Celebrating St Patrick's Day With St Patrick's Day Tattoos
St Patrick's Day is celebrated on the 17th March every year in Ireland to commemorate St Patrick, one of Ireland's patron Saints. The St Patrick's day celebrations often extend outside of Ireland, with people across the world celebrating this jolly day, but the celebrations are of course especially huge in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, where St Patrick's Day is a Bank Holiday (which is even more reason to celebrate).
You're sure to see lots of things that are traditionally Irish over the course of St Patrick's day, and it's a great reason for people to go back to their roots and celebrate the Irish culture. There are many ways to celebrate, such as dressing in green clothes, attending parades with Irish dancing and music, or simply sipping a pint of Guinness. Some people go the extra mile to pay homage to their heritage by getting St Patrick's Day tattoos, which is a brilliant way to enjoy St Patrick's day.
St Patrick's Day Tattoos consist of anything that is traditionally Irish, from shamrocks to Claddaghs, to leprechauns, and of course Guinness. You're sure to see plenty of green tattoo ink featured in St Patrick's Day-themed tattoos - a colour that is highly associated with Ireland. At Magnum Tattoo Supplies where we stock a huge range of the latest tattoo equipment, we've rounded up some of our favourite Irish-themed tattoos for St Patrick's Day - so why not take a look at these brilliant tattoos, and read more about the history behind them.
You're sure to see lots of things that are traditionally Irish over the course of St Patrick's day, and it's a great reason for people to go back to their roots and celebrate the Irish culture. There are many ways to celebrate, such as dressing in green clothes, attending parades with Irish dancing and music, or simply sipping a pint of Guinness. Some people go the extra mile to pay homage to their heritage by getting St Patrick's Day tattoos, which is a brilliant way to enjoy St Patrick's day.
St Patrick's Day Tattoos consist of anything that is traditionally Irish, from shamrocks to Claddaghs, to leprechauns, and of course Guinness. You're sure to see plenty of green tattoo ink featured in St Patrick's Day-themed tattoos - a colour that is highly associated with Ireland. At Magnum Tattoo Supplies where we stock a huge range of the latest tattoo equipment, we've rounded up some of our favourite Irish-themed tattoos for St Patrick's Day - so why not take a look at these brilliant tattoos, and read more about the history behind them.
Shamrocks:
One of the most popular forms of traditionally Irish tattoos is the shamrock. The 'shamrock' refers to a three-leaf clover, which St Patrick used as a means of explaining the holy trinity, with the three leaves representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word shamrock itself actually derives from the Irish word 'Seamrog' which means 'little clover' or 'young clover'.
Done by Jorge Sadurni
Done by @arenarosetattoo
Done by @skipbrudden
Done by @boris.bl
Done by Terrance Lessard
Done by @stevesims_tattooer
Done by @max_wood_art
Claddaghs:
These beautiful ring designs look great in the form of a tattoo. The Claddagh ring an Irish ring design which features two hands holding a crowned heart, symbolising friendship, loyalty, and love. The ring originated in a modest Galway fishing village, but it's now one of the most recognisable pieces of jewellery in the world. The lovely elements of the ring and the meaning behind them are what makes them so popular today. The two hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart held by the hands symbolises love. One of the main legends behind the ring stems from a classic Irish love story, and the Claddagh ring is often seen of as a family heirloom, being passed down to daughters within the family.
Done by Samuel Tyler Lott
One of the most popular forms of traditionally Irish tattoos is the shamrock. The 'shamrock' refers to a three-leaf clover, which St Patrick used as a means of explaining the holy trinity, with the three leaves representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word shamrock itself actually derives from the Irish word 'Seamrog' which means 'little clover' or 'young clover'.
Done by Jorge Sadurni
Done by @arenarosetattoo
Done by @skipbrudden
Done by @boris.bl
Done by Terrance Lessard
Done by @stevesims_tattooer
Done by @max_wood_art
Claddaghs:
These beautiful ring designs look great in the form of a tattoo. The Claddagh ring an Irish ring design which features two hands holding a crowned heart, symbolising friendship, loyalty, and love. The ring originated in a modest Galway fishing village, but it's now one of the most recognisable pieces of jewellery in the world. The lovely elements of the ring and the meaning behind them are what makes them so popular today. The two hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart held by the hands symbolises love. One of the main legends behind the ring stems from a classic Irish love story, and the Claddagh ring is often seen of as a family heirloom, being passed down to daughters within the family.
Done by Samuel Tyler Lott
Leprechauns:
The leprechaun is a huge part of Irish folklore. The leprechaun is a small, impish creature who is known all too well for being a trickster who loves playing practical jokes on people. Although it is said that you cannot trust these little guys, Leprechauns do hold a place as a figure of morality. This is because they warn against 'get rich quick' schemes. Leprechauns may be mythical, but they feature in pop culture as the face of Lucky Charms cereal, and also as the mascot for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. They're great mascots for St Patrick's Day given their colourful history, and they make for even better tattoos!
