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Top 4 on 4: St. Patrick's Day History

BERKLEY, Mich. – Local 4’s Lauren Podell went to the Twisted Shamrock in Berkley, a metro Detroit store that celebrates the Irish all year long.

Owner Jim Monahan’s great-grandparents on both sides of his family emigrated from Ireland to America. Monahan’s passion is to find exciting Irish/Celtic artisans who proudly show off their heritage.

"Ireland is a magical place," said Monahan. "The history is rich, the stories are plentiful, the products are outstanding and I am proud to offer these items to metro Detroiters in my home town of Berkley."

Top 4 on 4: St. Patrick’s Day History

#1. 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising

The St. Patrick’s Day parade in Corktown this year is paying tribute to an important Irish event that happened exactly one century ago.

The Easter Rising of 1916. It was a brief armed uprising from Easter Monday, April 24 to April 29, 1916 by a small group of Irish people who wanted Ireland to be independent from British rule.

#2. Belleek China

Belleek Parian China comes from the Northern region of Ireland and is still a family owned company that’s been in business for over 160 years.

Belleek China is only hand crafted in Ireland and what makes the china so unique is how the sculptures turn the clay they use into a translucent product. Every shamrock is hand painted. There’s an old tale that says at least 50 hands touch the item before it’s boxed.

#3. Claddagh

This traditional Irish icon symbolizes friendship, loyalty and love. The Claddagh is most popularly worn as a ring.

When worn on the right hand but with the heart facing inward toward the body, this indicates the person wearing the ring is in a relationship, or that "someone has captured their heart".

A Claddagh worn on the left hand ring finger facing outward away from the body generally indicates that the wearer is engaged.

#4. Fisherman, Aran Knits

The Aran Sweater takes its name from the set of islands where it originated many generations ago, off the West coast of Ireland.

The Aran Islands lie at the mouth of Galway Bay, at the mercy of the relentless Atlantic Sea. The Islanders were fishermen and farmers. The Aran Sweater was born of this environment, passed down from generation to generation and has since become the ultimate symbol of Irish Clan heritage.

The Twisted Shamrock
Location: 3074 12 mile Rd. Berkley, MI.
Visit them online: http://www.thetwistedshamrock.com

Monday - Wednesday: 10 AM to 6 PM
Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM
Friday-Saturday:  10 AM to 6 PM
Sunday: Noon - 5 PM


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