The story

A little bit about us

Quinlan's Gifts started in 1988, in a small premises in Macroom, County Cork.

Before it was a gift shop, the building was where James's grandfather, Jack, kept his lorry for years. James's parents, Brigín and JP, opened the gift shop there, and for over 35 years, they built a great little business.

Brigín knew her makers personally. She knew what was worth stocking and what wasn't. People kept coming back because they trusted her taste and the care she put into it.

When James and Maite decided to take Quinlan's online, that's what they were trying to carry forward.

The next chapter

James & Maite

James is from Cork. Maite is from Mallorca.

They met in Cork in 2015, and spent a few years living abroad together before coming back to Europe.

James works in technology. Maite is a graphic designer. Between his background in business and tech, and her eye for what looks and feels right, they've tried to build something that's simple to use and genuinely lovely to shop from.

What we believe

We don't see ourselves only in the business of selling gifts. We want to help people show up for the people they care about.

A gift won't build a relationship on its own. But choosing something for someone, something that says I was thinking of you, is one of the oldest and most human ways we have of staying connected.

That's always been true, and we don't think it's going to change.

Products made by people we know

There's something special about seeing someone truly master their craft. We work with talented Irish and European makers: ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles, and more. And we get to know the people behind the work.

Nicholas Mosse is a good example. Brigín stocked their pottery for decades, and it remains one of our best sellers today. That kind of relationship, built on quality and trust, is what we look for in every maker we work with.

Our part for the planet

We're conscious of the impact that comes with running a product business. We use sustainable packaging, reuse materials where we can, and work primarily with Irish suppliers to keep our footprint small.

We're not perfect, but we're paying attention and really trying to play out part here.