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Irish Symbols
The Irish are a civilization which date back in time pretty far indeed. They are many irish symbols which have popped up along that road in time. The most popular irish symbol is probably the Shamrock, while the leprechaun would probably come in as a close second.
Here are some of the most popular Irish Symbols.
 The harp, of the small portable type played by Celtic minstrels, is the oldest official symbol of Ireland. Through not as recognizable as the shamrock, the harp is widely used. It appears on Irish coins, the presidential flag, state seals, uniforms, and official documents. But the harp is most often associated with Guinness, which adopted the harp as its trademark in 1862. |
The shamrock is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland.
The shamrock is undoubtedly the most identifiable symbol of Ireland. Shamrock comes from the Irish Gaelic word Seamrog, a word that refers to the plant's three leaves. Legend has it that during a religious debate with the Druid priests, St. Patrick plucked a shamrock to demonstrate the mysteries of the Christian Trinity--three leaves held together by a single stem. Whether or not this story is true, the shamrock is regarded as the national plant of Ireland and always worn on St. Patrick's Day.
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 The national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green, white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. Although the flag's meaning is not covered by the Irish Constitution, the Irish government has stated that the green represents the Gaelic tradition of Ireland and the orange represents the followers of William of Orange in Ireland, with white representing peace, or a truce, between them. |
 The Claddagh Ring - The Claddagh ring is a traditional Irish ring given as a token of love or worn as a wedding ring. The design and customs associated with it originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the city of Galway. The ring was first produced in the 17th century during the reign of Queen Mary II, though elements of the design date to the late Roman period.
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 Leprechauns - A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology. The Leprechauns spend all their time busily making shoes, and store away all their coins in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If ever captured by a human, the Leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their release. Popular depiction shows the Leprechaun as being no taller than a small child, with a beard and hat, although they may originally have been perceived as the tallest of the mound-dwellers. |
 Rainbows - Does tracking down a leprechaun and his hidden pot of gold sound improbable at best? Many people believe that the leprechaun keeps his gold at the end of a rainbow. Have you ever seen the end of a rainbow? Interestingly, one of the definitions of rainbow is "a goal, hope, or an ideal that is unlikely to be achieved or realized."
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| The Banshee - The Banshee, from the Irish bean sÃdhe is a feminine spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld.
In Irish legend, a banshee wails nearby if someone is about to die. There are particular families who are believed to have banshees attached to them, and whose cries herald the death of a member of that family.
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 Merrows - Merrow or Murrough (Galloway) is the Scottish and Irish Gaelic equivalent of the mermaid and mermen of other cultures. These beings are said to appear as human from the waist up but have the body of a fish from the waist down. They have a gentle, modest, affectionate and benevolent disposition.
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| Grogochs were originally half human, half-fairy aborigines who came from Kintyre in Scotland to later settle in Ireland. The grogoch is well-known throughout north Antrim, Rathlin Island and parts of Donegal, grogochs may also to be found on the Isle of Man, where they are called "phynnodderee". Resembling a very small elderly man, though covered in coarse, dense reddish hair or fur, he wears no clothes, but sports a variety of twigs and dirt from his travels. Grogochs are not noted for their personal hygiene: there are no records of any female grogochs. |
Changelings - A changeling is a creature found in Western European folklore and folk religion. It is typically described as being the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. Sometimes the term is also used to refer to the child who was taken.
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Pooka - The Puca or Pooka (Irish for goblin) is a creature of Celtic folklore, notably in Ireland, the West of Scotland, and Wales. It is one of the myriad fairy folk, and, like many fairy folk, is both respected and feared by those who believe in it.
According to legend, the puca is a deft shape shifter, capable of assuming a variety of terrifying or pleasing forms, and may appear as a horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog. No matter what shape the púca takes, its fur is almost always dark. It most commonly takes the form of a sleek black horse with a flowing mane and luminescent golden eyes. |
The Irish dullahan is a type of unseelie fairie. It is headless, usually seen riding a black horse and carrying his head under one arm. The head's eyes are massive and constantly dart about like flies, while the mouth is constantly in a hideous grin that touches both sides of the head. The flesh of the head is said to have the color and consistency of moldy cheese. The dullahan's whip is actually a human corpse's spine, and the wagons they sometimes use are made of similarly funereal objects. When the dullahan stops riding, it is where a person is due to die. The dullahan calls out their name, at which point they immediately perish.
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Resources:
Irish Symbols - Ancient Symbols Website
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