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Irish Crystal and Glass
Irish Crystal | The Story of Irish Crystal | Buying Irish Crystal | Contemporary Irish Glass
Irish Crystal is famous for its quality, craftsmanship and distinctive appearance, with the market leader, Waterford Crystal, a household name pretty much the world over.
But to assume this was the only type of quality glass produced in Ireland would be a mistake. There are thriving workshops and small factories all over the country producing very beautiful modern designs, some well known, others less so but all worth seeking out if you intend to buy glass in Ireland.
Most of today's crystal makers were established in the last 60 years, but the history of glassmaking in Ireland is much older than that. There is evidence of glass work in Ireland dating back as far as the Celtic period, though mostly it was jewellery and beads that were made at that time.
Should You Buy Glass in Ireland?
In general, yes, glass is a good purchase here, there will be styles and patterns unavailable elsewhere, some of the finest craft glass makers do not export at all, and there are occasionally bargains to be had when visiting glass workshops. Some workshops will have one-off pieces, made as trials or test pieces which never went into production, so it is possible to get something completely unique.
People often ask about 'seconds', but no crystal or glass workshop will ever have any - it's not that mistakes never happen, just that if they do the glass is simply tossed back into the furnace and reused!
We have separate sections on Buying Irish Crystal and Buying Contemporary Irish Glass, which provide information on visiting the various workshops and what to look out for when choosing what to buy.
Ship glass home - don't cart it in your luggage! Even if you do manage to get it safely back your trip home will be ruined by the constant worry that it will emerge at the other end in a million pieces. Many of the shops and workshops will arrange shipping and insurance for you at a relatively low cost. Take advantage of this, they are experts at packing it for safe transport.
Irish Crystal | The Story of Irish Crystal | Buying Irish Crystal | Contemporary Irish Glass
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