Hello, everyone!
Our Rose of Tralee Celebration is almost here, and our friends from the Emerald Isle are on their way to QVC! Here’s one last update from them before the celebration begins. And be sure to check back on Tuesday, September 3rd, as our Irish friends will be chatting with you throughout the day right here on the Irish Insights blog as part of our Rose of Tralee Celebration! You won’t want to miss it!
Until then…
Sinead, Solvar Jewellery
Can you believe that another summer has just gone by? Where has the time gone? I always know when autumn is upon us, as the Rose of Tralee Festival is on the telly for two nights and the Dublin Horse Show is over!! I thought you might get a kick out of these photos, which brought a smile to my face.
The Rose of Tralee is an international festival and one of Ireland's largest and longest running festivals, celebrating 54 years this year!! The heart of the festival is the selection of the Rose of Tralee, which brings young women of Irish descent from around the world to County Kerry for a global celebration of Irish culture. But this year we had a little extra touch of magic when a young man proposed to his New Orleans Rose on stage in front of the whole nation. The sight of Kyle Catlett on bended knee resulted in a nervous few moments for the organizers when a stunned Molly Molloy Gambel appeared to initially turn him down, but, to the relief of all, she accepted and afterwards put it down to explaining when she kept repeating ‘NO’ she was really meaning ‘YES’!!!
The Dublin Horse Show was first started in 1864 and is a celebration of Ireland's affinity with the horse, from the best show horses to the best international show jumpers! But for the first-time ever this year, they had a show class for donkeys! How cute!! It’s a fantastic family day out and a tradition for my family for years! My sister, Niamh, competed in several competitions when she was young!! I thought it would be fun to pass on some of this tradition and had my girls take their first pony ride! My husband did not warm to the idea!!!
When do you know you have landed back to normality?
For me, it’s when I come into my office and find 12 trays of overloaded stock and samples to be sorted and given a home in a very small office! Can you spot anything among these samples??? Check outSolvar Jewellery on QVC.com, and see if you can match any products!!!
I hope you all had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to your Solvar Christmas shopping!
See you all soon!!
Sinead
Patricia, Belleek Pottery
Well, it has been an extremely busy and exciting summer season here at the Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre! As Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre Manager, every day my staff and I welcome visitors from all over the world who take a personally guided tour of the factory and see how the techniques developed by the very first Belleek craftsmen 156 years ago are still followed today.
Recently, we were extremely delighted and proud to have been awarded a Four Star Visitor Attraction grading by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board! This award is highly recognised and provides assurance to visitors of the quality of service and facilities they will experience at Belleek Pottery. The restaurant here at Belleek Pottery has also received a Five Star Food Hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency! Both of these great achievements are the result of hard work and a huge team effort by all of our staff here at Belleek Pottery, and we are very proud!
August has been a very special month here are Belleek, as we celebrated The Gathering Ireland 2013 with a very special gathering at Belleek on Friday, August 16th. All Belleek collectors and enthusiasts were invited to step back in time with us and bring their favourite piece of treasured Belleek to the Pottery and meet Belleek Appraisers and Designers to learn about its rich history, inspiration for the design, and how and when it was made!
Many very beautiful and rare pieces were brought to the event. Check out this stunning Third Mark (1926 - 1946) Shamrock Covered Vegetable Dish. With its basketweave and shamrock designs, it really reminded me of the Belleek “Everyday” collection that was designed exclusively for our QVC customers. This lidded dish particularly reminded me of the “Everyday” Basketweave Baker with Lid (H197751)!
It was a fun day for all the family, with live traditional music providing the perfect ambiance to this wonderful celebration of Belleek heritage.
Children enjoyed face painting and the opportunity to paint their very own Belleek flower! This is my little granddaughter, Holly, sitting patiently while she is magically transformed!
Visitors enjoyed guided tours, saw the various stages involved in the making of every piece of Belleek, and met our craftspeople, many of whom are the third or fourth generation of their family to work at the Pottery. A great day was thoroughly enjoyed by both visitors and staff!
Belleek Master Craftsman John Doogan shows visitors the intricate work involved in the making of a Belleek Basket.
So now the countdown is on to the next big event in the Belleek calendar – The Rose of Tralee Celebration on QVC, of course! I will be travelling to the US with John Maguire, Belleek Group Managing Director, and our good friend, Master Chef Neven Maguire. I am really looking forward to my trip and to introducing the beautiful Belleek products that are available exclusively to our QVC customers.
Looking forward to seeing you all on September 3rd!
Slán libh go léir,
Patricia
Shop Belleek Pottery on QVC.com!
John, Aran Craft
I’m looking forward to my visit to QVC and meeting all my friends of so many years of wonderful work and fun.
As I leave this island of coastal marshes, vertical sea cliffs, and the wild North Atlantic, I am retracing the steps of millions of my kinfolk who sought a better life in the USA.
See you all on September 3rd! I will be bringing you a very special cardigan beginning at midnight!
- John
Shop Aran Craft on QVC.com.
Shop our Rose of Tralee Celebration Preview on QVC.com!