Heartbreak For Irish Craft As Silversmith's "Lifetime" Of Work Stolen From His Studio

Friday, 25 April 2025 15:43

By Martin Osborne

The cruet set presented to Pope Francis in 2018 (Pic: @seamusgillsilversmith)

Gill designed a custom cruet set and presented it to the late Pope Francis during his 2018 Irish visit.

Dublin-based silversmith Séamus Gill, whose distinguished career includes a presentation to the late Pope Francis and exhibitions at the National Gallery of Ireland, had his entire collection stolen last weekend.

Thieves broke into his Dublin studio during the Easter period and stole his work, including irreplaceable original jewellery, design work, and silver pieces representing years of his award-winning craftsmanship.

He described the studio as being "robbed of everything."

Gill designed a custom cruet set and presented it to the late Pope Francis during his 2018 Irish visit.

"Decades of work have been taken: original jewellery, including one of a kind legacy pieces, prototypes, and the full creative development of my upcoming collection. This is more than a theft – it’s the loss of a lifetime’s creative journey," he said.

He added: "There aren’t many silversmiths left. All of it is hallmarked, it has an identifiable signature, and it carries the Irish hallmark."

Speaking on Morning Ireland, he said his work can't be replaced.

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