Gehen zu:
The Tartans of the Emerald Isle
Although tartan is most closely associated with Scotland, it can also be found a short jaunt across the Irish Sea in the mysterious Emerald Isle. Steeped in myth and history Ireland shares many similarities with Scotland, a few of which we will explore today. Join us as we set sail over the Irish Sea to find out all about St Patrick's Day and the tartans that Ireland has to offer.
Who was St Patrick?
St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and is widely regard as the founder of Christianity in the Emerald Isle. Known as the 'Apostle of Ireland', St Patrick was an active missionary during the 5th Century, originally from Roman Britain, and said to have been captured and taken to Ireland by a group of Irish pirates at the age of 16. Upon arriving in Ireland, he was held captive by the pirates and forced to look after livestock as a shepherd. His time as a shepherd was said to have strengthened his relationship with God which led to him converting to Christianity. St Patrick remained captive in Ireland for six years, until he had a vision that he would soon escape his bonds. Fleeing his captors, he gained passage back to Britain returning to his family.
Did you know that St Patrick was said to have chased all of the snakes from Ireland?
However, this was not the end of St Patrick's adventures in the Emerald Isle. He trained as a cleric and returned to Ireland, where he played a key role in converting Irish society from practicing Celtic-Polytheism to Christianity. St Patrick was said to have spent his later life as a bishop, although it is not known where. His life is celebrated on the 17th of March each year, with most estimates suggesting that this was the date that he passed away.
On the 17th of March each year, St Patrick is celebrated in Ireland and across the world. The day commemorates the arrival of Christianity and celebrates the rich culture and heritage of Ireland. St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and is celebrated across the globe from Europe and North America, to South America and Australasia. Celebrations involve a variety of events including public parades, festivals, and ceilidhs, with the green of the shamrock a common sight. Similarly to us Scots, people of Irish descent can be found across the globe, and celebrating St Patrick's Day is a great way for Celts to connect.
Fun Fact: St Patrick's Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.
The Tartans of the Emerald Isle
Ireland is not only home to St Patrick but to a whole host of great tartan. Unlike in Scotland where tartans are predominately representative of a clan, in Ireland, they are linked to a district or a county. Still unsure what to wear this St Patrick's Day? With plenty of tartans to choose from you're spoilt for choice.
All Ireland Tartan
All Ireland Tartan is available in three different variants, Green, Red, and Blue, with the soft tones representing the colours of Ireland's landscape. These tartans were created in 1997 to celebrate the strong relationship between Scotland and Ireland, and although the tartan itself is fairly new, it goes a long way to celebrate the shared history and culture of both nations. We are often asked if Irish and Scottish kilts are made the same way? The answer is yes, traditional kiltmakers use all the same skills and detail to make your kilt and the only difference is the tartan chosen.
Pride of Ireland
Scotland has its very own Pride of Scotland tartan, so it's only fair that the Emerald Isle has its own version. Pride of Ireland tartan is a distinctive, bright and colourful tartan, with a green base and a black, blue and yellow check. This is a great alternative to Celtic FC tartan due to its similarity and the football club's Irish heritage.
St Patrick Tartan
St Patrick tartan was created to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland. Around the world, people celebrate St Patrick and Irish culture on the 17th of March each year, to commemorate his death. What better way to celebrate the famous patron saint than by wearing his tartan?
Irish District Tartans
Today, Ireland may only have four provinces, but the Emerald Isle used to be home to five. In the 5th Century, the island was ruled by the "Ri Coicid" or Kings of a Fifth, suggesting that there were five kingdoms; Connaught, Leinster, Meath, Munster, and Ulster. However, Leinster absorbed Meath, resulting in the four provinces that we know today.
Connaught Tartan
Connaught tartanis a district tartan linked to the Irish province of Connaught. This province was home to the first known High King of All Ireland, 'Maelsachniall'. The king was descended from an old line of rulers, who held the name Ui Neill which translates to "the nine hostages". This means that either 'Maelsachniall' or one of his descendants have direct links to Clan MacLachlan. Connaught tartan is bright and colourful with a light green base and a bright pink check.
Leinster Green Tartan
Leinster Green tartan is a district tartan that is linked to the Irish province of Leinster. This province is home to Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland and is the country's most populous province. Leinster is rich in history and home to the Hill of Tara, a historical site which is believed to be the ancient seat of Irish High Kings.
The tartan itself combines several different colours including green, blue, yellow and red, resulting in a bold design.
