Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Go raibh gach sonas ort an Nollaig seo.

Drinking Tea in Ireland - Harmful for your Health?

Any time we visited my grandmother in Limerick, we would be greeted with a cup of tea, a familiar experience for anyone living or traveling in Ireland. Like bread and salt in olden days, the cup of tea is part of making someone feel welcome and safe. It is difficult to imagine Ireland without tea. And yet there was a time when drinking tea was considered harmful for your health and detrimental to society. Researcher Helen O'Connell of Durham University studied pamphlets from the early 1800s and found writers chastising Irish women for sipping tea instead of working in the home and preparing supper for their husbands. Apparently, these reformers felt concerned about alleged addictive qualities of tea and compared it to the Chinese using opium. Authors warned that Ireland would never be able to emerge from poverty if women continued to drink two cups of tea a day. Just as many Chinese had become addicted and subsequently lethargic, the Irish were in danger of remaining backward and a liability to the British Empire.

Remember, the British Empire forced China to allow the import of opium from plantations in India. London did not want to spend precious silver to buy luxury items in high demand at home, such as silk from China. As a consequence Britain became the largest drug-dealing state the world had known. At the same time, middle-class reformers worried about the Irish drinking too much tea.

Pamphlets from the early 1800s describe the dangers of tea-drinking similar to drug abuse: addiction, passivity, moral decline. Impoverished people would ruin their entire life by pursuing their desire for tea. One pamphlet in 1811 by reformer and writer, Mary Leadbeater, tells the story of two female friends. Rose warns her friend Nancy that 'must not every poor man's wife work in and out of doors, and do all she can to help her husband? And do you think you can afford tea, on thirteen pence a day? Put that out of your head entirely, Nancy; give up the tea for good and all.'

Christmas Cheer for the Irish Economy

After several years in decline, the Irish GDP is expected to grow again next year. After a massive banking and housing bubble, with taxpayers bailing out failing businesses, the Celtic Tiger is slowly getting back on his feet. Experts also predict the unemployment rate falling - but the rate will still be over 14 per cent.

The good news is particularly welcome across Europe, as the Irish government has complied with all the regulations attached to the EU bailout - government spending has been cut, the VAT has been increased to 23 percent, and the pension age moved up to 68 years - a record in Europe. The big financial governing bodies like to compare the quiet Irish resolve to shoulder the hardship with the volatile protests in Greece. In the last four years, Irish citizens have seen seven austerity packages passed by their Parliament, and cuts amounting up to a fifth of the GDP have especially hit pensioners, struggling families and the unemployed.

Like elsewhere, failing banks were nationalized, following the general tendency to nationalize losses and privatize profit. Hard-working people have to pick up the pieces and tighten their belts, yet again.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and maybe, just maybe, the people who have left Ireland for brighter shores may find opportunities at home again.

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Christmas in Ireland

Christmas in Ireland - a time for families to gather around the fireplace, share a laugh, eat, sing and reconnect. Apart from the occasional cold snap, snow and ice are rare events, so the weather will be mild, and I can remember having an icecream between the years. Especially along the coast, the fog and mist will be particularly enchanting. It's pleasant to stroll through a small town, chat a little with the shopkeeper and browse around to find a last-minute gift. You may come across the odd hardware store that carries every item under the sun, although they have been disappearing fast. If time flows slower in Ireland in general, it's another tad slower in the countryside.

Christmas ornaments in other countries depict owls or reindeer or birds or wooden angels blowing a trumpet. On the continent, festive markets offer handmade artifacts to lighten up the home during the dark days of winter. In Ireland ornaments can bring back the early days of Christianization, and the harp is an all-time favorite symbol.

Christmas is not complete without Evening Mass and the cross is a reminder of the deep spirituality of the Irish. True, the religiosity of old has undergone massive changes, a younger generation has grown critical of the rituals and power of an establishment often deemed out of touch with modern life. Yet, Christmas returns and with it the joys of family gatherings. Why not decorate a tree with ancient symbols of Irish culture and history? The magic of Ireland shines through the intricate designs and beautiful crisp lines of illuminated manuscripts.

Few countries can boast of a more exciting color scheme than Ireland. It's as if homeowners eagerly await the time to apply a fresh coat of paint to make their house stand out. I can imagine that it's always been a way to make giving directions easier - 'It's right by the orange house at the end of the street' or 'You can't miss it, it's the purple one,' and I can feel the cheeky grin of the Irish farmer in his voice. Not only do you find all shades of green but also all shades of gaudy and cheerful.

Music Lover's Treasury on Etsy

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you survived Black Friday unscathed! To make your Holiday Season brighter, we are offering a coupon discount of 20% off everything in our store. Decorate your tree with a lovely limited edition vintage celtic ornament or buy your sweetheart a beautiful necklace. We can't wait to receive your order and hope you have a very safe and happy shopping experience, be it online or at your favorite shopping mall.

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In the Southwest of Ireland, you often stumble upon prehistoric sites. Many of these Neolithic stone structures have survived centuries. Scholars have pointed out that these so-called dolmen are ancient burial sites. Dating back to pre-Christian times, they are testimony to ancient civilizations on the island.

This dolmen is located just off the road and easily accessible. It is clear that the Irish respect these sites as they are not vandalized or covered in graffiti. Maybe the old folk lore about the 'wee folk' inhabiting such sites scares potential vandals away. It is very impressive to encounter these remnants of the past and imagine ancient warrior tribes congregating around to celebrate one of their own.

When St. Patrick converted the Irish, the sign of the cross became a symbol of hope and redemption. The lamb in the center of this particular Celtic Cross, located in the town of Waterville, resembles the sacrifice of Christ.

Since the early Christian centuries, the Celtic Cross has become a national Irish symbol. You can find it represented everywhere, and Irish jewelry is famous for incorporating the cross - along with the harp - into wearable works of art.

The Emerald Isle

THE EMERALD ISLE Ireland has changed since we first visited many years ago. But what has remained unchanged is the beauty of the countryside and the hospitality of people. Traveling the country lanes through the rhododendron bushes, you can still come across the flock of sheep or the herd of cows led home by a very intelligent dog after a day out on the fields. You may still discover the old prehistoric dolmen on the side of the road, silently standing witness to centuries of civilization. You will marvel at the hundred shades of green and the soft rain responsible for splashing the land with color and fragrance. The Ireland most visitors seek is the land of the empty country, of small forested groves at the bottom of the valley, and the spray of the ocean over the rocky shoreline. You might get lost amid Gaelic-language signs but who worries over directions if the land is charming and the next pub just around the corner. The land will lead you to remote monasteries of bygone days and past mysterious Ogham stones full of magic messages. You might hear some far-fetched stories once you let the locals tell you about their home, over a pint of dark beer or a golden whiskey. Afterwards, you will hear jigs and reels and rebel songs, performed not for you but for the community that existed before you and will continue to exist, with a silent prayer for the ones that passed or had to move far away.

Welcome to our new Blog. Please forgive us as we set it all up. Check back soon to see what exciting news and fun new products we have posted.