Irish and Celtic Tattoo

Shamrock or Clover ? 

Do you know the difference between a shamrock and a clover tattoo? The shamrock is associated with Saint Patrick. According to the Irish legend, he used the tree-leaved plant as a metaphor for the holy trinity when he was first introducing Christianity to Ireland. The clover is said to bring you good luck. In Ireland, we often say that if you’re enough lucky to be Irish, you’re lucky enough. 

However, the Celtic and Irish folklore have more icons and legendary characters than Saint Patrick. Fion and the salmon of knowledge, the children of Lir or the Claddagh Ring, these myths are precious, and the country continues to attract artists from various nationalities seeking peace and inspiration.

Getting An Ogham Tattoo

Ogham is known as the first language of Ireland. The myth attributes his introduction as a gift from Oghma, the Celtic God of knowledge to his followers. Oghma is a fascinating divinity, depicted as a strong man who drags his followers by a chain that links his tongue to their ears. 

We value the Irish history and culture at The Black Hat Tattoo. There are members of our staff that have studied Gaelic at school, as all Irish children do, but not all of them remember all the facts. That is a definite asset to guide you to choose the proper signification for an Ogham Tattoo or a Gaelic script design. 

Ogham was employed in Ireland between the 4th to the 7th century. The Ogham Alphabet is a writing system that was inscribed into a stone or a wooden stick. 

However, it is essential to keep in mind that some names or words that we actually use in our lives nowadays might be challenging to translate into concepts word by word in the Oghma Alphabet. The best example of this possible incoherence is the English word family, which has two possible translation: “Teaghlach”, which means family as the people sharing the same household. In other terms, this is the family under the same roof. But more precisely, “Clann” means one’s offspring and can be understood as extended family. 

Celebrate Ireland with an Irish or Celtic Tattoo

There is an infinite amount of possibilities when it comes to Celtic and Irish tattoo designs. There is not a shamrock or a Guinness harp that looks like another one. If you bring us your idea, our fantastic team at The Black Hat Tattoo Dublin will be happy to design one for you. 

Many of our customers have Irish ancestors or Viking roots, and that’s why they reach out to us. Have a look at our Irish and Celtic Tattoo Gallery, there is plenty of good ideas and remember, the possibilities are endless.