Religious gifts · Ireland
Religious gifts that will still be on the shelf in fifty years
A statue is the kind of present that outlives the day it was given for. Here is how to choose one for each of the big moments in a Catholic life, and how to have it delivered anywhere in Ireland.
Why a statue makes a good gift
Most presents are used up or put away. A statue stays out. It ends up on a bedroom chest of drawers, on the kitchen dresser, in the corner of the sitting room with a candle in front of it — and years later someone says, “That was from Granny, for my Communion.” Ask about the oldest religious object in an Irish house and, as often as not, the answer is a statue somebody was given.
It is also a gift that says something without needing a long card. A Sacred Heart for a new house says “may this home be blessed”. Our Lady for a bride says “may she mind you both”. A patron saint for a child says “here is a friend for life”. You are not just giving an object; you are pointing towards someone to pray to.
St Ignatius Statues sells two kinds of statue. Hand-painted resin carries colour — the blue of Our Lady’s mantle, the red of the Sacred Heart — and is light enough to be posted anywhere in Ireland for a flat rate per order. Hand-carved marble is white stone, heavier and more permanent, and we deliver it ourselves to any county. If you are unsure which suits the person, the guide to resin statues and marble statues explains the difference.
Gifts by occasion
Each of these pages goes into the customs of the day, which statues suit it and why.
First Holy Communion
A first statue of their own, for a child’s bedroom: Our Lady, the Sacred Heart or a saint who loved the Eucharist.
Confirmation
A statue of the saint whose name they have taken, from a sponsor or godparent who wants to give something lasting.
Weddings
The Holy Family, the Sacred Heart or Our Lady, for the first home a couple sets up together.
A new home
The Sacred Heart for enthronement, St Joseph as protector of the household, or Our Lady for the hall.
In memory of someone
A statue for the house, the garden or the grave of someone who has died, and how to choose between them.
Christmas
Nativity sets and figures for the crib, and the Holy Family for the rest of the year.
Ordination and religious profession
For a new priest, deacon, brother or sister: the Good Shepherd, Our Lady, or the saint of their order.
Statues people often give
A few of the pieces that suit almost any occasion. Prices and sizes are the live ones from the catalogue.
Choosing in three questions
Who is it for — and what do they already have?
A family that has had a Sacred Heart in the kitchen for forty years does not need another. A young couple setting up a flat may have nothing at all. Ask quietly if you can.
Where will it stand?
These are proper statues rather than ornaments: many stand well over half a metre, which suits a hall table, a chest of drawers, a niche or the floor of a prayer corner better than a bedside locker. Every product page gives the measurements taken from the piece itself, so take a tape measure to the spot before you order.
Colour or stone?
Painted resin is warm and familiar and fits most homes. Marble is quieter and more formal, and it suits a garden, a memorial or a gift meant to be handed on. Neither is the ‘better’ gift — it is a question of the person and the room.
Sending a gift to someone else
If you want the statue to go straight to the person, put their address in as the delivery address at checkout. Resin is posted with tracking; marble is brought by the shop itself, so for marble it helps to give a phone number for the person receiving it, so the delivery can be arranged with them.
Delivery through the website is within Ireland. If you live abroad and want to send a statue to family at home in Ireland, that is exactly what the checkout is for. If you want a statue sent outside Ireland, write to us first and we will tell you honestly whether we can help and what it would cost.
A statue is traditionally blessed by a priest when it is first set in place. We send statues as they are; any parish priest will bless one in a few minutes after Mass, and many families like to make that part of the occasion.
Questions about religious gifts
Are your statues blessed?
We don’t describe our statues as blessed. A statue is normally blessed by a priest once it is in its new home; ask your parish priest after Mass.
Can I collect a gift myself?
Yes. Collection is free in Termonbarry, Co. Roscommon, once the order has been paid in full. Choose collection at checkout, then message Thomas on WhatsApp on +353 85 285 1015 to agree a time and place.
What if it arrives damaged?
Send us a photograph within 48 hours of delivery and we will replace the piece or refund it in full, including postage. Keep the packaging until the claim is settled.
What if the person already has that statue?
As a consumer you have 14 days from delivery to tell us you want to cancel, and a further 14 days to send it back in its original packing. The details are on our shipping and returns page.
The saint I want isn’t in the catalogue. Can you get it?
Marble can be carved to order. Tell us the saint and roughly the size, and we will come back with a quote before anything is started — see custom statues.
Not sure what to give?
Tell us who it is for and where it will stand. Short messages are fine — we will suggest two or three statues and send you the measurements.
Updated
Read next
Statues for the home
A statue in the house is a face to turn to at the start of the day and at the end of it. Here is how to choose one for a shelf, a sill or a prayer corner — and which statues Irish homes have kept for generations.
Religious statues in Ireland
Statues of Our Lord, Our Lady and the saints for the home, the parish and the garden — hand-painted resin and hand-carved marble, delivered to every county in Ireland.
Made to order
Not in the catalogue? It can still be carved. If it can be carved, we can carve it — send us a photograph or a drawing of what you have in mind and we will tell you what it takes to make it.