Boutiques close to The Cliff Townhouse and St Stephen’s Green include some of the best shops in Dublin, most of which are centred in and around nearby Grafton Street - a fashionable precinct for more than two centuries, and pedestrianised since 1982. To explore St Stephen’s Green - where Adams, one of Ireland’s great auction houses is located - is just the beginning of your Irish shopping experience. There are some convenient clusters in nearby malls, which include Westbury Mall, George’s Street Arcade, Powerscourt Centre, St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre and Royal Hibernian Way on Dawson Street. The warren of streets to the west of Grafton Street and beyond throws up numerous boutiques - stores you would only find in Ireland, including fashion-forward, independently owned bookshops, antique stores and more, the best of which we have featured here. Cathach Books: There are numerous bookshops in Dublin, but this one stands out for its collection of Irish 20th-century literature, including collectable first editions.

Louis Copeland: In business for close to a century, Louis Copeland & Sons is Dublin’s answer to a Savile Row tailor. The made-to-measure suits are very well regarded, along with designer mens casualwear. Barry Doyle Design Jewellers: This is the go-to Dublin jeweller for a bespoke wedding ring, as well as a pretty range of Celtic-inspired jewellery in semi-precious and precious stones, platinum, gold or silver. Brown Thomas: This landmark department store has been setting the style stakes for fashion-conscious Dubliners in the heart of Grafton Street since it opened in 1894.Wear: Young fashion fans love A|Wear for its on-trend styles, up-and-coming boutique brands and affordable prices. Labels include True Decadence and Mela Loves London. Kilkenny Design: Waterford Crystal, Belleek Pottery, Orla Kiely homeware, modern woollens and knitwear are among the Irish design classics on offer in this huge emporium overlooking the grounds of Trinity College. Avoca: Best known for its traditional Irish blankets with a contemporary twist, Avoca’s meandering seven-floor store on Suffolk Street is packed with quirky fashion, childrens clothes and toys, as well as an awardwinning café, food hall and rooftop garden.

Costume: This independent temple to high fashion on Castle Street, run by a family of fashion-savvy sisters and their stylish mother, is coveted by Dubliners for its personal service and range of wearable designer labels such as Hoss Intropia, John Smedley and Isabel Marant. Smock: For all your couture needs, achingly hip Smock sells designer fashion by Vivienne Westwood, APC and Dries Van Noten among others, as well as a desirable selection of vintage jewellery and accessories. Louise Kennedy: Internationally renowned for her sophisticated and understated style, Louise Kennedy in Merrion Square is a Dubliner favourite for special occasion and bridal wear. Powerscourt Court Design Centre: This is the place to pick up fashion-forward pieces from emerging Irish designers, established Irish heavyweights such as Philip Treacy and John Rocha, and international fashion houses. Fallon & Byrne: Everything tastes great at Fallon & Byrne - a little slice of New York served with a side order of style in Dublin’s Exchequer Street.

Dine casually in the light-filled, top-floor restaurant or shop for the best local and international produce in the food hall. Fleury Antiques: Here’s where discerning collectors come for serious Irish antiques, Fleury’s large selection including chandeliers, oil paintings, jewellery and period furniture. O’Sullivan Antiques: The Dublin outpost of this leading New York-based antique dealers stocks a wide range of fine Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian furniture.chandelier room 91 cochranes road moorabbin The Winding Stair: This bookshop and café made its mark in the Seventies as a meeting place for writers and musicians. chandelier et barre d'obstacleToday it remains an excellent source of secondhand books and unusual new publications.chandelier equitation hauteur

The skies were leaden grey our first morning in the town of Waterford, and the shimmer on the street below our hotel window betrayed a light drizzle that had dampened the area.  The House of Waterford Crystal was a short walk from the Granville Hotel so we were not deterred by the weather but set out on foot to check out the world-famous crystal manufacturer. Immediately that we entered the front end of the business, we were bedazzled by the shimmering surfaces of so much crystal.  The ceiling of the showroom, alone, was hung with dozens of elaborate chandeliers. While waiting for our guided tour of the workings of the factory, Bob and I passed the time perusing hundreds of pieces of crystal for sale in the retail store and on display in the showroom.  The workmanship was outstanding, and the price tags sky high.  Here, you see us reflected in a massive mirror that is edged with hundreds of individually cut crystal pieces. Later, on the tour, we came across the frame of another similar mirror as it was being assembled.

