Ireland has rich, historical roots bedded in Catholicism as well as Gaelic and Celtic culture.
The culture of Ireland is composed of a mélange of many ancient histories and the various oppressions and victories of those histories. The many ancient castles, cliffs and ruins of Ireland’s landscape are a testament to that history and create enchanting tattoos.
The flag of Ireland, the bold green, white, and orange stripes, is often used as a statement of Irish roots. Additionally, it is a symbol of unity. Historically, the green represents the Gaels, the orange, William of Orange and the white their peace. The color scheme is also used to create larger Irish-themed tattoos. These often include the four-leafed clover, or three-leafed shamrock, a good omen of luck and prosperity. The four-leafed clover is seen as a good luck charm as it is rarely found.
Irish Americans can take this flag tattoo idea to the next level by blending the Irish and American flags. This is a great way to show your pride in both countries while also having a very cool tattoo design. There are plenty of ways that you can get the flags designed, but most people have a vertical pole with a flag flying out to both sides. You can even add in a few other Irish tattoos and American tattoos if you want to go with a larger design.
The shamrock is also connected to Saint Patrick, who is pictured with a bright green leaf. Its three leaves are representative of the Holy Trinity and the strong Catholic values ubiquitous in Irish culture. Some people will even include a cross in their shamrock tattoos to make the Catholic meanings a bit clearer. Along with the religious meanings, people also get the shamrock tattoo because it is a classic good luck charm.
There are actually quite a few ways to get a shamrock designed, and it all depends on the types of meanings that you want to use and the way that you want it to look. Some people opt to get the classic green shamrock to ensure that outsiders recognize that it is an Irish tattoo, while others will get a more tribal design that gives it more of an artsy look without actually taking any meaning out of it. If you are interested in getting a shamrock tattoo, then you’ll need to think about how big you want it to be before you choose a style.
Saint Patrick himself, the patron saint of Ireland, is a prevalent icon within Christian Ireland and is known for spreading Catholicism through the pagan land. He supported the Christians who already existed there and baptized countless others. There are plenty of ways to get this ultimate Irish tattoo, so it’s a good idea to look at some of the paintings and other artwork of Saint Patrick to find one that you think will look great in tattoo form.
The Cross of Saint Patrick is commonly used to convey his teachings and good works. It is symmetrical with flared edges or includes a third line intersecting the cross of the first two lines. This is possibly the most popular upper-arm Irish tattoo since it fits so well in that area.
These are usually considered to be works of art both in the physical and tattoo form because of how much line work and detail is involved in making one. Design-wise, you can go with a simpler cross with that classic line work, or you can also choose to make it much more detailed, such as in sculpture form.
Another symbol that conveys Irish culture is the Erin God Bragh flag used by the Saint Patrick’s Battalion of men who fought in the Mexican-American War. A golden maiden curves into the shape of a stringed harp, encircled by golden shamrocks and the inscription “Erin go Bragh” which translates to “Ireland forever”. The flag has become a strong symbol of Irish nationalism and rebellion.
If you are looking for an Irish love tattoo, then you might like the simple yet meaningful “Mo Chuisle” text tattoo. This is a very cool and very Irish way of saying “My love,” which makes it perfect if you have a significant other and are interested in getting a love tattoo.
If you do end up choosing to get a Mo Chuisle tattoo, then you’ll want to think about the type of font that you’ll use and if you want any other images surrounding it. Like most other quote tattoos, you can place these words anywhere on your skin, though most people choose to put them on their arms so they can always see them.
Another popular text tattoo is the “Fada Gan Iarracht,” which may look a little odd at first but it is definitely meaningful. In English, these words mean that you have to put in some effort to achieve things in life. This is a great Irish tattoo for anyone who has had a tough time sticking to tasks in the past and wants a motivational tattoo to help them stay focused. This is a slightly longer text tattoo, so it makes for an excellent ribs tattoo, though it can also work on the arm or leg.
Like in many other cultures, the butterfly is a very popular Irish tattoo and comes in a very cool style. This is a Celtic style that gives the butterfly unique curled lines along its wings to give it a more mystical look. The meanings are the exact same as with all other butterfly tattoos, so if you want an Irish tattoo that symbolizes freedom and transformation, then this butterfly tattoo might just be the best design for you.
Ireland is also the birthplace of many famous writers and poets, including Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats and James Joyce, all of whom write lovingly about their home country. While these aren’t usually talked about in the Irish tattoos conversation, they still work as Irish tattoos since you are showing pride in people who came from the country. Of course, you can add in any of the other Irish tattoos mentioned on this page if you want it to be a more obvious Irish tattoo.
Believe it or not, many people use skulls in their Irish tattoos; even as the focal point of the designs. For example, there are some designs that have a skull with an Irish top hat and a clover in it. This is a great idea for anyone who likes the mortality symbolism that comes with the skull and the way that other Irish symbols look with that skull. These can actually be very cool Irish tattoo designs when drawn by an experienced artist.
Like with the skull, you can mix in as many Irish symbols as you like into your Irish tattoo. You don’t want to overdo it, but if you can come up with a nice design that implements a bunch of great Irish images, then, by all means do it. The key is to use any of the symbols that have meanings that are special to you so it can be something you’re proud of for the rest of your life.
Many of the Irish tattoos that we’ve talked about can be costly when you get the heavily detailed versions, but you can get simplified versions without losing any meaning. For example, you could get a simple shamrock in black ink if you either didn’t want to spend too much money or you wanted something that could look great on your wrist without sticking out too much. These are the types of things you should think about before committing to any Irish tattoo (or any tattoo at all, for that matter).
If you are very proud of your Irish heritage and would like to show it off, then you might be a perfect candidate for one of these Irish tattoos. Make sure you talk with your artist about all of your design options and chances are you will end up with a great Irish tattoo that you will never regret getting.