Munster Tartan
Munster tartan is the district tartan linked to the province of Munster. Munster can be found in the south-west of Ireland and is home cities of Cork and Limerick. It is home to some of the Emerald Isle's best scenery including Killarney and the Ring of Kerry.
The tartan itself, like most Irish tartans, consists of a green base colour, with a red and black check.
Ulster Tartan
Ulster is the most northerly of Ireland's four provinces. It is the second-largest province both in terms of size and population and is home to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. Ulster is home to the largest lake in the British Isles, Lough Neagh, which is bordered by five of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The tartan itself is available in two different variants. The generic variant of Ulster tartan consists of a gold base, with a red and brown check, making it unique to other Irish tartans. Ulster Red is similar in design but has a red base with a green and gold check.
Irish County Tartans
County Fermanagh
Irish district tartans are not just reserved for the four provinces. County Fermanagh tartan is linked to the county of Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. Fermanagh is often referred to as Ireland's Lake District, alongside neighbouring County Cavan, on account of its many rivers and loughs. Curiously, it is the only Northern Irish county not to border Loch Neagh.
County Fermanagh tartan consists of a light blue base, with a bright green and gold check.
Connemara Tartan
Connemara tartan is another county tartan and is representative of Galway. County Galway is famed for its rugged yet picturesque landscape with a meandering coastline and winding valleys. This scenery is captured in the tartan, with its combination of reds, greens, and blues.
The county is also home to the beautiful Kylemore Abbey, which is the number one tourist attraction in the west of Ireland.
Antrim Tartan
County Antrim is home to the famous Giants Causeway, which in Gaelic mythology is said to have been built by the Irish giant Finn MacCool. According to legend Finn built the causeway across the North Channel to fight the Scottish giant, Benandonner. However when he arrived in Scotland he realised that Benandonner was a lot bigger than him and Finn would likely lose the fight. He fled home destroying part of the causeway as he left, so Benandonner could not follow.
Dublin Tartan
Dublin is of course most famous for their Guinness, a staple for celebrating St Patrick's. You can visit the Guinness Storehouse on St. James's Gate where you can view the archives and artifacts dating back to 1759. Arthur Guinness was the founder and left behind a very memorable legacy, including the iconic 9000-year lease on the brewery. While exploring the Storehouse you can also search back in the archives and discover your family's links to the factory and Guinness; there are over 1.6 million historical records available.
Galway Tartan
The County Galway tartan is mainly red and has yellow, blue and green stripes running throughout.
Galway is renowned for having a great nightlife and festivals along with an abundance of food and music in local pubs. With beautiful architecture and historic sites seen across the County, one popular tourist attraction is Galway Cathedral. The beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral was built on the site of an old city prison in 1958 and in the Renaissance Revival style and would make a beautiful venue for a wedding.
One interesting tradition that is still seen in Galway is Hooker Boats, they are a fishing vessel and were very important to bringing trade and a source of hope to many. The boats would travel across the west coast of Ireland and bring fish and trade goods from other ports. The Hooker Boats have a very distinctive look, typically they have a tarred black hull and three rusty brown sails. They are still spotted in Galway today.
Mayo Tartan
County Mayo is found in the province of Connacht in the West of Ireland, travelling along the Atlantic coast. The region has a wide range of scenery from rich green forestry to rocky jagged sea cliffs, with Clew Bay being dotted with small but steep islands including the island of Clare.
The County Mayo tartan is mainly dark green with orange, yellow and blue accents running throughout.
Rockfleet Castle is found in a small inlet on the shores of Clew Bay, and is a small square defence tower house which was built in the mid 16th century. It was the house of the Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley who was the chief of the O'Malley dynasty and ruled over the majority of the western coast of Ireland in the late 16th century.
Add some Irish Tartan to your Wardrobe
Vorgebundene Fliege aus irischem Tartan
Verfügbar in 33 Tartans
Sonderanfertigung in 5 weeks
Irischer Tartan-Schal aus gekämmter Wolle
Verfügbar in 33 Tartans
Sonderanfertigung in 5 days
Traditioneller, irischer Kilt für Herren
Verfügbar in 33 Tartans
Sonderanfertigung in 7 weeks
Irisch Tartan Krawatte aus Wolle
Verfügbar in 33 Tartans
Sonderanfertigung in 5 days
Irisch Tartan Schärpe aus Wolle
Verfügbar in 33 Tartans
Sonderanfertigung in 5 weeks
How to Celebrate St Patrick's Day
St Patrick's Day Parades and Events
There many unique ways to celebrate St Patrick's Day, including parades, festivals and wearing green. There are pop up festivals across the globe, that gather communities and let the Guinness flow. It is also popular to dress in green and decorate yourself and home with shamrocks. One interesting tradition is 'Drowning the Shamrock', it's a custom that involves placing a shamrock in a glass and filling it with your drink (traditionally Guinness) and drinking it as a toast.
