The Inspiration

My grandmother, Kitty O” Shea, was the person who inspired me to set up shop. Kitty was born in Macroom, in Co Cork in 1900. As a young woman, she moved to Dublin to be with her childhood sweetheart but chose not to follow the typical path for a woman in Ireland at that time. She was something of a pioneer (she was one of the first women in Ireland to drive a car!) and decided to open her own shop on Merrion Row in the Georgian heart of Dublin city in 1920.

She strongly believed in supporting local producers. When I was a young girl I would help her in the shop every Saturday and I always saw the same faces there, week in, week out. Granny was more than the woman who sold her customers their newspapers, eggs and bread; she was their friend and confidant.

Kitty opened three more shops and remained in business for over 60 years, refusing to retire until she was 82! Times have certainly changed. Kitty sold sweets and newspapers in a quaint corner shop while at The Irish Store we curate the best of Irish products online, but for us, the secret of our success remains the same as it was for Kitty; a passion for customer service combined with a commitment to nurturing and promoting local suppliers and creators of quality Irish merchandise.

Be Part of The Irish Store Community

We know that when you shop at The Irish Store, it’s about so much more than finding your new favorite Aran sweater or piece of Celtic jewelry. With every stitch in every sweater and every symbol on every Celtic jewelry piece comes a story. The story of our age-old craft traditions. The story of our heritage. The story of us. It’s about our shared sense of community and belonging.

As The Irish Store journey continues, I invite you to become part of The Irish Store Community. Sign up to be the first to know about our unmissable offers on the finest Irish products. I also invite you to join me on my weekly blog where I explore the culture, history and places that connect us all. I would love to have your company and hear your stories too.

Welcome to the family!

Go raibh míle maith agat! (Thank you very much)

The Irish Store

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