James Mary Kelly
Welcome to James Mary Kelly (JMK) Gold and Silversmith.
We invite you to visit our in-store workshop in the heart of the historic city of Kilkenny, where you will always find one of us hard at work.
You may also browse through our website where we have a range of custom pieces – rings, pendants, earrings, chains and even silver holloware.
Please use our enquiry form to contact us or alternatively send your enquiry to info@jmkgoldsmiths.com
Our Story
James Mary’s interest was sparked after a school trip to Kilkenny Design where he was very impressed with the metal works on site. After approaching the workshop manager to ask for a job James Mary was successful. He was later offered a goldsmith scholarship to Germany which James Mary says was invaluable.
With the closure of Kilkenny Design Workshops in 1988 James Mary decided to purchase one of the workshops. He has been very successful since and the business has prospered. Among his creations are the Liam McCarthy cup, which has had many a trip back to Kilkenny since.
Other works have included gifts for Popes and one work in particular that stands out for James Mary was the Tabernacle he made for Armagh Cathedral. James Mary recalls Cardinal Ó Fiaich being very impressed with the creation and suggested that they toast the tabernacle with a drop of Jameson.
Neill Kelly decided to follow in his father’s footsteps after studying a Grennan Mill craftcourse in ’91 and has worked and studied under some of the best Goldsmiths since.
They have seen a shift in the markets over the decades and James Mary says that they are required to keep diversifying their products to satisfy the market demand.
Bespoke & Remodelling
From their forge in the shadow of Kilkenny Castle these specialist goldsmiths are at work creating bespoke custom-made jewellery by cold-forged hand-fabrication.
Get in touch with our goldsmith designers to explore countless possibilities and create a uniquely commissioned design!
Liam MacCarthy Cup
Among James’s many creations is the Liam MacCarthy cup which has had many a trip back to Kilkenny since.
The Liam MacCarthy Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) to the team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Its design is based on a medieval drinking vessal called a methe.
The original 1920’s trophy commemorates the memory of Liam MacCarthy. It was retired in the 1990s and has been on permanent display in the GAA Museum at Croke Park in Dublin since.
In 1992, an exact replica was commissioned by the GAA from silversmith James Kelly. Tipperary was the last county team to claim the original trophy in 1991 and Kilkenny was the first county team to win the “new” MacCarthy Cup in 1992.
In 2010, the GAA once again asked James to produce another replica of the trophy (the third Liam MacCarthy Cup), although this was to be used only for marketing purposes.
