn on the Aran Islands, bright scarlet red, rich burgundy and deep currant twist together in this supersoft Merino to give this yarn its depth of colour. The Rua Red Finlough Hat, €30, is a beanie style hat with a deep turn up for extra warmth while the Rua Red Leenane Oversized Scarf, €70, is versatile enough to be worn around the neck or over the shoulders. The Rua Red Tully Box Sweater, €125, offers a modern take on a classic design, and features a flattering oversized fit and on trend side slits. Buy here.
Lilymais Swimrobe – RRP €150
Circular fashion brand Lilymias has a wonderful colourful range of sustainable swimrobes this year. Handcrafted and expertly cut using recycled towels and vibrant end-of-line fabrics, as well as organic and recycled polyester threads, each robe is created maintaining the lowest possible carbon footprint. Each distinctive swimrobe is entirely unique from the bright colourways to the pattern on the hood. From tonal pieces to rainbow-brights, bold stripes and pastel tones a cosy swimrobe makes the perfect Christmas gift for the cold-water swimmer in your life. Buy here.
The Human Collective Comfy Crew – RRP €70
A beautifully soft and incredibly comfortable sweatshirt, the Comfy Crew is a perfect everyday essential. Available in 5 colourways - Forest Green, Indigo Melange, Grey Melange, Black and French Navy. Buy here.
“Fiona” linen shirt by The Linen Shirt Co. – RRP €175
The Linen Shirt Co. creates stunning ethically made garments using locally woven Irish linen in Kilkenny. With emphasised balloon and bell sleeves, as well as sophisticated double cuffs and contrasting elements, there is something for everyone in the family at Linen Shirt Company. Each item is designed with the vision to be dressed up or dressed down, simply swap out your favourite jeans for some slick cigarette pants in the evening or add a bold ballgown skirt to totally elevate your look. The “Fiona” shirt comes in white or navy and can be bought here.
The Sweater Shop 100% Irish Wool Slippers - RRP €33.90, now €24.95
These viral slippers have been selling like hotcakes so make sure to grab a pair for the perfect gift this Christmas when shopping on a budget. 100% Irish wool, suitable for all genders and available in a huge range of sizes, what’s not to love? The Sweater Shop’s full range of slippers is available to buy here.
THE READ ME GIFT
Wild and Wonderful by Éanna Ni Lamhna
Éanna Ni Lamhna’s new book would be a perfect gift for the adventure lover in your life. She explores the wonders of our wild world, from a safari in Tanzania to the cloud forests of Costa Rica, from rat-hunting in Canada to whale watching in New Zealand. She draws on her experience as a diver to tell of face-to-face encounters with fascinating fan worms, elusive sea hares and a murderous crab, and rings the alarm bells on the environmental challenges facing us. Éanna also recounts with cheerful relish the pitfalls and delights of being a broadcaster and a scientist. Buy here.
When I Was Your Age: Ireland’s Grandparents Share Memories and Wisdom by Valerie Cox- RRP €15.99
Includes interviews with Bertie Ahern, Mary Kennedy, Sean O’Rourke, Mary Coughlan and many others. In this nostalgic book, grandmother and chronicler of times past Valerie Cox talks to fellow grandparents, creating an unforgettable trip down memory lane. Through schooldays, dating, jiving, child-rearing, working life, taboos and dramas, memories are shared of a pre-digital age when the world seemed smaller and community life was central. Buy here.
Johnny Magory Oiche Nollag Adventure by Emma-Jane Leeson- RRP €9.99
Emma-Jane Leeson’s book makes the perfect gift for any child in your life. It tells the tale of Christmas Eve when Johnny, Lily-May and Ruairi help Santy because Donner catches the flu. The story follows the children through Phoenix Park, Dublin, trying to find the Lord Stag to help Santy deliver presents to the children of Ireland. The most Irish Christmas book out there can be purchased here.
