Award winning jeweller, Garrett Mallon, from the Garrett Mallon Design House in Carlingford, said he was delighted to have received a commission from the Louth County Council to create a bespoke handmade gift for President Joe Biden for his historic return to Co. Louth.
Garrett created a pair of handcrafted cufflinks, which are based on his first ever signature collection, The ‘Cloicin’ Collection.
Cloicin, meaning small stone in Irish, derives its name from the stony shoreline of Carlingford Lough, where Mr. Biden’s ancestors came from.
The collection was inspired by the wonderful surroundings of beautiful medieval Carlingford, where the Garrett Mallon Design House is based.
Garrett created this collection where the etched surface of the jewellery reflects the sandy surface of the shoreline where the stones and pebbles lie. The collection is handcrafted by Garrett in sterling silver.
President Biden’s cufflinks have been handmade in sterling silver with solid gold pebbles on the surface.
Garrett said: “This is a very special commission for me, and I am honoured to have been asked to create a gift for President Biden to represent the region.
“On receiving the commission, I immediately thought of my Cloicin Collection as Mr. Biden has such a strong connection to Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula, as do I, and he is very proud of his Irish ancestry.
“I hope that when he wears the cufflinks, he will smile and think of us here in Carlingford.”
Garrett has been commissioned to create bespoke pieces for high profile clients on numerous occasions, including President Michael D Higgins, President Mary McAleese, and the GAA.