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Stories from Our Customers: Jacob & Margaret

Stories from Our Customers: Jacob & Margaret

Name: My Irish Jeweler Ltd
Address: Q House Suite 408, 76 Furze Rd, Sandyford, Dublin, D18 HH67, IE
Telephone: +353-1-5476021
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Written by Jane on May 20, 2025 | 2 Comments

Jutting out into the sea to the north of Dublin City, all craggy coves and cliffs, Howth Head has seen much in its long history. There’s a 5,000-year-old tomb, legend says, belonging to the beautiful Aideen, who died of a broken heart after her true love was slain in battle. There were also Norse invaders, of course, and a famous lesson in hospitality from the Pirate Queen, Gráinne Mhaol.

The tomb in the grounds of Howth Castle, with it's estimated 75-ton capstone, second only to the Brownshill Dolmen in Co. Carlow as the heaviest in Ireland. Legendary resting-place of Aideen, loyal wife to the Fianna warrior and hero, Oscar.

Photo Credit: Michael Foley (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

And on the spectacular cliff walk that encircles Howth Head, there are more than a few romantic tales. This is the place where it’s said a young Yeats (yes, that one!) wooed the firebrand Maud Gonne.

Set here, too, is Molly Bloom's passionate soliloquy recounting Leopold’s marriage proposal amongst the rhododendrons, which closes James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses.

Photo Credit: Corey Taratuta (CC BY 2.0)

Now another love story joins the lore of this spectacular spot. This is the tale of Jacob and Margaret: a 21st-century romance with literary roots, and a Howth Head proposal that had us all swooning here at My Irish Jeweler. The charming couple kindly shared their story with us, and we are very excited to share it with all of you.

It all started in Howth...

This story begins some years before our lovely couple first met. Fresh out of college, Jacob was on a whistle-stop, 50-day tour of Europe, with a day trip to Howth Head his highlight. Hiking along the spectacular seaside cliffs that have seen so much, a romantic young Jacob thought to himself that he wanted to come back to this spot with the love of his life, to share the heart-racing experience.

The Bailey lighthouse in Howth at sunset - it's easy to see how this scenery could put one in a romantic frame of mind.

Photo Credit: Alejandro Luengo on Unsplash

Timing is everything

Like many in their generation, Jacob and Margaret met online, but, as they say, timing is everything! Back home in Minnesota, Jacob was looking for love and had turned to the matchmakers of our age: the app! Jacob went on some dates using other apps but had no luck at all with one in particular: Bumble. On the verge of deleting it, he spotted Margaret’s profile!

For her part, Margaret had just moved to Minnesota from Arizona after gaining her degree. Jacob was the first person she met in Minnesota using Bumble. So they both had their first date from the app, and then found they had no need for matchmakers, digital or otherwise, anymore! We are quite certain Jacob was, and remains, very happy he didn’t delete that app!

Margaret navigating the tricky cliffwalk at Howth Head in style.

A clifftop proposal

The happy couple traveled to Dublin in the spring of 2025, a return visit for Jacob and a first for Margaret. Jacob very coyly told us that the “opportunity arose” to return to the cliff walk at Howth, though we suspect there was quite a bit of planning involved. Either way, a winding eight years after he first enjoyed that exhilarating loop and wondered about returning with his soulmate, Jacob proposed to the lovely Margaret. And just like Molly Bloom, she said yes - it must be something in the air up there!

The happy couple.

Wedding Plans

Upon returning to their home in the U.S., the happy couple is wasting no time. They plan to wed at the start of fall this year, again in the surrounds of nature, at Margaret’s family cabin in Wisconsin.

On the big day, Jacob will be wearing a stunning Ogham wedding band, chosen both out of a fondness for Irish culture (he is a fan of The Chieftains and The Pogues) and as a connection to Ireland and more importantly to Howth! Hand engraved here in Dublin with his own personal message, for Jacob, “it felt special-appropriate, to have an Irish ring.”

Comhghairdeas!

We were so happy to help Jacob find that perfect ring and to hear the heartwarming story of this lovely couple's romance. It is a wonderful perk of our job to hear such wonderful stories and see our jewellery play a small part in it. Congratulations, or Comhghairdeas, as we say in Irish, to them both.

And before we sign off, we will leave you with their advice for other couples:

Jacob: “Well, we're freshly engaged, so I'm not sure we have the tenure to offer advice... I guess the biggest thing I'd say is to communicate gracefully, and find someone who you believe is doing their best in the context of the relationship - that allows for the grace to exist more naturally ... And that a jeweler like Gemma is a blessing - use her! :)

Wedding Plans?

If, like Jacob, an Irish wedding ring feels right for you, please do get in touch. Gemma and the team here at My Irish Jeweler are here to help you find the perfect match (for a ring that is... we'll leave the matchmaking to Bumble for now!). Give us a call, send us an email or set up a personal appointment.

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Jane

My Irish Jeweler

Born in Dublin but reared in Canada, as a child I had an interest in Ireland that will be familiar to many young emigrants. I was completely fascinated, wanting to know all about the land of my parents and grandparents. Rare month-long family trips back "Home" cemented my love for Ireland. And I wore my Irish heritage with pride, sporting my tiny silver Claddagh gifted to me by my Irish grandparents until my finger grew too large for it!

As a young adult I moved back to Dublin, studying Geology and Mineralogy in university at historic Trinity College Dublin. After living in Denmark and the Netherlands working as a scientist and university mineralogy lecturer, I finally settled back home in Dublin. I joined the growing family at My Irish Jeweler in 2016, bringing my useful knowledge of metals and minerals as well as my perspective as an Irish emigrant with a love for HOME.

Comments

Jacob Belgum

What a highlight to be featured on the blog! Thanks, Jane, for the brilliant authorship, and Gemma, for helping us select a perfect ring!

Jane ChadwickJacob Belgum

You are most welcome Jacob. Thank you and Margaret for being so generous in sharing your lovely story. It's our pleasure and a real perk of the job that we get to meet lovely people like yourself and Margaret. Best of luck with the wedding planning and the team here wishes you both a lifetime of Grá, Dílseacht, agus Cairdeas (Love, Loyalty, and Friendship).