Irish Tattoos
Irish tattoos come in a great variety of styles, stemming from the rich and varied artistic traditions that are part of the Irish culture. The Irish have a soulful, spiritual and very colorful culture - and Irish tattoo art reflects the full spectrum of it.
From Celtic tattoos to the classic Claddagh heart, to religious tattoos such as the Celtic cross, these tattoos are a great way to celebrate your appreciation for Irish and Celtic heritage.
The Celtic Influence
The Irish culture as we know it today, is the result of several distinct influences. The earliest and strongest influence is the Celtic culture. The Celts were an ancient people who once lived throughout Europe, settling in the British Isles around the time of the early Roman Empire.
The Celts had a fabulous body of art, consisting of beautiful and complex knotwork and stylized images taken from nature. The convoluted knotwork designs that turned and twisted back on themselves appeared in jewelry, weapons, pottery, textiles, ...
This Celtic knowtwork can also be found on Irish stonework that may date as far back as 400 BC. Celtic druids used these complex carved stones to mark boundaries between territories. Today's tattoo symbols draw on this ancient tradition and are a favorite motif for Irish tattoo designs.
The Religious Influence
The Irish are very well aware of their Celtic heritage, but many Irish are also very religious.
Irish Catholics are usually well versed in the lives of the saints and although 'saint' tattoos might be more typical of Hispanic tattoos, you do find these images among Irish tattoos as well. The story of St. Patrick credits him with introducing and spreading Christianity to Ireland. He was a wise man and used familiar objects to illustrate Christian principles to the Irish people.
The best kwonw of these symbols is the shamrock. Shamrock tattoos are a memento of St. Patrick's teaching methods. It is said he reached down, plucked a shamrock, and held it up to illustrate the Holy Trinity to the followers of pagan Celtic gods and goddesses. The shamrock was regarded as a power charm against evil, thus its association with good luck. No wonder it's such a popular design for Irish tattoos today.
Irish Cross Tattoos
A Celtic Cross Tattoo
The popularity of the cross in Irish tattoos harkens back to another St. Patrick story. He was told the local Druids worshipped a circular stone carved with intricate symbols.
To demonstrate the triumph of Christianity over the old Celtic gods, St. Patrick draw a simple Latin cross through the symbol of the stone circle, a motive readily adopted by his new converts. Thus, a symbol of faith bearing ancient knotwork designs became one of the most popular motifs for Irish tattoos.
Claddagh Tattoos
The third type of Irish tattoo is one that reflects the Irish folklore, which is related to both the Celtic and Christian traditions, yet distinct from both. Irish tattoos that represent Irish folklore consist of images that we customarily identify as 'typically' Irish - the leprechaun, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the tree of life, ...
Tattoo designs draw from more modern stories as well. That Irish claddagh tattoo on the pretty colleen sitting next to you has its roots in a story from the early 16h century.
An Irish fisherman was doing his thing when his curraugh, a small watercraft, capsized. The fisherman was rescued by pirates unfortunately and was sold into slavery in western Africa. Escaping a few years later, he returned to Ireland, expecting his betrothed to have married someone else. He discovered she'd never married in all those years.
As a tribute to her faithfulness and love, he designed what we now know as the claddagh, a crowned heart held by two hands. A claddagh tattoo may symbolize a romantic connection between two people or it may represent a strong bond of friendship that lasts through the years. You may have seen this heart as part of a jewelry image - it's a popular Irish ring.
The Claddagh is a beautiful symbol that comes from 17th century Ireland and that translates very well into tattoo art. The design consists of a heart with a hand on either side, and a crown on top of it. The hands denote friendship, the heart love, and the crown loyalty.
Women in Ireland would wear the Claddagh ring in their right hand with the heart facing outward when they were ‘available’, then turn it inward when they were betrothed. A Claddagh ring on the left hand means that the woman is happily married.
Other Celtic Symbolism
The Celts were rooted in the natural world around them. As a result, animals held center stage in much of their material art. Ducks, geese, dogs, and cats were familiar motifs, as well as mythical beasts such as the dragon.
While you probably won't see many Irish tattoos featuring ducks, you might spot one of a dragon. Dragons were a symbol of strength in the old Irish tradition and still show up as a design motif in jewelry as well. The usual form is a background of knotwork with a Celtic style dragon superimposed on it.
A Celtic Tree of Life Tattoo Design
The Tree of Life is another familiar design that experiences renewed popularity every decade or so. This image derives from the immense oak forests that once covered most of the British Isles.
St. Patrick's Day wouldn't be complete without a leprechaun or two. Today's leprechaun is the result of a good public relations campaign in the past. Originally, leprechauns weren't cute chubby guys wearing retro knee breeches. They were rather nasty customers with no qualms about doing in nosy people trying to heist their Lucky Charms.
The Irish American Tattoo
Many Irish people emigrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th century. Most of their descendents are proud of their origins and some choose to show their pride with an Irish American tattoo, a tattoo that represents their love for both countries.
Very popular in this category is the combination of the 2 flags with a celtic knot design or an American eagle.
Irish Music Tattoos
Music is and has always been very important to the Irish. Ireland is the only country with a musical instrument in its coat of arms. A golden harp with silver strings has been an Irish symbol from as early as the 13th century.
No wonder the harp shows up in Irish tattoo designs as well. Usually it's combined with an Irish flag or Celtic Knotwork. This example is the great seal of the Irish Free State, that was used to seal official documents:
The Irish are very patriotic and tend to be rather sentimental about their love for their culture - which would explain the growing popularity of Irish tattoos. While Irish tattoos are common as body art in today's society, they embody the elements of an ancient and playful Celtic spirit. Celtic knotwork and other motifs are as expressive today as they were two thousand years ago.