An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: A Personal Journey of Rewilding by Eoghan Daltun- RRP €17.99
Eoghan Dultan’s life work is the temperate rainforest that flourishes on the Beara peninsula in West Cork. He had a vision to rewild a 73-acre farm he bought, moving there from Dublin with his family in 2009. An Irish Atlantic Rainforest is part memoir, part environmental treatise, as a wild forest bursts into life before our eyes, we're invited to consider the burning issues of our time: climate breakdown, ecological collapse, and why our very survival as a species requires that we urgently and radically transform our relationship with nature. Available to buy here.
On Every Tide: The Making and Remaking of the Irish World by Sean Connolly- RRP €15.99
Drawing on the latest ground-breaking research, and his own engagement with Irish identity, Sean Connolly reveals the forces that compelled millions of Irish men and women to abandon their homeland, and explores their new lives in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. What emerges is an Irish story, but also a chapter in world history. From the grim realities of Famine and social crisis, Sean Connolly takes the reader forward into the twentieth century, when Ireland became a receiver rather than an exporter of emigrants. On Every Tide plays directly into wider, contemporary debates about migration, as well as offering a unique and distinctive view of two hundred years of Irish history. Buy your copy here.
THE PRACTICAL GIFT
My Name is Ted The Magic Wallet- RRP €99
This handcrafted Italian leather and suede wallet features RFID protection for credit cards, seven card slots and a secret cash pocket. A wonderfully practical and fashionable wallet that comes in a wide variety of colours to suit that someone special in your life. You can buy My Name is Ted’s Christmas gifts here.
Kopper Kreation’s Floor Lamp No. 432- RRP €325
Floor lamp No. 432 in the Tesla collection has been designed as a real statement piece. It's a striking lamp that takes inspiration from the pulsing random arcs of lightning produced by the Tesla coil. The 5 kg cast iron base plate, salvaged from a barbell grounding, provides a discreet and sturdy base. The copper pipe used is salvaged from the heating and plumbing and renewable sector in Ireland and over 75% of the material used has been recycled. The clever design incorporates a dimmer switch and the exposed LED bulb to show its eight options. Buy here.
Crann Gallchno Watch – RRP €149
Crann, the Irish sustainable fashion brand, creates sunglasses and watches using 100% made with recycled and sustainable materials. They make the perfect gifts for a loved one this festive season. Crann takes stainless steel, PE plastic and wood that would have ended up in a landfill or in the ocean, breaks them down into workable materials and turns this waste into beautiful, handcrafted, fashionable sunglasses and watches. This Crann Gallchno would make a great gift this year and will also make a difference to a small Irish business. Buy here.
THE PERFECT HOME GIFT
Lavande Love Gift Box by House of EQ – RRP €30
A gorgeous gift box which includes a mini bouquet of dried flowers and Lavande Candle. The House of EQ Lavande Candle is a simple yet strong lavender accord enhanced by cool top notes of fresh eucalyptus leaves and soft bergamot, warm notes of patchouli, and sweet tonka in the heart, while the base is rich and constant with soft moss and woody musks. Perfect for bringing an air of refreshing calm to your space. The candles are hand poured in the west of Ireland, made with 100% plant-based wax and have a burn time of +40 hours. Buy here.
Aisling Conroy Prints – RRP various
Award-winning artist, Aisling Conroy has launched a stunning new range of prints just in time for Christmas. Conroy, working in paint, illustration and animation, has launched the new collection of limited edition and hand-finished prints on her website. Through her use of multiple forms, the complexity, originality, and beauty of her art is evident in this new collection. One of her hand-finished prints is the perfect present for the art lovers and creatives in people’s lives. Through buying one of Aisling Conroy’s unique pieces, people can support Irish artists and makers who are a fundamental part of our culture and identity. Buy here.
