The traditional bowl of shamrock presented to the US President on St. Patrick’s Day originated in the Waterford.
Sean Egan of Sean Egan Art Glass had the distinction of designing and crafting the stunning piece, the Shamrock Bowl, which was presented to President Donald Trump by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD on Thursday, March 15th, ahead of the traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Sean was contacted by the Department of the Taoiseach and asked to submit some designs for the shamrock bowl.
Having previously designed the bowl in 2013 for President Obama, Sean was determined to highlight the long-established links between Ireland and the USA.
The bowl took 40 hours to engrave using traditional age-old copper wheels to create a frosted effect and portrays an American eagle grasping an olive branch and a spray of shamrock.
The eagle flies above the Irish and American flags which contain two shields, symbolising the peace and friendship between Ireland and the USA.
According to Sean the presence of the Irish tricolour on the bowl was particularly fitting as it pays homage to Waterford man and Irish-American patriot, Thomas Francis Meagher, who flew the Irish flag for the first time in Waterford on March 7th, 1848.
WATCH LIVE: Pres. Trump delivers remarks at annual Shamrock Bowl presentation ceremony. https://t.co/1zc2IE5CQr
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 15, 2018
“I was delighted to receive the call from the Department of the Taoiseach to create the shamrock bowl. Having had the privilege of crafting the shamrock bowl which was presented to President Obama in 2013, it was an honour to be asked again.”
“I wanted the bowl’s imagery to represent the long-standing relationship between our two countries. The USA has been a sanctuary for Irish people for hundreds of years and those who travelled brought with them a wealth of culture, music, art and language.”
Following his redundancy from Waterford Crystal in 2009, Sean established Sean Egan Art Glass and is now based in the award-winning Bishop’s Palace Museum in the heart of Waterford’s Viking Triangle. A former master engraver with 40 years’ experience, Sean has created some memorable pieces. He is renowned for his 9/11 Twin Towers commemorative sculptures, which were presented to former US Ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney and to the New York Fire Department and the Fighting 69th regiment.
IMAGE: Sean Egan of Sean Egan Art Glass
