Cú Chulainn: The Irish Berserker

Cú Chulainn is one of the most famous of all Celtic Irish mythological heroes. He rose to fame from his exceptional skills at the Irish sport of Hurling. He then solidified his legend by killing the monstrous hound of Culann. Cú Chulainn is most famous for his great berserker rage in battle; turning himself into a giant rage monster that would slaughter men by the hundreds!

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Black and White Version

Color Version

My vision for my Cú Chulainn portrait was to try to sum up all the different components to his mythology in a single image. So Cú Chulainn himself is at the center carrying a hurley which he used to slay Culann's hound, and, thereby, earning the name Cú Chulainn which is Irish for Culann's hound (Cú Chulainn agreed to replace Culann's guard hound after killing it.) He is also carrying the magical barbed spear named Gáe Bulg.

The Morrigan: Irish War Goddess

INITIAL SKETCH OF "THE MORRIGAN"

The Morrigan plays a prominent role in Irish mythology. She is associated with war, and is a shape-shifter, often taking the form of a battle crow. In the form of the battle crow, she is said to control fate; predicting which warriors shall live or die. In this capacity, she is quite similar to the Norse Valkyries. 

'Grunge' Celtic Cross

"GRUNGE" CELTIC CROSS

   The Celtic Cross is one of the most recognizable symbols of Celtic culture. In this design, the Dark Ages meet the Modern Age by combining the Celtic cross with some stylish "grunge" effects. Splatters and smears create a stylish weathered look to the Celtic Cross.

Celtic Harp

While the shamrock gets most of the glory in modern times, it's actually the Celtic harp that has been the major emblem of Ireland throughout history! The history of this emblem of the Emerald Isle stretches back into ancient times. It was the most sought after instrument throughout all of the Celtic lands, not just Ireland. Scotland, Wales, Brittany, anywhere there were vestiges of Celtic culture you would find the Celtic harp.

Celtic Cross - Hammer!

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   I've always thought Celtic crosses looked cool. The image of stone crosses with the intricate medieval ornamentation dotting the rolling hills of Britain and Ireland is almost eerie. It makes me think of a time when the "magic" of the old pagan ways was just meeting the new Roman Christianity. They are like a window into the past; remnants of an older, mysterious world. Not to mention the artwork on the crosses is incredible.

   I have also been captivated by the art work of the Vikings and Medieval Germanic peoples. Their interaction with the Celts over previous centuries led to similar styles in ornamentation (for example, when you see Celtic artwork that incorporates animal motifs, this is actually Germanic/Norse in origin rather than Celtic, but the Celts adopted the style and used it extensively in their own works. These motifs are now often identified as Celtic as much as they are Norse/Germanic).

   I have also been particularly captivated by the Mjolnir symbol worn since the Vikings were haunting the high seas. I love it's simplicity and the strength and protection that it represents.

   So, I am always looking for ways to emulate the Celtic and Norse styles into my own designs. The new design below is no different. It combines the Celtic symbol of the Celtic cross with the Nordic symbol of Mjolnir to create a powerful image that pays homage to the past while keeping the spirit of the symbolism alive in the present day.

The Men's tee is pictured below, but, as always, we have styles for the girls and zip hoodies available HERE!

Celtic Cross/Hammer Combo Tee

"Patrick was a Saint, I AIN'T!"

Just in time for Saint Patrick's Day!

I created this evil looking leprechaun dude for some unique designs to celebrate the most fabulous of all the holidays, SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! Take a look and share with friends and family. I actually think these shirts would be pretty cool to wear year round, but obviously you will be ESPECIALLY awesome wearing it during the St. Patrick's Day season. Check it OUT!

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"Luck of the Irish!"

"Luck of the Irish" apparel now available in the CHC store!

Feeling lucky? This original, one of a kind design features one of the most iconic slogans of the Irish people, but why are Irish people considered to be “lucky”? When Irish immigrants came to America, they faced so much adversity and hardship that the term “luck of the Irish” became popular as a sort of sarcastic joke to describe the poor Irish immigrants’ decidedly bad luck.

Since then, the slogan has taken on new meaning, and the four leaf shamrock is considered a particularly lucky symbol for the Irish and Irish culture.

This design can be a fun way to express your Irish pride any time of the year, but it would also make a particularly great gift for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations!

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Irish Gangland Designs

Two new designs!!!

These two are inspired by two different Irish gangs that were active in the Eastern United States during the 19th Century. The Dead Rabbits and the Molly Maguires.