The House of Waterford Crystal features the largest collection of the world’s most coveted crystal right there in the opulent retail store.  I love coloured glass so was immediately drawn to the vibrant vases and bowls that so sharply contrasted the clear crystal of most of the other pieces. The artistry of the pieces ranged from delicate and diminutive… to sturdy and tall, and each was created to exacting standards. Finally, we were ready to start the tour of the plant, joined by a dozen or so other guests. The first area we visited was the Molding Department.  Wooden molds are constructed out of beech and pear wood because they have a high tolerance to heat.  Molten glass is poured into the molds to form the crystal shapes.  Some previously-used molds were on exhibit including one for a product  that had to do with  Justin Timberlake. The wooden molds are made by hand as they have been for hundreds of years.  Here, we see a wood carver in action. 

For Bob, this was particularly interesting since he, himself, carves wood as a hobby. Next up on our walking tour was the Blowing Room where our senses were affronted by a heady mix of heat, cacophonous noise and bustling activity. It was very exciting as we edged ever closer to the 1300-degree furnace. Before our eyes, we saw glowing balls of red-hot molten crystal transformed into wondrous elegant shapes. The miracle of this transformation is owing to the meticulous skilled craftsmen who have two hundred years of accumulated knowledge behind them. Over and over again, the craftsmen repeated the process with each piece essentially identical to the last. Once each piece of crystal is fashioned into its final shape, it is sent to the Quality Inspection Room where it must pass a stringent examination for faults.  Even if a piece is rejected, it will be smashed and remelted to use again. Those pieces accepted as meeting Waterford’s high quality standards wait to be sent to the next stage of production.

It was mind boggling how so many pieces could look exactly alike when being individually handmade. At the next stage of production, the uniform crystal figures are each marked in preparation for cutting the patterns into the glass. This next stage of production takes place in the Marking Room where finely calibrated tools aid the craftsmen in hand-marking each piece of the crystal in precisely the same pattern, for those that are duplicates of one another.  There is no room for shaky lines at this task. The variety of geometric patterns, including horizontal and vertical lines, are drawn on with a marker, but no trace of the lines will remain after the final cleaning process. Examples of some of the detailed marking could be seen on pieces set to one side.  Some of the line patterns are extremely detailed representing very fine work. Once the pieces of crystal move on to the Cutting Room, the geometric patterns are assessed before cutting begins. During his training years, each Master Cutter will have learned and memorized each pattern used by Waterford Crystal. 

The temporary geometric grid only serves to assist the Master Cutter. Great focus and attention to detail is required by each Master Cutter when cutting the pattern into the crystal. Despite the demands of their jobs… each craftsman in the factory was affable and keenly willing to share their knowledge with members of the tour group.  We learned a lot during the hour and a half tour. Our close proximity to each workstation allowed a very close look at the ongoing work.  Here, I am scrutinizing one of the Waterford crystal goblets from the set the cutter was working on. Each Master Cutter that we observed was specializing in one type of product.  It was interesting to watch them manipulate some of the larger pieces such as this vase against the diamond-tipped wheels.  They must exercise their own judgment when applying pressure for too much will have the wheel cutting right through the crystal. Each Master Cutter trained for 8 years or more to master their craft, and each is responsible for giving every piece of crystal the clear and sparkling cut that is the distinctive hallmark of the House of Waterford Crystal products.

It was easy to see why Waterford Crystal demands such a high price when you consider the hours of work that go into each and every piece of crystal. Towards the end of the tour, a series of tables was loaded with items on display that featured examples of sculpted and/or engraved crystal. A Master Sculptor uses wheels to sculpt the crystal unlike the mallets and chisels that are employed when carving wood or stone.  Because a sculpture is sculpted from a solid block of crystal, it may take days, weeks or even months to complete one piece. When we entered the Engraving Room at the House of Waterford Crystal, it was a shock to see one engraver working on the skyline of our hometown, Toronto, Ontario.  Nicely filling one side of a massive bowl, the skyline featured, among other things, the CN Tower and the Air Canada Centre. The bowl was commissioned as the trophy for the Indy 500 car race being held in Toronto later in the year. On the opposite side of the massive international trophy, the engraver had fashioned a number of Indy 500 race cars.

And so, with the tour completed, Bob and I retired to the showroom once again to revel in the stunning display of crystal wares. We had fun taking pictures of the mirrored ceiling that so beautifully reflected the glistening and glimmering crystal chandeliers as well as the elegantly appointed dinner table that showcased lots of sparkling stemware. Other crystal pieces made us laugh for their modern take on sculpture.  Whimsy is always in fashion. It is the deep cutting of the crystal that radiates such brilliance and sparkle, but my preference is still for the bold and vibrantly coloured crystal. Bob and I enjoyed our educational tour of The House of  Waterford Crystal, and it certainly gave us an appreciation for the world-famous glassware. Glendalough, one of the most beautiful places in Ireland Powerscourt House and Gardens, A World Of Floral Glory Hiking In Wicklow Mountains National Park – Ireland Our stay at Valley View Lodge in Sabie, South Africa