Arms in Action: Modern Ireland

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Arms in Action: Modern Ireland

Continuing my monthly efforts to show different heraldry in different contexts, so we all can learn and judge, we have Ireland!  Ireland is a proud and egalitarian republic, and so any citizen of Ireland may apply for an achievement with the Chief Herald.  In fact, even someone who is only entitled to claim citizenship may apply, even if they don't intend to immigrate.  So anyone with a grandparent who was born in Ireland is eligible!  Pretty nifty, even if the cost is steep at ℓ6750 (€4400 or $4500)!

Christopher Burke
Or a cross Gules in the first quarter a pelican vulning her breast Sable the wound distilling blood Proper and on a wreath of the colours the Crest: A demi-Labrador retriever Or holding between the paws a mace Argent on a helmet mantled Gules doubled Argent with the Motto: To give.

The pelican is interesting here, because it represents an unusual choice.  The pelican was wrongly believed by antiquity to feed its young on its own blood, and so the "pelican in her piety" is a very old charge found in many achievements, depicting a pelican piercing its own breast to feed three chicks with blood.  Here, almost an excess of specificity is needed to ensure that there are no young depicted in the achievement.  I'd imagine it's because the charge is only in one quarter.  Side note: the word "vulning" is amazing.

The United Dioceses of Meath and Kildare
Per pale on the dexter for Meath Sable three mitres two and one Argent and on the sinister for Kildare Argent a saltire engrailed Gules on a chief Azure an open Bible leaved Proper bound and clasped Or with the Motto: The law was given by Moses but grace and truth come by Jesus Christ.

Interesting choice to be specific as to what division represents what constituency!  This diocese was created from separate Meath and Kildare dioceses in 1976... took a long time for them to get around to asking for arms!  Guess they're getting new china.

Maurice Fitz-Gerald
Per saltire Argent and Gules a saltire counterchanged between two ermine spots in per Sable and on a wreath of the colours the Crest: A demi-boar Argent tusked unguled and crined Gules bearing a spear Or on a helmet mantled Gules doubled Argent with the Motto: Victoriam et honorem.

A classic "name some virtues" motto (*coughcough* guess I shouldn't talk...).  Also an interesting boar on the crest, depicted with unguled tusks -- that is to say in a different tincture than the rest of the body.  Here, the boar's tusks are unguled because they are all Gules... presumably with blood!

Michael Flatley
Party per fess dancetee Or and Azure a pale wavy counterchanged and on a wreath of the colours the Crest: from an ancient Irish crown or a stag's head Argent attired of the first on a helmet mantled Gules doubled Argent with the Motto: PEDE LIBERO TELLUREM PULSAR.

A beautiful escutcheon here, with the divisions cleverly creating the illusion of multiple banners.

Carlow Town Council
Argent a castle triple towered Proper masoned Sable on the centre tower a staff and flotant to the dexter therefrom a banner of the arms of le Mareschal.

If you're an organization, you get your grant in both English and Irish.  The Irish version of the blazon (laboriously transcribed with many missing diacriticals) is as follows: Ar Airgead caislean le tri tuir dualdaite saorsithe dubh ar an larthuir bachall agus ar foluain ar dheis uaidh sin meirge le armas le Mareschal.  Beautiful!  Maybe we should do grants in Talossan, too?

I can't say I'm a big fan of including another escutcheon as a tiny flag on a charge -- seems likely to be an unrecognizable multicolored blob in most contexts!

-NRH

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Thank you to the Noir Raven Herald for this. Lovely arms to be sure!

-REH

[Carlüs Éovart Vilaçafat]

Yes, thank you Noir Raven Herald for this series. They are all very interesting and informative examples!

-OAF

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

I find the Fitz-Gerald one particularly lovely.