A Waterford Bowl of Shamrock was presented to President Obama on behalf of the people of Ireland during annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 20th.
The House of Waterford Crystal continues to celebrate its Irish heritage with tradition and dazzling design right through St. Patrick’s Day weekend. In an annual event held at the White House, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny presented President Obama with a bespoke Waterford Crystal bowl filled with shamrock.
Ireland’s ambassador first gifted a bowl of shamrock to Richard Nixon on a St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House in 1969; however, it was not until Bill Clinton’s tenure that the Taoiseach's gift of friendship became an annual tradition.
“It is an honour for Waterford to have been chosen by the Prime Minister’s office to share in the celebration between these two great counties," said Waterford Design Director, Jim O’Leary. "The Shamrock has long been a loved and recognized emblem of Ireland and are the inspiration for this design, crafted by heart and by hand, at the House of Waterford Crystal.”
The footed Waterford crystal presentation bowl features an interpretive shamrock design representing the four provinces of Ireland intertwined with the Celtic knot symbol of eternity. Its long and deep horizontal cuts are representative of Waterford’s commitment to high quality workmanship and innovative design. Created especially for the occasion, the bowl hosts a copper wheel engraved message from the Irish Republic to the United States. This new shamrock design will be featured in a new collection from Waterford that will be launched in April of this year.