Forget the leprechaun hats and shamrock shades – a new generation of homegrown designers are reinterpreting stereotypes of ‘Irishness’ into symbols of pride
Paddy Merch
Every year, St Patrick’s Day brings with it an onslaught of leprechaun hats, shamrock shades and countless other cheap plastic accessories in green, white and gold. But you can honour our national holiday without the tat, as designers are increasingly embracing emblems of “Irishness”, from traditional symbols like Claddaghs and Celtic knots to the more modern iconography of GAA jerseys and pints of Guinness.
“Before, the Carroll’s gift shop thing was like ‘we need something for tourists, quick, put a shamrock on a T-shirt!’ But I think now, we’re putting our own stamp on it,” says Zoe Redmond (@zoebonnie), a designer and stylist.
