This is a guest post from my friend Maggie Durango.  I’ve visited Ireland a few times and I absolutely loved it over there.  They have friendly people, a rich heritage, and a beautiful breath-taking country!  I hope you’ll enjoy this post about displaying your Irish pride.

A picture of me in Ireland

I’m here to promote the idea that those of us with Irish in our blood and proud of it need not wait for the arrival of St. Patrick’s to display our love of the old country. Unfortunately anybody who sports a grass-green article of clothing outside the month of March is typically going to draw unwanted attention or repel all attention entirely. But there’s a reliable item that will not only cease to be stylish, but will allow you to flaunt your heritage all year round without being mistaken for a cult member.

I’m talking about emerald jewelry. Emerald the gem is itself not associated with Ireland as far as where to find it goes. But the allure of the emerald has for many generations now attracted the smiling Irish eyes of many an immigrant and their descendants. The stone stirs in the blood of the Irish thoughts of the lush green hills and fields rolling out to the rocky outlands of Ireland’s shores. It was indeed Irish poet William Drennan who made the first known association between his land and emerald. It’s been the gem of the Irish ever since.

Emerald inherently catches the eye, but its luster is as humble as it is majestic. This is because of the signature green hue, which has been the obvious color representation of the natural world for ages. There’s a certain down-to-earth harmony of the emerald that defines Irish sensibilities and the Irish culture in general. Blue sapphires, rubies, and other vivid gems are all beautiful in their own right, but emerald alone exhibits the overarching beauty of nature condensed into one fragment of earthly rock.

Emerald rings, inlaid brooches, necklaces, and earrings, all do a wonderful job of exhibiting proud Irish heritage without making a fuss about it. If St. Patrick’s Day is the opportunity to display your pride extravagantly, the other 364 days of the year are for simply being Irish and unassumingly so as any good Irish does. The emerald represents the eternal bond between Ireland and her children. Be a good child of the Emerald Isle and take a piece of her wherever you go.