149 Best Places to Shop in Ireland

This little find in the heart of the town's market square is proof that there is hope for the traditional, independent bookstore. Every copy from the vast collection of rare, new, and used books is hand chosen by a member of staff or requested by a customer, with a selection of new, out-of-print, or secondhand books available on-site. Scéal Eile (translated as "another story") doubles as a performance theater, and is popular as a book-signing venue.

Stop here for a good selection of gold and silver jewelry as well as some lovely Irish-made gifts.

A large selection of Celtic-inspired silver jewelry is sold here, including traditional claddagh rings.

The only health-food shop hereabouts, Simple Simon's sells whole food, essential oils, and other whole-earth items, as well as breads and cakes from the kitchen on the premises. A small café serves herbal teas and coffee.

Set in a converted grain store at a pretty mews, this shop sells Irish-made jewelry, cutlery, pottery, and paintings.

Dublin's city center's largest and most ambitious shopping complex, St. Stephen's Green Centre resembles a giant greenhouse, with Victorian-style ironwork. On three floors overlooked by a giant clock, the 100 mostly small shops sell crafts, fashions, and household goods.

They might sell sweaters and scarves but Trinity Woollen Mills is also your one-stop shop for everything kitschy Irish, such as trashy treasures like "the leprechauns made me do it" mugs and Guinness-logo underwear.

You'll find a great selection of Irish knitwear and accessories for men, women, and children at this popular shop.

Many of the works by locally based contemporary artists sold here are small enough to carry home.

The Cat & the Moon specializes in eclectic and stylish Irish-made crafts, jewelry, pottery, skin care, and scarves; it's named after the play by W. B. Yeats. Upstairs is the Hamilton Gallery, featuring work by contemporary Irish artists.

As well as selling books of local interest, the bookshop also stocks artists' supplies and is an informal meeting point for visiting poets, writers, artists, and photographers.

A small but well-stocked specialty food shop, this is an ideal place to pick up picnic fare, with its excellent Irish farmhouse cheeses, pâtés, smoked Connemara salmon, and handmade Irish chocolates.

Stocking a best-in-class offering of contemporary Irish craft that includes pottery, ironwork, woodwork, art, cut glass, and jewelry.

Occupying a historic site two blocks east of Arthur's Quay (ask at the tourist information office), the Milk Market is a vibrant covered weekend market selling virtually everything but milk. On Friday the emphasis is on fashion and crafts, while Saturday is the big food day, featuring many local artisanal producers, including homemade bread and cakes, farmhouse cheese, local vegetables, pork, fish, and delicious hot, cooked food and coffee to eat on-site. Sunday adds antiques and a flea-market ambience into the mix.

Branded garments including throws, coats, capes, scarves, men's sweaters, and other woolly products sourced from select mills help stave off chilly weather while still looking chic.

Dating from 1750, Thomas Dillon's claims to be the original maker of Galway's famous claddagh ring. In the back of the crimson shop the Claddagh Ring Museum has a small but interesting display of antique claddagh rings and old Galway memorabilia.

It's worth a visit to Thomas Moran's just to see the cluttered, quirky facade that has welcomed customers through its doors for well over a century. Inside, take some time to rummage through the irresistibly unique gifts: locally made blackthorn sticks, bargain umbrellas, and high-kitsch souvenirs.

Irish for "land of the ever-young," Tír na nÓg sells organic foods, including local cheeses and honeys, and other health-oriented items. A sister store across the street sells cards and posters.

You'll find a mix of local arts and crafts and kitschy souvenirs, along with insights into what's going on around the city, in this fun little gift shop.

Once part of a mainstream chain, Tower is now Ireland's biggest independent record store. It carries all the latest CDs, DVDs, music books, vinyl, and music merchandise.

Hidden-away Trinity Rare Books is run by a garrulous Canadian with a depth of knowledge of both the Irish and international book market. Five hundred of the owner's rare books are available here. The shop is also helping revive the vinyl record market and stocks many 1970s and ’80s pop classics. More than 1,000 of the shop's records for sale can be viewed on site.

After taking the Ballymaloe certificate cookery course, Ruth Healy left the corporate treadmill behind to open the ultimate cooks' shop, which aims to bring urban chic to rural Ireland. It's worth a stop en route if you're driving from Cork or Kinsale to Clonakilty. Sip a latte while browsing among locally made foodstuffs, including pâtés and patisserie, and a tempting range of cookbooks, cookware, and chocolates.

Visit this specialist music shop for Irish music and songbooks and a collection of Irish musical instruments including tin whistles and bodhrans.

Rare secondhand books, graphic novels, and a wide range of photography and art illustrations cram this popular shop on Lavitt's Quay.

Cork's biggest bookshop carries a wide selection of new fiction and nonfiction and stocks many locally published books.

Weaver and tapestry artist Lisbeth Mulcahy's combined studio and shop sells her outstanding scarves, stoles, throws, and wall hangings in unique color combinations alongside her one-off tapestries. The shop also stocks work from other Irish creatives.

An upmarket shopping mall, the Westbury is where you can buy a stylish range of designer jewelry, antique rugs, and decorative goods.

A good selection of quality Irish crafts, clothing, pottery, candles, and jewelry is found at Westgate Design. There's also a restaurant and deli.