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Celtic Designs

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Celtic design includes a richness of colour, intricacy and symbolism to equal any of the world’s finest styles of art.
The Celts were a Pagan race of people and worshiped the sun and Pagan Gods and Spirits. They also has a strong affinity with the natural world and many of the designs incorporated plants, fish, reptiles, birds, mammals and man.
The Celtic Druids are said to have practiced changing form so some of the designs portray their Gods as having animal or birds as servants or body parts. This can also been seen in the later Christian Gospels where some of the Evangelists have both human and animal forms.

Many of the Celtic Designs have a particular meaning. Others have more than one meaning or completely different meanings depending on the Celtic clan (tribe), the period of time or the particular Gods of the region. Celtic Animals symbolize human qualities of strength, courage, patience fertility and vitality and the intricate Celtic Knotwork designs symbolize life, nature and infinity. Irish Celtic symbols are represented by the harp, shamrock, Claddagh etc and each has a story of its own…

Here are some of the most common Celtic Designs and their meanings:

Celtic Animals

Animal symbols were extremely important to the Celts as they depended on them entirely for their food, clothing, tools, weapons etc. To the Celtic people, animals represented fertility and vitality and the natural circle of life. They were also associated with the ‘Other World’ (Spirits and Gods) as can be seen in many of the mythological stories passed down from generation to generation. Below is an alphabetical list of some of the most important Celtic Animal Symbols and their meaning:

The Celtic Bird

There are many meanings for birds and each bird has its own unique symbolism:
Crow = Death Eagle =
Nobility Herons = Fidelity (because it mated for life, was often used on Celtic wedding rings.
Peacock = Immortality and Purity (the colourful tail = the rays of the sun)

The Celtic Horse
This powerful and beautiful animal represented victory in war.  The Celtic horse Goddess called Epony (from the Gaulish workd ‘epos’ meaning horse or the ‘Great Mare’) was believed to accompany the soul of the dying on its last and final journey to the ‘Other World’ (Spirits and Gods).  She was so highly worshipped that the Romans built a temple to her.

The Celtic Lion
Nobility, strength, pride and courage are just some of the traits of this majestic animal. The lion also represented the sun. The Celts were great sun worshipers as can be seen at New Grange, County Meath, Ireland where the inner cavern of this most famous Celtic burial tomb lights up by the winter solstice’s rays on this one day only.

The Celtic Salmon
The most famous mythological of all time – The Salmon of Knowledge.  Legend had it that anyone who ate from the Salmon of Knowledge would be the wisest person of all time.  Finn mac Cumhaill was the first to eat this sought after salmon and later became the leader of the Fianna, the strongest Celtic warriors of all time.

The Celtic Snake
As snakes shed their skin their main symbolism is – rebirth.  The snake was an important magical symbol in Celtic mythology and the snake symbol is very common in Celtic art and designs. 

The Celtic Bull
The bull was a highly worshiped animal symbol as it represented strong will, virility and wealth.

The Celtic Butterfly
This beautiful Celtic symbol represents transformation, inspiration and rebirth.  The concept of rebirth was particularily important for the Celts who believed in the recycling of life both physically and spiritually.

The Celtic Cat
The silent and mysterious cat represented the guardian of the ‘Otherworld’ (the spirit world) keeping their secrets to themselves as they cunningly gazed on the world knowing no mortal could understand the extent of their knowledge.

The Celtic Deer
This was thought to be the oldest animal to the Celts.  The deer often represented the main Gods and Goddesses. Stags were most often associated with the God Cernunnos, the Celtic horned God of nature and hunting.
In the mythological legend of Oisín in Tír na nÓg, one of the most famous hunters of all time whose father was the famous Finn mac Cumhaill and his mother was the Celtic Deer Goddess.

The Celtic Dog
Man’s best friend, the dog was a symbol of loyalty and the strong bond of companionship between human and animal, warding off illness, loneliness and rejection.  Thus the dog was considered to be good luck and good health. A Celtic hunter was rarely seen without a hound nearby.  It was important for a Celt to have security and the hound often guarded the village as can be seen in the mythological legend of Cuchulainn, a great Irish hero and defender of the people and their territory.