The leprechaun is a huge part of Irish folklore. The leprechaun is a small, impish creature who is known all too well for being a trickster who loves playing practical jokes on people. Although it is said that you cannot trust these little guys, Leprechauns do hold a place as a figure of morality. This is because they warn against 'get rich quick' schemes. Leprechauns may be mythical, but they feature in pop culture as the face of Lucky Charms cereal, and also as the mascot for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. They're great mascots for St Patrick's Day given their colourful history, and they make for even better tattoos!
Irish Flag:
The Irish flag, better known in Irish as 'Bratach na hÉireann' - was first flown on the 7th March 1848 at the Wolfe Tone Confederate Club, Waterford City. Referred to as the 'tricolour', the flag was originally flown by Thomas Francis Meagher who was the leader of the Young Irelander movement. He later went down in history as a general who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War. The colours in the Irish flag are really eye-catching and it's easily recognisable. The green represents Irish nationalism, the orange represents Ireland's Protestant minority, and the white represents lasting peace between the two. Irish flag tattoos are hugely patriotic, and make for a brilliant tattoo if you're wanting to proudly display your Irish roots through vibrant tattoo ink.
The Irish flag, better known in Irish as 'Bratach na hÉireann' - was first flown on the 7th March 1848 at the Wolfe Tone Confederate Club, Waterford City. Referred to as the 'tricolour', the flag was originally flown by Thomas Francis Meagher who was the leader of the Young Irelander movement. He later went down in history as a general who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War. The colours in the Irish flag are really eye-catching and it's easily recognisable. The green represents Irish nationalism, the orange represents Ireland's Protestant minority, and the white represents lasting peace between the two. Irish flag tattoos are hugely patriotic, and make for a brilliant tattoo if you're wanting to proudly display your Irish roots through vibrant tattoo ink.
Celtic Cross:
It has been said that the Celtic Cross was introduced by St Patrick when he was converting the pagans of Ireland to Christianity, however this claim is disputed, with others believing that it was actually St Declan who introduced the cross. It is claimed that St Patrick combined the traditional Christian cross with the sun which gave the cross the notion of importance, especially to newly converted Christians who would see the symbolism of the life-giving properties of the sun. The Celtic cross has always been a really popular subject matter for tattoos, and not just for Irish people. Celtic tattooing is a style in itself, and has long stood the test of time with it's classic and bold designs, often with larger tattoo needle groupings, - so it's not surprising to see plenty of Celtic cross tattoos.
Done by carlcaracia
It has been said that the Celtic Cross was introduced by St Patrick when he was converting the pagans of Ireland to Christianity, however this claim is disputed, with others believing that it was actually St Declan who introduced the cross. It is claimed that St Patrick combined the traditional Christian cross with the sun which gave the cross the notion of importance, especially to newly converted Christians who would see the symbolism of the life-giving properties of the sun. The Celtic cross has always been a really popular subject matter for tattoos, and not just for Irish people. Celtic tattooing is a style in itself, and has long stood the test of time with it's classic and bold designs, often with larger tattoo needle groupings, - so it's not surprising to see plenty of Celtic cross tattoos.
Done by carlcaracia
Guinness:
A beverage that is commonly associated with Ireland is of course Guinness. It is a dark Irish dry stout that first originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness based at St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, back in 1759. It has a malty sweetness to it with hoppy bitter notes. It certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea, and it's known to be quite heavy going on your stomach, but it's a much loved drink by many, and will continue to be so for a very long time. What better way to pay homage to this smooth and velvety drink than to get your very own Guinness tattoo that you can carry around forever? Whether it's a small and simple pint tattoo, or a full blown Guinness marketing campaign in the form of body art, there are some really magnificent Guinness tattoos out there that are most definitely ideal for St Patrick's Day.
Done by bodie_oleary_tattoo
Done by Henry Todd-Collins
Done by ginaktattoos
Done by Shana Hall
It's not long until the St Patrick's Day celebrations on the 17th March, so there's still time to get your party gear at the ready if you'll be celebrating this wonderful Irish holiday this year. We hope you've enjoyed looking at these stunning Irish-themed tattoos that are suitable for St Patrick's Day, and we'd love to hear from you if you have your own little homage to the Irish Saint day. Why not get in touch and leave us a comment in the box below?
For the best selection of green, orange, and white tattoo inks for any St Patrick's Day tattoos then make sure you check out our online store where you'll find the best collection of tattoo inks from major brands such as Eternal, Fusion, and Radiant Tattoo Ink.
- Antonia McLoughlin
Peter Nelson, Lord Nelson Tattoos
Karl Fletcher, Fleckys Tattoo Studio
