Meaningful Irish Symbols:
Use them to Express Your Irish Side!

You don’t have to look far to see Irish symbols. They appear all around us, on clothing, jewelry, artwork, tableware and more.  From the Celtic knot, to the Celtic Cross, to the Claddagh, to the Shamrock, these symbols offer a unique way to express your personal Irish side.

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If you already know the Irish symbol you are looking for, feel free to jump right to it:

Celtic Knot

Celtic Cross

Claddagh

Tricolor Flag

Irish Family Crest

Celtic Harp

Tree of Life

Trinity Symbol

Shamrock

Triskelion

10 Familiar Irish Symbols

Irish symbols are so popular, they are often displayed by people with no Irish heritage at all!  And that's just fine with us - in our humble opinion, everybody has an Irish side!

The Celtic Knot

Sometimes called "Irish knots" or "Mystic knots," Celtic knots are patterns of lines with no visible beginning and no apparent ending.

Aside from being lovely, they are said to have important meanings, which you can learn more about in on this site!

As with many symbols of Ireland they appear on everything from clothing to tableware to jewelry to body art.

For information on this beautiful Irish symbol, visit our page on the Celtic Knot.

The Celtic Cross

This classic symbol of Ireland is shaped like a traditional Christian crucifix, with the addition of a circle around the intersection, symbolizing eternity.

It is typically decorated with symbols or scenes of various biblical events, and it is found in a variety of Irish expressions today, including art, tattoos and jewelry.

Visit our section on the Irish Cross for much more information about this important symbol of Ireland.

The Claddagh

This classic symbol originated in the town of Claddagh, and was first made into the famous claddagh ring in the 17th century during the reign of Mary II.

Two hands represent friendship and the crown stands for lasting fidelity and loyalty, while the heart represents eternal love.

Much more information on this key Irish symbol can be found in our page on the Claddagh Ring Story here.

The Tricolor Flag

The Tricolour flag is the national flag of Ireland. This flag was first introduced back in 1848 by Thomas F. Meager.  It was officially adopted in 1921.

The green represents the Catholics and the orange stands for the Protestants in Northern Ireland.  The white represents the hope of peace between them.

Learn much more in our section on the Irish Flag.

The Irish Family Crest

Back in the 12th century, long shields and chain-link mail were replaced with helmets that covered the whole head, full-body armor and smaller shields.

Knights could not be individually recognized. They began marking their shields with emblems to identify themselves for the tournaments or battles, and the family crest was born!

Learn more about these remarkable symbols of Ireland in our page on the Irish coat of arms.

The Celtic Harp

The Celtic Harp needs no introduction. This famous symbol can be seen everywhere from Irish clothing to Irish coins to beer bottles.

The Harp has a storied place in Irish history, and is a one of the most important elements in traditional Irish music.

It appears on flags and family crests, plays a part in Irish stories and folklore - and it just happens one was being played on in the courtyard in our last sight-seeing visit to Blarney Castle!

Find much more information in our section on the Irish Harp here!

The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life represents a number of Irish values with Celtic roots.  Among these are strength, longevity and connection with the earth.

As with many Irish symbols the Celtic Tree of Life appears in many legends and myths.

It also adorns Irish jewerly, clothing, and other Irish works of art.

One of the most common places you will find the tree of life is in Irish tattoos! (I should know, my son just got one of them.  I don't like tattoos generally, but his is kind of cool, I must say.)

Find much more information in our section on the Tree of Life here!

Trinity Symbol

A close cousin of the Celtic knot, the Trinity symbol (or triquetra) symbolizes strength, eternity and the power of three, among other things.

As with many other important Irish symbols, this one has found its way into jewelry, clothing and works of art.

The roots of the Trinity symbol go back literally thousands of years.

For much more information about this important symbol of Celtic Ireland, please enjoy our page on the Trinity Symbol here!

The Shamrock

Now we turn to the world-famous Irish Shamrock.  Rumored to have the power to ward off evil spirits, scare away snakes and heal diseases, this little symbol packs a mighty punch.

So much so that at one time it was banned from public display by the Queen of England.

I know, crazy right?

If that simple little description leaves you wanting more, please check out our section on the Shamrock symbol here!

The Triskelion

A close cousin to the Triquetra, the meaning of the Triskelion design is essentially “three-legged."  It is no coincidence that this Celtic symbol visually resembles three legs running!

Representing both man’s progress as well as competition, the Triskelion can also be referred to as the fylfot and the triskele.

Various attributes that have been attached to any given leg have been everything from “creator, sustainer, destroyer” to “father, mother, child.”

Ready to Earn Your Symbols Zone Badge?

You've learned about the essential Irish (Celtic) symbols - now it's time to record your progress in your IE Passport.  Take this fun and informative short quiz, to test your knowledge of Irish symbols and move one step closer to your next IE Passport stamp!

Want Even More Irish Symbols?

It is probably obvious - at Irish Expressions, we love Irish symbols!

Expressing ourselves through Irish / Celtic symbolism gives us a deeper sense of connection with Ireland, wherever in the world we happen to be!

To help deepen your love of Irish symbolism, we have over the years created many downloadable, share-able Irish games, puzzles, recipes, songbooks, quizzes, and much, much more.

Want them right now?  Keep reading to learn about "Your Irish Expressions Playbook."

More Fun With Irish Expressions

Congratulations on learning more about the Emerald Isle and discovering what we like to call your "Irish Side."  You may be thinking "I'd love to actually VISIT Ireland but that's really not in the cards right now.  What am I supposed to do with the stuff I just learned?"

Well never fear!  Since 2007 we have collected all of the best printable, shareable resources we could find, to help you put your new knowledge of Ireland to good use.  We've put them all together in a single download we call "Your Irish Expressions Playbook," which contains over 100 pages of games, puzzles, recipes, songbooks, quizzes, travel guides and much, much more.

Purchase them ALL for one small price, print as many copies as you like and share them with your friends - with no limitations!   But order soon - we are already adding to the Playbook for future editions and this price will not last long. 

Oh, want one more reason to order right away?  If you buy YOUR copy of the Playbook now, you will be allowed to upgrade to any new future edition for FREE.

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