‘I’ve paid St Anthony a fortune’: Dublin woman makes appeal after losing sentimental ring while making charity donation

One Dublin woman is on the hunt for a missing eternity ring after accidentally giving it into a charity shop when donating clothes.
On Thursday, August 29th, Dubliner Jess McGuinness donated some clothing containing the diamond band to the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) charity shop in Killester.
The donation was made at about 3pm on the day, with Ms McGuinness realising shortly afterwards that she may have left the ring in one of the clothing pockets.
“I went back in and checked some of the items, some were still in the bags,” she said, but had no luck as not all of the clothes were still there. Afterwards, she “went home and pulled the house apart looking” for the ring, and returned to the charity shop the next day search her items again.
Ms McGuinness described the ring as a white gold band with diamonds the whole way around. “It’s quite big, you couldn’t miss it,” she said.
The staff were very helpful, Ms McGuinness said, and she went through her items in the shop for a second time, but to no avail. She is now hoping a good Samaritan who may have bought her clothes in the charity shop will find the ring and return it.
Ms McGuinness said she was devastated over losing the ring, which is very sentimental to her. “I got it for my 40th birthday from my husband and two sons,” she said, adding that it was purchased in Antwerp in Belgium where both her wedding and engagement rings were also bought.
“I’ve paid St Anthony a fortune and everyone is sending him prayers, I think it’s a very Irish thing to do that when you’ve lost something,” Ms McGuinness said. Despite the ring being missing a week, she is still hopeful that she will find it and is offering a reward for its return.
In a post on the Society of St Vincent de Paul Ireland Facebook page, the charity said the ring could be in the pockets of one of several items of clothing: blue J Brand jeans, navy J Brand jeans, grey Topshop jeans with frayed hems, pink H&M shorts or a khaki hooded Zara jacket. The ring is likely hidden in a side pocket or coin pocket, the charity said.
McGuinness and SVP are appealing to anyone who may have purchased or come across these items to get in contact by e-mailing [email protected].