Irish Jewelry: The use of St Brigid’s Cross

As mentioned before, there are many Irish Jewelry designs that incorporate symbols, objects and cherished motifs that are associated with Ireland.

One popular symbol that features heavily in the use of jewelry designs, especially as Irish Celtic pendants is the St Brigid’s Cross, which would be depicted in gold or silver compared to its traditional form of woven rushes!

In its traditional form it is said to thought to keep evil, fire and hunger from the home in which it is displayed, the unique St Brigid’s Cross is accredited to St Brigid, also known as “Mary of the Gael”, a patroness of Ireland who first created the cross.

The tale of how she created the unique St Brigid’s Cross design however is slightly confused and although there is not one exact version, one interpretation is that there was an old pagan Chieftain – some say this was her father – who lay delirious on his deathbed in Kildare. His servants summoned Brigid to his beside in the hope that the saintly woman may calm his restless spirit. Brigid is said to have sat by his bed, consoling and calming him and it is here that she picked up the rushes from the floor and began weaving them into the distinctive cross pattern. Whilst she weaved, she explained the meaning of the cross to the sick Chieftain and it is thought her calming words brought peace to his soul, and that he was so enamoured by her words that the old Chieftain requested he was baptized as a Christian just before his passing.

This rushes cross, became known as the St Brigid’s Cross and became an emblem associated with her. For centuries this emblem has been used in Irish designs, with many modern stylists using this now popular Irish symbol within the designs of Irish gifts, Irish jewelry and traditional Irish gifts.

Irish Jewelry: Celtic Harps and Shillelaghs

Many Irish Jewelry designs incorporate symbols and objects that are associated with Ireland.

The Celtic Harp for example, which can sometimes be referred to as the Irish Harp and is said to have been enjoyed by ancient Irish Kings who employed harpist to entertain them, is a treasured musical instrument and national emblem of Ireland, and features prominently in Irish Jewelry designs especially upon Celtic Brooches, as well as in patterns on many Traditional Irish Gifts, such as Belleek China.

Similarly the Shillelagh, a type of walking cane or walking stick that is sometimes described as a cudgel that has a knotty head and usually made from Blackthorn wood with a leather wrist strap joined to the handle are not only popular as Irish gifts but also feature prominently in Irish jewelry designs, especially as small replica charms for Irish charm bracelets.

Irish Jewelry: Emeralds & Shamrocks

Despite not being a stone native to Ireland, the emerald features prominently in Irish Jewelry due to their vivid green color. Once associated with healing powers and if legends were to be believed thought to have made their wearer more intelligent and witty – these intense green emerald stones adorn many pieces of Irish jewelry, including earring, rings, bracelets and pendants. 

A birth stone for May and traditionally a gift given on a couples 55th Wedding Anniversary, emeralds are most commonly used in Irish shamrock jewelry as their green color lends itself as an ideal stone to represent this national symbol of Ireland.

Shamrocks like emeralds have their own legends and beliefs, as it is thought that when shamrocks are worn they will keep you from harm and that they will bring good luck to those who wear them.

Traditionally worn on St Patrick’s Day, is its believed that the shamrock was brought into Ireland by Saint Patrick, who it is said, plucked a shamrock from the ground to explain his belief in the Trinity.

Shamrocks are cherished by Irish people around the globe and they frequently feature in the design of Irish gifts, especially within the design of Irish jewelry.

Celtic Jewelry: The Meaning of the Tara Brooch

First discovered in Bettystown, County Meath in 1850, the Tara Brooch, which dates back to around 700AD is an elaborate and impressive example of classic Bronze Age Craftmanship, and which today is proudly displayed in the national museum of Ireland in Dublin.

Composed mostly of silver and gilt, and embellished with delicate interlacing patterns, the Tara Brooch is made into many different pieces before its assembled into the detailed Celtic Brooch design that we are accustomed too. In fact it has been said that when it was first discovered, all but one panel was missing!
The Tara Brooch takes its name from the Hill of Tara, which is traditionally seen as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, even though the Tara Brooch has no connection with either. However, the legend of the story goes that after it was sold by the then finders to a dealer, and then on to the Dublin Jeweler and a reviver of Celtic Jewelry, George Waterhouse, and it was he who renamed it the “Tara Brooch” to make it more charming.
Worn by both men and women due to its practical propose in fastening caps, cloaks and other clothing, today the Tara Brooch still remains a popular piece of Celtic Jewelry to give as Irish gifts and is one of Ireland’s most widely recognized Celtic Brooches.

Celtic Jewelry: The Meaning of the Triquetra or Trinity Knot

If the intricate designs and patterns of Celtic Knots are one of the most distinctive features of Celtic Jewelry, than the Triquetra or Trinity Knot is one of the most widely recognised and common of the Celtic Knots.

A Latin name, Triquetra means three-cornered, and although there are many theories suggested for the definition of this popular design, what remains a common theme to each is that they mention the significance of three parts, which depending on your beliefs can be interpreted as Father-Son- Holy Spirit, Mother-Crone-Maiden or Mind-Body-Spirit.

The Trinity Knot or Triquetra adorns many Celtic pendants and Celtic earrings, and in recent times Celtic Knot Jewelry featuring the Triquetra have become popular Irish gifts and souvenirs from Ireland. This growth in popularity could be linked to the modern day representations and use of the Triquetrea upon the cover of the “Book of Shadows” within the America TV show Charmed, its use within the design of the Led Zeppelin Album – Led Zeppelin IV or maybe its use in the fashion label Lionheart Apparel Clothing.

Celtic Jewelry: The Meaning of the Celtic Knot

Without doubt one of the most distinctive features of Celtic jewelry, is the Celtic Knot, with its intricate patterns and convoluted connecting patterning that is evident in all pieces of Celtic knot jewelry.

As one of the most recognized artworks in Celtic history; Celtic knots began to appear in history around 450 AD, and although there is no definitive explanation for them, it is thought that each one is connotative of some kind of unification, and that whatever the significance, each of these symbol’s meaning probably changes between tribes and locations.

Widely used in Celtic wedding bands, which have remained popular with couples throughout the years, it is believed that the Celtic knots used to decorate these, despite their differing meanings, all have one thing in common and that is that each interwoven knot design is symbolic of two different paths or souls intertwining with each other.

Examples of this are the Hearts Celtic ring with its intertwining hearts which is thought to represent the love, bond and compassion that we share with others, and the Infinity Celtic ring, with a continuous and never-ending pattern which is said to be reflective of the eternal circles of life.

Celtic Knot Jewelry such as Celtic Bracelets and Celtic Rings are popular Irish gifts because of their meanings and are often given to friends and loved ones as a symbol of love and loyalty.

Celtic Jewelry: The Meaning of the Triskele / Triple Spiral / Triskelion

Continuing our discovery and explanation of the Celtic symbols that adorn and feature in popular Irish Celtic Jewelry designs, attention focuses to possibly the most convoluted and complex symbols to decipher – the triskele or triple spiral or triskelion.

Thought to be representative of many meanings, the triskele is thought to represent movement due to the positioning of the three arms or extensions that appear to be moving, in particular energy and the motion of cycles and progress. It is also thought that the three arms or extensions might be depending on era and culture be connotative for life-death-rebirth, spirit-mind-body and past-present-future to name just a few, and as representation of three Celtic worlds; the spiritual world, the present world, the celestial world.

The meaning of the triskele is diverse, varied and has many possibilities and this complex Celtic symbol remains a popular topic of discussion amongst symbolists and historians, as well as one of the more popular and well used symbols in the designs of Celtic jewelry, most notably on Celtic pendants, Celtic earrings and as Irish charm bracelets.