If you’ve ever been to Ireland, you can’t have escaped the ever-present Celtic knots. I’ve loved them ever since a trip to the Emerald Island in my moody teens. Looking around the cemeteries and admiring the intricate patterns on the gravestones everywhere. This early exposure to them has probably inspired me to create our Celtic gold reflective slap bracelet featuring Celtic knots.
What are Celtic Knots?
They are of course not uniquely Irish, but we do often associate them with Irish culture. As decoration in churches, on the aforementioned gravestones and not least the iconic Book of Kells, “Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure”. It is thought that interlace patterns have originated in the late Roman Empire. Knot patterns first came in during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD and were found in Roman mosaics. Christian missionaries arrived in Ireland in the 5th century. The Celtic knotted cross design as we recognise it now first appeared in the early 7th century and was “the most prevalent Celtic ornamental style” from then until the 10th century. A Celtic knot is an “endless knot”, with no clear start or end, representing the circle of life.
What about St Patrick?
Celtic knots and borders form part of the Celtic cross, which apparently goes back to St Patrick himself, when he brought Christianity to Ireland. 🕈 It was of course also their famous patron saint who introduced the symbol of the Shamrock: a three-leaf clover, in order to teach about the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. ☘️ Often these days, it is depicted as a four-leaf clover. Just google ‘shamrock’ and you’ll see how often the four-leaf version comes up. I wonder this could be from conflating “the luck of the Irish” and the superstition that four-leaf clovers are supposed to be lucky . The phrase that was coined during the 19th century goldrush when many successful miners were of Irish descent. Do let me know if you know!
Celebrating St Patrick despite Covid-19?
St Patrick does seem responsible for quite a lot of what we associate with Ireland today, so it seems only fair that we celebrate the Saint’s day. We certainly know how to do in Chicago! We were voted the best city to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, famously even turning our river green! (Although unfortunately – and sensibly – this event has had to be cancelled this year, due to the Corona virus.)
So this year, if you want to celebrate St Patrick’s day, try something different. Instead of heading to a crowded bar, why not embrace the social distancing and have a go at designing a Celtic knot in the comfort of your home? Have a go with Adobe Illustrator or look for YouTube tutorials that show you how to draw them. It is quite a mindful activity actually! We’d love to see your patterns!
Happy St Patrick’s Day! ☘️