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DEAD RABBITS                   MOLLY MAGUIRES

The Dead Rabbits

The Dead Rabbits were a notorious Irish gang that dominated the nefarious Five Points neighborhood of New York City during the mid to late 1800’s. The Dead Rabbits became part of popular culture when they were portrayed in Martin Scorsese’s 2006 film “Gangs of New York” with Leonardo DiCaprio playing the fictional leader of the well known gang.

The Dead Rabbits Gang was easily identified by the red striped shirts they wore to show their affiliation with the gang. This design incorporates the red stripes that look almost like blood or paint smears across the background of the image of a rabbit’s skull, and some Celtic Knots to reflect the Irish culture associated with the Dead Rabbits gang.

Also, The words “Dead Rabbits” and a reference to the historical and notorious Five Points neighborhood surround the rabbit skull in a vintage biker club style. This was done to tie in the old with the new to create a truly original design.

Original Dead Rabbits Design by Celtic Hammer Club

The Molly Maguires

The Molly Maguires were a secret society of Irishmen that were active in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania during the late 19th century, and by active I mean they used physical violence to fight back against the coal bosses whose treatment of their workers were nothing short of oppressive. In fact, some consider the Mollies to be a direct precursor to organized labor in the United States.

The design is done in a vintage “chalk board” style which fits perfectly for the Molly Maguires design since the style is a throw back to the 19th century saloon signs. If you look closely at all the different text on the design, you’ll see references to Molly Maguire history. The “coffin notes”, a quote from a Molly Maguire, and the legendary hand print of Alexander Campbell is imprinted on the shamrock in the middle.

Original Molly Maguires Design by Celtic Hammer Club

If you like these designs, but you would rather have them as a poster, coffee mug, travel mug, sticker, phone case, etc. ALL of those items and MORE are now available!!! Click the link to check out everything that is available.

"CHC Logo Distressed" NEW DESIGN!

Buy Men's and Women's apparel in the CHC Store!

Back again with a new design!

The Celtic Hammer Club (CHC) logo has a lot of history and meaning behind it. 

Mjolnir Amulaet as worn by Vikings of the Middle Ages

One, the hammer shape at its center is styled after Mjolnir, the name of the war hammer wielded by Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Mjolnir amulets were worn by Vikings of the Middle Ages, and thousands have been recovered by archaeologists in the British Isles.. It represents strength. 

The Book of Kells Showing extensive Celtic artwork

Second, the insular style knot work and spirals that decorate the hammer were popular in both Celtic and Germanic cultures, but has become synonymous with Celtic culture. Basically, it serves as a visual cue to the Celtic themes and artwork on CHC apparel. 

A drawing of a tattooed or painted Celtic warrior
The blue Cirlce around the CHC logo represents this 
element of Celtic history/culture

Finally, the blue circle that surrounds the hammer that looks like a paint smear. It ties the whole thing together into a neat circular logo, but I chose to use the color blue after the blue war paint that some Celtic tribes wore when going into battle. Again, its just another little representation of Celtic history and culture.

This particular version of the CHC logo is "distressed". It gives it a vintage look, and makes it look almost like a shield that's been through a war. Even if you don't have ancestors from Northern Europe, it's still a pretty cool image to rock on a shirt, and definitely unique. Check out both men's and women's apparel in the shop.

CHC Logo "Distressed"

Samhain (Halloween)

SEE THE FULL RANGE OF ORIGINAL SAMHAIN DESIGNS AND APPAREL HERE!

Samhain (Halloween) Apparel

 I absolutely love October. It finally cools off enough that I can feel comfortable again. I love the look of the leaves as they change color. I love all the pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers that are out, and I love Halloween.

What I didn't realize until adulthood was that all the Halloween traditions that I grew up with had its roots in pre-Christian, Pagan, Gaelic Ireland and Scotland. Everything from witches to pumpkin carving to dressing in costumes and trick or treating comes from the ancient Celtic cultures. They called the holiday Samhain (pronounced "sow-in"), and it was a day that marked the end of the summer harvest season, and the start of the "darker" part of the year; the start of the winter. Celtic tradition held that the doorway between the living and the dead was open during the night of Samhain, and that both the dead and faeries known as the Aos Si roamed the land freely on the night of Samhain.

Creepy stuff, but the similarities to today's Halloween traditions are obvious.When I started to learn about Samhain I was as thrilled as Miley Cyrus riding a wrecking ball to find out that my love of Celtic history and my love of Halloween went together like potatoes and whiskey!