We are excited to see that there are many celebrations and parades happening near our shops!
Albany, New York
The 74th Albany St Patrick's Day Parade will take place on Saturday March 15th, 2025. The parade starts in downtown Albany and features Irish pipers, dancers, marching bands and decorated floats. On the day of the Parade there will be a Mass in the morning, followed by Irish Bread, coffee and tea. The Albany Armory will be hosting a parade party from 12-6pm and will be serving hot corned beef or pastrami sandwiches and drinks. The only dress code is green, but we recommend adding a touch of Irish tartan to your party outfit.
Edinburgh, Scotland
One of the well attended events in Edinburgh is Cowgate St Patrick's Day. Visitors can enjoy street parties, and go from pub to pub while listening to Irish music and drinking with your friends. It is held across Edinburgh's famous venues: The Three Sisters, Biddy Mulligans, Espionage, and Cabaret Voltaire. Tickets for the street party sell out quick, so if you miss out why not head to Dropkick Murphy's, a great little Irish pub.
Foodie Finds for your St Patrick's Day Celebration
With your attire all set and your party plans sorted the only thing left to think about is how to fill your tummy. While Ireland is mainly known for potatoes and Guinness, there is a lot more to their cuisine. Starting with the traditional corned beef; corned beef is beef cured in in salt and can also be known as Brisket, perfect for a slow cooked stew. The Irish traditionally eat this with colcannon (a buttery mash with cabbage folded through it), and mixed vegetables, a lovely hearty meal to go perfectly with your pint of Guinness. Another thing to add to your St Patricks Day meal is the famous soda bread, and while the internet is filled with soda bread recipes, many Irish families have their very own recipes that they pass down generations. The beauty of soda bread is that it is also known as a quick bread, using sodium bicarbonate instead of yeast to make it rise, and giving it a unique texture. If you are thinking of making your own soda bread this St Patricks Day, add green food dye to your dough to add to the effect!
Of course it wouldn't be fair to talk about St Patricks Day with out mentioning green food! You can stick with food that is naturally green like cabbage or risk it all by inventing your own green creation. Create your own special cheesecake with Irish lacquer and a hint of green food dye and your pudding will not only be delicious but also be proudly green for all to enjoy. There are many green recipes to find and experiment with, fill your table full of Ireland cuisine and of course don't forget to share pictures with us in all your St Patricks Day celebrations.
St Patrick's Day Poem
Mark St Patrick's Day with a poem! David P Carroll sent in his St Patrick's Day poem which we had to feature here on our blog.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day.
It's Saint Patrick's day and
Everyone is Irish today and
Irish music fills the air and
Little children are smiling everywhere
And Saint Patrick's day has arrived
And it's a time for joy a time for cheer
The shamrock green a lucky sign
A symbol blessed a gift divine and
Saint Patrick we love you it's true
And Saint Patrick brave and strong
And his story and legacy lives on
He came to Ireland a long ago
To teach us love and help it grow and
Parades march down every street
From Glasgow to Edinburgh and
Children's happy faces dancing all around
And the pipers play a lively reel
And joyful sounds the people feel and
Green ribbons tied in every childs hair
Green clothes to show that we all care
Green hats and scarfs a festive sight
An Irish celebration pure and bright
So let everyone around the world celebrate
Saint Patrick's day and may his luck
Touch your hearts on this very special day
And Saint Patrick's day a blessed time
A melody in every rhyme
A day of hope a day of grace and
For Saint Patrick's day is here
To banish gloom and spread good cheer
So God bless you all around the world and
May everyone have a beautiful and blessed
Happy Saint Patrick's day.
"David P Carroll a writer
I'm Irish and it's for
Everyone around the
World who's celebration
Saint Patrick's Day and
For all the children to have
A great day and enjoy the
History of Saint Patrick
Ireland's favorite Saint and
Saint Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints and apostle of Ireland born at Kilpatrick near Dumbarton in Scotland in the year 387 and died at Saul Downpatrick Ireland 17 March 461."
Thank you, David!
And there you have the Irish tartan experience. If you are in Chicago where they pour roughly 50 pounds of powdered dye into a quarter-mile stretch of the river, turning the water a familiar shade of shamrock green, or simply raising a pint of Guinness to mark the moment, enjoy St Patrick's Day and send us your pics of the celebrations.
