HOROLOGY OF IRELAND
With St Patrick’s day just past I thought I’d explore Irish watch making.
Ireland has a rich heritage in watch making. Often seen as the island of poets , myth , creativity , art and music , it’s is easy to see how artisanal watch and clock making might come to the fore.
Church clocks throughout Ireland date back to the fourteenth century and before.Irish aristocracy like many rich of the time commissioned grandfather or longcase clocks pioneered by the likes of Robert O’Shaughnessy as centre piece clocks for their homes. Handmade and showing great levels of skills, a display of their riches for guests to see.
Centred around Dublin , but not exclusively clock making for the wealthy by makers such as John Finney date back to eighteenth century. Pocket watch popularity spread through Europe and those who could afford it would commission pieces. John Donegan being one of the makers of the day working through the eighteenth to nineteenth century.
Waterford even features the Irish museum of time dedicated to the endeavours of years of work in horology.
Notable watchmaking
One of the most noted makers of this century in Ireland is Mcgonigle watches founded by brothers John and Stephen. Small runs, exclusively handmade made and like gold dust if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a commissioned piece there really is nothing like these pieces on the market. They are quintessentially Irish in their designs and look showing Ogham script.
Stephen McDonnell who has worked in the Swiss industry along with the aforementioned Stephen Mcgonigle and is also a prominent a Irish figure in modern watchmaking. His movement innovation making him one of the most revered of makers in the industry.
Future
Ireland still is producing new brands which are at their infancy in the grand scheme of watch making but are making big strides in the industry. Nomadic watches based in Ireland and basing their roots initially in the shipyards with custom movement rotors to reflect their heritage now have a premises in Belfast to visit.
Alison Moriarty the founder and creative drive behind Moriarty watches is producing beautiful pieces with a prowess for enamelling in the dials.
Dublin features watch shops such as Weir and sons founded in 1869 and Paul Sheeran jewellers stocking luxury pieces for the Irish watch collectors and beyond.
I have scratched the surface of Irish watch making and will no doubt be more many more brands and makers to explore in the future as the Irish appetite for horology looks to be around for a long time to come.