The Celtic Dolphin
There are many stories about the magic of dolphins and they were highly respected among the Celtic seamen.  The dolphin represented friendship, intelligence and good luck.

Irish Celtic Symbols

The Celtic Harp
This beautiful Irish instrument can produce unique music which can sound happy or sad and also relaxing and serene. Therefore the Celtic harp symbolizes laughing, tears and sleep.  It also stands for immortality of the soul.  The harp is an official national symbol of Ireland.



The Shamrock
Another national and most famous symbol of Ireland is the shamrock.
This became a symbol from the time when St Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, taught Christianity to the Pagan Celts. They found the concept of the Holy Trinity difficult to understand so St Patrick picked up a shamrock from the ground and told the people – “This one leaf has three parts, just as the Holy Trinity has God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.”

The Claddagh Ring
This very unique ring was designed in the middle of the 17th century in the Irish fisherman’s village called Claddagh.  It was made and given as a token of love by a fisherman to his wife. The hands stand for friendship, the heart for love and the crown for fidelity.

Today this ring is often worn as a wedding ring or a commitment of friendship.   The ring is often passed on from mother to daughter.  It is not only worn by Irish and their descendents, but by all those people all over the world who have been captured by its spell.

How to wear your Claddagh ring:

Worn on the right hand (finger beside smallest finger) with the point of the heart pointing out = You are ‘available’  (for romance)	Worn on the right hand (finger beside smallest finger) with the point of the heart pointing towards your wrist = You are considering someone	Worn on the left hand (finger beside smallest finger) with the point of the heart pointing towards your wrist = You are not ‘available’ as you have found your true love/you are married.

Celtic Knotwork

The most famous and easily recognised artwork in Celtic history and culture is the Celtic Knots.
The overall meaning of the Celtic Knot symbol is for Infinity for the knotted artwork has no beginning or no end.  If you follow a full Celtic knot you will eventually come back to where you started.  The Celts believed in the infinite cycles of birth and rebirth in both physical (nature and human life) and spiritualism. 

Celtic knotwork is in abundance from ancient stone markings to modern jewellery, clothing etc.

Here are a few individual meanings of famous knot patterns:

Celtic Trinity Knot This is the most common and famous knot.  It is also known as the Triquetra (Latin) meaning ‘three-cornered’.  Christian meaning = the Trinity (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Pagan meaning = Feminine Powers (Mother, Crone and Maiden) Metaphysical = (Mind, Body and Spirit) All three interpretations agree on a culmination of three parts.
Celtic Trinity Knot Circle Same as above with the added circle representing unending love.  This can be in a romantic relationship, a parent to a child, God to his people etc etc.
Triskele Three spirals radiating from a common centre.  This  how the above depend on one single connection.
Spiral The spiral is most likely the oldest symbol of human spirituality.  It can be found scratched into rocks all over the world, many thousands of years old. The meaning is thought to be associated with the sun which makes aa spiral shape every three months.  It can be found on tomb stones, the most famous being the one on a huge rock marking the entrance of a famous tomb in New Grange, Co Meath, Ireland.  Spirals have been deliberately placed to catch the first rays of the sun on winter solstice day.  Therefore the spiral probably represents the cycle of rebirth or resurrection.
Celtic Maze Patterns These are also known as key or step patterns.  They symbolize the journey we all take on the long and winding road of life.  No matter who we are or where we are from we all face challenges, obstacles and open doors.  It is up to us to choose the right path

Here are some Celtic Designs. 

We have a selection of different Celtic designs ready-made to save you having to try to draw them yourself!  They are in black and white for you to colour yourself or already coloured in primary or earthy tones:  (note: the designs in coloured boxes are easier to cut out and paste onto your projects.)

Each of the above full sets of designs are only €4.99 each!