The Handmade Soap Company Home Fragrance Grapefruit & May Chang Set – RRP €45
When you’re feeling a little frazzled, surround yourself with the empowering scent of Grapefruit and May Chang. This bespoke blend of essential oils was designed to uplift, restore, and destress your senses. The perfect way to start your day or to decompress after a particularly busy one, this blend is nature's gift to the frazzled. The Handmade Soap Company have carefully balanced the citrusy zing of grapefruit with nature's own sunshine oil, May Chang to create a blend that is both sweet and zesty. Allow this restorative fragrance to tickle your senses and restore you back to sociable. Buy here.
Ruth Gunning’s Sicín Print- RRP from €40
This gorgeous print of a chicken will add character to any room and is an ideal gift for animal or farm lovers. Ruth Gunning is an Irish artist who takes inspiration from animals that have left a strong impression on her and her family. This chicken print is named after the Irish word for chicken and is based on a rooster the artist saw this summer that woke her up every morning. The stunning print is signed by the artist and available in a variety of sizes. Buy yours here.
Kotanical Christmas Diffuser Blend - RRP €20
There’s nothing quite like the smell of Christmas to lift your spirits and put you in the festive mood. Kotanical will bring this festive magic into your home this year with their limited edition premium-grade organic essential oil in the scent ‘Christmas’. Not only can this be added to an aroma diffuser, but you can add drops to the bath to give a luxurious feeling. This gorgeous blend of clove, cinnamon and wild orange will uplift your mood, support relaxation and energise any atmosphere for someone special this Christmas. Buy yours from Kotanical’s stockists Reuzi, The Kind and Ballyseedy Plants or from their website here.
SIAR Photography Prints – from €35
SIAR Photography have released some new prints just in time for Christmas Gifting. One of our favourites is this shot of the iconic Fastnet Rock & Lighthouse off the coast of Cork. This black & white image was captured on a calm but moody summer’s night. SIAR’s Landmark collection offers photography of well-known locations, landscapes and seascapes in the West of Ireland; from West Clare to West Cork and beyond. And due to demand for larger print sizes, they have added framed A2 size prints to their online shop. Price range: €24 A4 unframed, €40 A4 framed, €35 A3 unframed, €70 A3 framed and €200 for A2 framed prints. Buy here.
THE DRINK & EAT ME GIFT
A Dó Irish Poitín – RRP €37.95 and €42.95
Blackwater Distillery in County Waterford and Killowen Distillery in County Down have come together in a cross-border collaboration to create a very limited edition Irish Poitín titled ‘a Dó’, meaning ‘two’, as a nod to the initiative of these two renowned distillers coming together to create a very unique spirit! The project began with an exchange of poitín’s most essential elements, with Killowen sending local Knockshee oats south, and Blackwater sending their heritage barley north. Having mixed the grains to the agreed proportions, each distillery began the process of creating their version of Ireland’s oldest spirit. Once distilled, the two batches were blended to create a single profile poitín with an ABV of 48%, before being decanted into just 500 x 50cl bottles featuring contrasting but complementary label designs, split between the distilleries. A Dó Irish Poitín is available now from select retailers, north and south, and on-line direct from the distilleries The Killowen edition here and The Blackwater edition here.
Stillgarden Distillery’ Sprizzmas Box- RRP €50
This Spritz kit is sure to see you through the festive season! The much loved Berrissimo is full of Irish flavours that are perfect all year round. This gift set also includes two Distillery Tour tickets, meaning you can visit the place where the magic happens and learn about their distillation process. This set includes a full sized bottle of Berrissimo as well as 200ml O’Maro, Premium Soda and two Distillery Tour Tickets. Buy here.
Faerly Irish Makers Christmas Gift Box – RRP from €100
This luxury Christmas hamper is 100% made in Ireland and features some of our favourite sustainable brands. Each box is filled with handmade luxuries to bring the festive feeling to your home including Nibbed Dark Chocolate, FieldDay Christmas Candles and Diffusers, festive soaps, winter room sprays, beeswax wraps and lots more. Choose from Luxury Box and Deluxe Box.
