The Story of Claire Burke

Claire Burke Founder - Fragrance Ireland

Potpourri that comes from Swilly! Seems like such a dichotomy, but it’s true. The intertwining between founder, Claire Burke and CEO Richard Neill (me) is incredible. Just too unlikely to be true, but they are. And here is our parallel story. Charles Basil Murray was born on June 16, 1867, one of thirteen children, in Letterkenny, Donegal, Ireland, a town located at the inland tip of Lough Swilly. “Letterkenny” takes its name from the Gaelic  name “Leitirceanainn” meaning “Hillside of the O’Cannons”, being the one of the last ancient chieftains.

The O’Cannon dynasty are descended from “Niall of the Nine Hostages”. I am a direct descendent of Niall of the Nine Hostages and grew up in the village of Manor Cunningham, a mere 6 miles from Letterkenny. Mr. Charles Murray came from the humblest of beginnings, having been born less than two decades after the great Irish potato famine, reducing the Irish population by 25% due to starvation and emigration. Charles emigrated to New York City at the age of seventeen to find a better life and went on to become a Doctor, a true illustration of the great American dream. He had two children, the elder being Claire Murray and the younger being Richard, known as Dick. 

Potpourri Founder Claire Burke Home Fragrance Story

Claire married Frederick Burke, becoming Claire Burke, and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia and started her career as an interior decorator. Claire became widely appreciated for her exceptional sense of style, and eventually became the go-to interior decorator for Charlottesville high society. Claire loved her work, loved her clients and they became family.

The year was 1957, Claire was completing a big project and thought to herself, “How can I leave a small token of my appreciation that they will remember me by?”. She literally went into the forest collecting pine cones, leaves, nuts and berries. She contacted a fragrance house and described her vision for a fragrance unlike any other at that time.

 Claire identified the fragrance notes she loved such as lavender, rose, patchouli, nutmeg, and clove among others. After many revisions, Claire developed a fragrance which would become known as Claire Burke Original, which ended up being a complex mix of more than 60 ingredients which we will delve into in future blogs. She poured the fragrance into a bathtub and blended it with the mix of nuts, cones, berries, leaves, and placed the mixture in a bag with a beautiful bow. From this simple gesture, an entire industry was born! 

Word of mouth spread about her exquisite smelling potpourri, and the Claire Burke Potpourri Company was founded shortly thereafter. From that very humble beginning, a several hundred-million-dollar potpourri industry evolved over the coming decades with Claire Burke Original leading the way. Claire hired her brother Dick to manage the factory floor.

Dick was a chaplain’s assistant during the second world war. I am a Minister’s son. My career at Claire Burke was obviously preordained. My family history and Claire’s overlaps in so many ways. Like Claire’s father, I also left Ireland at the young age of 10 to start a new life in North America. I should add that I left with my parents, leaving at ten by myself would have been just been plain nuts (potpourri pun intended). Clearly it was meant to be that I buy the Claire Burke company. Claire died in 1993 at the age of 85. Richard died in 2010 at the ripe old age of 96.

Hopefully, I have not only inherited their Company’s legacy, but also their genes. As home fragrance trends evolved, so did the Company. We now sell many different products such as filled candles, botanical candles, votives, tealights, wax melts, diffusers, room sprays and electric plug in warmer units and refills.

During those 63 years, Claire Burke Original remained at the center of the Company’s success and always will be. I feel an immense sense of responsibility to honor Claire’s legacy and the Company she built, starting in her bathtub. Original is an iconic, timeless scent that has become generational. Sons and daughters buy it to remember how their Mother’s house smelt while growing up, just by adding a bag of CB Original potpourri in the living room, or a room spray in the bathroom. It has now become their scent too.

On behalf of the entire Claire Burke team, we thank you for your loyalty and continue to work hard to earn your affection. I look forward to exploring with you, in future blogs, Claire’s view of how to make your house YOUR home while also delving into the ingredients that makes Claire Burke Original truly an original. It truly is an amazing story about how it all comes together.  And to think, such a beautiful scent started with Swilly.  Our Lough Swilly.  😊 

8 comments


  • Tempie Martin

    I have been a Claire Burke for at least 40 years. I remember when I could purchase carpet powder, scented clothes hangers, small oval boxes filled with original sent with a ribbon hanger which I still have and refresh with original potpourri, a pretty glass container with filigree lid which I still have, scented drawer hangers and probably some items I can’t remember. Only wish I could get those items now. Please consider bringing some of them back.
    I still spray tissue paper with the original scent when I gives gift. People associate the fragrance with me . My daughter , niece , sister and friends use the original sent also. Can I praise it more??


  • robyn faucette

    I have loved Claire Burke original for fifty years. The fragrance is one of a kind and am more than thrilled that I can still purchase the product after all these years. I especially enjoyed the history of how the original fragrance was started as I am an interior designer myself and look for gifts fo my clients as well. Thank you!


  • Suzanne Blanton

    Love this story of Claire Burke and the beginnings of her business! I have had The Original as my signature home scent for over 40 years, starting with a bag of potpourri. Over the years I added candles, wax melts, and room spray. I now only use the electric warmers and everyone that comes into my home always comments on how good my house smells. Thank you for continuing the business and making all Clair Burke scents available!


  • ANnette VAn WIe

    I have enjoyed using Claire Burke for over 50 years. My mother introduced me to it. The smell brings back such wonderful memories. I wouldn’t be without it. Have never used anything but original. I’m sure the others must be beautiful as well. Never stop making it please!


  • Linda Rathfon

    When I was first married in 1972 I received a Claire Burke Original home fragrance spray as a gift. I wish I could remember from whom. I loved it and it’s unique homey welcome. I used it only when having guests over. As I got to the end of the can I would not use the last bit as the scent reminded me of a magical time in my young life. I packed the almost empty can from house to house and city to city through the years. I recently came across it and almost 50 years later teared up as I gently squeezed the last bit of fragrance from a bygone time. I took to the internet on the off chance the company still existed, and there it was! With the same product I remembered and almost the same packaging! Thank you Claire Burke Original for the memories and the longevity.


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