Buy the Best of Ireland: A Shopping and Learning Guide to Irish Goods and Crafts [Paperback]

Mary Jean Jecklin (Author), Kelley V. Rea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 2004

It is still possible to visit Ireland and find people lovingly and enthusiastically keeping their ancient cultural activities alive. This includes creating world-renowned traditional crafts and quality collectible. This guide to shopping in Ireland is organized by product (pottery, china, crystal, jewelry, linens, etc.) but also provides information on factory tours, hours of operation, history, and favorite product lines. Other more general information covers Value Added Tax (VAT), currency, terminology and slang, customs issues, and what's involved in shipping things home. A useful appendix provides a list of shops and clubs in the United States and Canada dedicated to selling and collecting products from Ireland.

Editorial Reviews

Review

If you love to shop and are headed to Ireland, you need this book, which lists and describes where to get the best quality and value on anything made or manufactured in Ireland and Northern Ireland. (Daily Herald Arlington Heights, Il )

Buy the Best of Ireland is a detailed, insightful, and affectionate look at Irish-made offerings. (Herald, Rockland, Il )

An exhaustive trawl through Irish gift buying, suitable for both Irish and Irish American friends. (Sean O'Driscoll, Irish Voice )

Excellent short essays. Highly recommended, especially to the dedicated shoppers, God perserve them! (Ireland Of The Welcomes )

Fascinating histories of various Irish crafts. (Minnesota )

About the Author

Mary Jean Jecklin is the author of hundreds of articles on history, art, travel, crafts, collectibles, and shopping.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Roberts Rinehart (April 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570984360
• ISBN-13: 978-1570984365
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,149,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Go to Ireland Without This Book!, July 20, 2004

By 

B. A Hennessey (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buy the Best of Ireland: A Shopping and Learning Guide to Irish Goods and Crafts (Paperback)

This a unique and most helpful book for the traveller to Ireland who is interested in coming home with more than the usual Aran sweater or piece of Waterford. Ireland is teeming with wonderful crafters making pottery, jewelry, linens, lace, leather goods, silver, and more - in addition to the familiar woolens and crystal. The authors show you how to find the small family workshops that are not on the tourist maps, as well as the major craft centers and shops. Some crafters will even give you a discount if you show them the book, making it a real bargain! Web site addresses are included for armchair shoppers, and there is a comprehensive list of Irish shops in the US (though no URLs for these). The authors' love of Ireland and its handicrafts comes through on every page. More photos would have been helpful, but this is really a one-of-a-kind book for the visitor to Ireland.