It started with the Celts – This group of people originated in the Alps region of central Europe and spread throughout Eastern Europe and as far west as Ireland where they arrived around 500 B.C. It’s important to note that Celtic influences were a culture and not an empire.  The word ‘Celt” comes from the Greeks, who referred to tribes north of their country as “Keltoi.”

If you have traveled around Ireland, you may have noticed a certain artistic style in the form of spirals and knotwork that is featured on many old monuments, stone engravings, cemeteries, and even the typography on local store signs. Some well-known examples of Celtic art design are the Celtic Cross and Claddagh Ring, but they are just a few.

The Celts, who were a loose grouping of tribes, discovered iron around 800 B.C. Iron was a much stronger and more durable metal than bronze and therefore gave them technological advantage to spread as they did to Western Europe.  It is generally believed they assimilated gradually into Ireland over the course of a few hundred years, laying a key foundation stone of Irish culture that is felt to this day. The Celts were considered a colorful people who lived their lives following the natural and mystical rhythms of life and mother nature e.g. seasons, birth, death, rebirth, spiritual realms, etc.

Their culture and knowledge were communicated between generations, both through oral tradition and prolific artwork, particularly the use of spirals and intricate knotwork. In contrast, they were also known to be fierce, independent warriors, kept in check by a powerful druid caste. The ancient artwork that we consider “Celtic” originates as far back as 3,000 B.C., the Megalithic Age.  However, it was the Celts who gave it prominence incorporating its design across all aspects of their culture from weaponry and household artifacts to jewelry and ceremonial objects, examples of which include the world-famous illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages.

Today Celtic nationhood or identity is more obvious on the western fringes of Europe: Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and the Spanish provinces of Galicia and Asturias. The native tongues of these areas are related as they originated from a common language. Traditional music and artwork found in these regions still continue to flourish, each with a deep, rich, cultural seam originating from many previous generations.

Ireland is arguably the only nation that strongly promotes and celebrates its Celtic past, even with dilution from the modern industrial age. Its isolated, westerly island location was a significant factor, along with foreign occupation that focused attention on national identity. Irish art, to this day, draws inspiration from its Celtic roots and long history that spans over 2,000 years (our website is an example of this).

One world-famous book that is both a religious record and example of Irish cultural art is the ninth century A.D. medieval manuscript known as the “Book of Kells.”’ It details the four gospels of Jesus Christ and is a magnificent example of Celtic art meets Christianity. It was written in Latin by monks who toiled full time for years on its creation. Each page is adorned with complex, decorative symbols and pictures that a modern artist would struggle to recreate by hand. The book was kept in various abbeys for centuries and survived the pillaging of marauding Vikings. It can be viewed in the Old Library, Trinity College, Dublin.