So i was inspired to create a special Jack O'Lantern design in honor of the Samhain holiday.

TO BEGIN..... I started with a sketch of our favorite Irishman. Mr. Jack O'Lantern (I know, that joke is unforgivable. I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.) I wanted him to look sort of cartoony, but still really bad-ass and scary looking. I also wanted his vines to twist into Celtic knots underneath him to make sure this particular Jack O'Lantern had a very Irish/Celtic look to him. I also really exaggerated the flames coming out of the top of him just to add more edge to the whole image:

Sketch

THEN... Colored him in:

Colored Version

AND FINALLY... created the rest of the text and other decorative items to create the final image for the Celtic Hammer Club Apparel:

Final Image

It's got kind of a vintage "chalkboard" look to it, but, as always with Celtic Hammer Club designs, the text on the shirt has historical significance and the artwork is edgy.

I will be leaving this shirt available for purchase year round just in case some of you miss out this year (I know that's unthinkable, but there are always a few...). It's never too early to prepare for the next Halloween.

-CHC

NEW! Celtic Cross Graphic Tee Design

The next installment into the "graphic tee series" is this new "Celtic Cross" design. 

The Celtic Hammer Club Celtic Cross design combines the traditional image of the High Cross with some additional ornamentation to create a very cool, modern-looking, and stylish design that is perfect for apparel. As always, this is original artwork, and is only available at celtichammerclub.com

Now Available in the Celtic Hammer Club Store

The Celtic Cross or High Cross is one of the most recognized symbols of Celtic Culture. In Ireland, it is a popular legend that the Celtic Christian cross was introduced by Saint Patrick or possibly Saint Declan during his time converting the pagan Irish, though there are no examples from this early period. It has often been claimed that Patrick combined the symbol of Christianity with the sun cross, to give pagan followers an idea of the importance of the cross by linking it with the idea of the life-giving properties of the sun.

"Brothers" Graphic Tee Design

Now available in the shop!

"Brothers" Graphic Tee

I'm really excited to release this design. This marks the beginning of a new line that I am in the process of developing. I've had the idea for a while to create some shirts that could fit in with the graphic tees that are so popular now-a-days. I love rocking shirts with Celtic/Norse inspired artwork on it, but most of the apparel I've seen have big, bright screen printed designs. That's all fine and good, but maybe I want something more subtle. Something a little more classy. That's what inspired this design. It's fashionable. It could appeal to anyone. It's modern, but still has a traditional Celtic flair to it.

The "Brothers" theme is meant to reflect the important and especially strong bond between brothers. The writing on the shirt is meant to describe the meaning of the "Brothers" Celtic design that accompanies it.

Brothers.
Intertwined as they are in life;
Each watches the others back;
True and loyal companions;
They are

Brothers.

 I've been working hard on other designs. More to come!

-CHC-

Celtic Hammer Club Store

Celtic Art

Banshee (bean sí)

The banshee (bean sí in Irish) is a ghoulish figure from ancient Celtic fairy lore. She is said to appear as an omen of death, wailing and crying outside of the home for a loved one in the house who is soon to die. She is a pretty terrifying figure. Legend has it that the banshee only wails for five different Irish families. I am a descendant of one of those five families, so I felt compelled to portray this wailing wench in all her spooky glory!

"Celtic Elk Rampant" for apparel.

"Celtic Elk Rampant" for apparel.

Sketch for Album Cover art for Irish Folk Band, Oak Ash & Thorn

Celtic Stag

"The Morrigan"

"the Morrigan." Irish/Celtic goddess of war always associated with a raven (hence the bird skull head dress and feathers). In irish mythology she is one of the supernatural race (the Tuatha De Danaan) who first settled Ireland and went underground to become the Faery people of legend. Often compared to the Viking Valkyries and Germanic Norns, she is also associated with witchcraft. She pops up in many stories in Irish mythology, plays a major role in the story of Ireland's greatest hero, Cu Chulainn, and is believed to be the inspiration for Morgan Le Fay of Arthurian legends that came centuries after the Irish mythology stories. 

A raven Celtic border for possible use with the Morrigan design.

The "Hop and Barley Green Man"

I created a Green Man where the plants that make up his face are the ingredients of beer! "The Hops & Barley Green Man"! I used lots of very heavy black shading to give him a more tribal vibe.

"The Green Man, or Jack o' the Green"

My latest drawing is of the GREEN MAN! This frondescent fellow is very much a mystery, but it is widely accepted that he is a pre-Christian, