As autumn deepens and Samhain approaches, we turn our attention to Ireland’s landscapes. Across County Sligo, prehistoric monuments stand among the hills and fields, connecting the present day with a past that stretches back thousands of years.
Samhain is one of Ireland’s oldest seasonal festivals, marking the transition from autumn into winter. Its traditions and folklore remain part of our cultural heritage, just as the ancient monuments of Carrowmore and Carrowkeel continue to shape our understanding of Ireland’s past.
For Martina Hamilton, these places offer an enduring source of inspiration. This Samhain, we explore the stories behind two remarkable landscapes in Sligo and introduce the new Carrowkeel Ring. We also revisit the Newgrange Collection, which has been part of Martina’s design story for almost 38 years.
Samhain: The Origins of Halloween
Long before Halloween as we know it today, Samhain marked the beginning of winter in the traditional Gaelic calendar. Celebrations took place around 31st October and 1st November, at the turning point between the harvest season and the darker months ahead.
Rooted in Irish folklore, Samhain was associated with feasting, storytelling and beliefs about the Otherworld. Many customs evolved over time, but the festival’s influence can still be seen in the Halloween traditions we recognise today.
As the seasons change, Samhain offers an opportunity to look beyond the familiar celebrations and reconnect with the stories, landscapes and traditions that have shaped Irish culture.
Carrowmore: Inspired by Sligo’s Prehistoric Landscape
Located on the Cúil Irra peninsula in County Sligo, Carrowmore is one of Ireland’s most important megalithic cemetery complexes. Its stone circles and tombs form part of a wider prehistoric landscape, with Knocknarea rising prominently in the distance.
Created thousands of years ago, these monuments offer a glimpse into the lives of the communities who once inhabited this part of Ireland. Although much about their beliefs and the purpose of individual structures remains uncertain, their presence continues to capture the imagination.
The landscape has given its name to Martina Hamilton’s Carrowmore Collection, translating a connection to Sligo’s past into contemporary jewellery. Each design reflects Martina’s approach to looking at the places and patterns around her; interpreting them through her own distinctive style.
Available in sterling silver and 9ct solid gold, the collection brings together the character of the landscape and the craftsmanship of jewellery made to be worn today.
DISCOVER THE CARROWMORE COLLECTION
Carrowkeel: Introducing a New Design
Further into the Sligo countryside, the passage tombs of Carrowkeel occupy a striking setting among the Bricklieve Mountains. Dating to the Neolithic period, these monuments look out across the surrounding hills and countryside, forming another important part of Sligo’s prehistoric heritage.
It is this distinctive landscape that has inspired the new Carrowkeel Ring.
Drawing on the setting and history of the ancient passage tombs, the design brings another part of Sligo’s story into the Martina Hamilton collection. It is a contemporary expression of the connection between place, heritage and jewellery, handcrafted in Sligo.
Newgrange: A Lasting Inspiration
While Carrowmore and Carrowkeel connect Martina’s designs to the landscape of Sligo, Newgrange has held a special place in her work for almost 38 years.
One of Martina’s earliest collections drew on this extraordinary prehistoric monument and its distinctive stonework. Built around 3200 BC, Newgrange is renowned for its passage and chamber, its intricate stone carvings and its alignment with the rising sun at the winter solstice.
The Newgrange Collection reflects the forms and patterns found in this monument, bringing elements of Ireland’s prehistoric heritage into contemporary jewellery.
Nearly four decades after its creation, the collection remains part of Martina’s design story; a reminder of how the influence of Ireland’s past continues to find expression in new designs today.
EXPLORE THE NEWGRANGE COLLECTION
Inspired by Ireland. Handcrafted in Sligo.
From the stone tombs of Carrowmore and the hills of Carrowkeel to the carved patterns of Newgrange, Ireland’s landscapes continue to inform Martina Hamilton’s designs.
This Samhain, we celebrate the traditions that connect us to the past, the places that continue to inspire us, and the jewellery that brings those stories into the present.