Jeweller wthdraws gun pendant window display

A LIMERICK jeweller at the centre of a controversy for displaying gold medallions of replica guns, including a 9 carat gold Kalashnikov rifle, yesterday withdrew all the items from the shop window.

The jewellery caused concern among business interests because of the negative publicity in the city surrounding the on-going feud between rival gangs and a number of high profile court cases.

Eleanor O’Brien, the manager of John H.Irwin, jewellers, at Williamscourt Mall in William Street, yesterday said she was unaware that the item causing the biggest stir, the gold Kalashnikov rifle medallion, studded with semi-precious CZ stones and retailing at 460, had any special local significance in the city. “This piece of jewellery was just another type of gun and we purchased the items from our British-based suppliers. We had no idea they looked like an AK47 rifle. It is not called that and I didn’t even know what one looked like. If this particular item has offended people, I cannot understand why nobody came into the shop to complain about it.”