A New Energy: Meet the Next Generation Embracing Irish Tradition and The Emblems of Éire
Words Chloe Richardson
Photography Ciarán MacChoncarraige
Our city is flooded with ancient symbols and living traditions – in many ways, it’s what gives Galway its vibrant cultural heartbeat. From the trad music that fills the cobblestone streets, to artists of any and all mediums incorporating Irish symbols into their work, to the Claddagh, which is distinctly of Galway, the crosóg bhríde and Celtic knotwork.
Recently, we are witnessing a renewed desire to understand and perhaps uncover a more personal identity through examining what it means to be Irish, to be rooted in these symbols of myth and story. Inherent in our personhood is a longing to know and nurture what is just below the surface - essence, person and soul. By leaning into these traditions and making them distinctly our own we’re given the chance to remember, as well as revive, these Irish symbols of self.
Aoife Cawley is an Irish artist who works across mediums to create vibrant and unique artwork distinctly inspired by Irish history, mythology and culture. Her screen prints, textiles and illustrations fuse together traditional medieval art with a striking contemporary style. You almost certainly have seen her work across Galway’s city streets. Hers are the bright ‘Symbols of Éire’ scarves which have become immensely popular, saturated with colour, Irish language and Celtic knotwork. Her colour palette of magenta, mint green, orange, yellow and white is accompanied by emblems of the harp, claddagh, a perfect pint of Guinness and ‘ÉIRE’ scrawled across the centre, bold and modern.
“Some old friends, some new, all arrived to come together for a session that is ripe with excitement, joy and possibility”
Aoife’s fascination with folklore and history has been constant over the years. Looking to female saints like Joan of Arc, St. Gobnait and especially St. Brigid of Kildare for inspiration, her work is characteristically female and modern. Aoife’s screen prints made for an illuminated manuscript show the patroness saints in a monastic style accompanied by a brief history. “People often ask me, ‘why do I make my work?’ And it’s more so an education thing. If I learn something new, you will find me posting about it on Instagram and TikTok. Even if it’s the most boring fact to other people, you know? I’m really passionate about sharing this kind of knowledge.”
On the importance of younger generations participating in these traditional and historical movements and especially embracing the Irish language Aoife notes: “If we don’t have young people involved in these traditions, in the language, interested in our history, these [traditions] are going to die and that’s the reality of it.”
“It’s amazing that we’re seeing so many people on social media doing everyday things as gaeilge,” she continues. “The language is not being reinvented, but they’re breathing new life into it.”
From a small pub in Galway’s Westend, there’s an earnest and spirited sound that can be heard bellowing out across the streets stretching long into the evening. On Tuesday nights, students who are members of University of Galway’s TradSoc flock to The Crane Bar to play traditional music. Some old friends, some new, all gathered together for a session that is ripe with excitement, joy and possibility. As the night continues, more and more students come upstairs with their fiddles, guitars, or bodhráns in hand.
“Young people are searching for identity in a very different world”
The night flows at a perfect thrum, filled with sincerity and adoration for Irish music. Sean Brennan, the head of TradSoc, shares: “Young people, especially college-aged students, are crucial to keep the tradition alive and thriving. Young people offer new life and new styles to the music and help ensure that it isn’t just being passed on but also evolving and growing.”
“People see the enjoyment that you can get from it, not just the music but the language and dance too,” he continues. “There’s a sense of pride you get going to a session and immersing yourself in the culture.”
For more permanent and lasting signs of self and culture, many young ones in Galway reach out to Ellen Francis, aka @pokeonyerwan on Instagram, to get one of her hand-poked tattoos. Her style is delicate and permeated with Irish symbolism.
Drawing inspiration from Irish folklore such as Cú Chulainn or the Children of Lir, Ellen has the gift of transforming oral history and stories into beautiful and elegant living works of art. “People want to get tattoos that are Irish-based because of our new understanding of what it is to be Irish and what it is to be close to your sovereignty,” she notes. “Young people are searching for identity in a very different world, that’s why we lean more towards it.”
In this particular moment in time, a new generation are eagerly looking for a sense of self and a community to embrace.
Sometimes, going back to move forward is a good place to start. Across Galway, this revitalised sense of what it means to be Irish, to embrace our tradition, is reshaping the way we look at the world around us. Life in modern times is constantly in flux; it’s the gift of a new day, the arrival of summer and the hope that comes with a new season.
While we all strive to nurture our heritage, it’s the next generation of creatives fervently embracing these histories and ushering them into the present. With a new and bold sense of energy it’s these efforts that will ensure we have these stories for centuries to come.
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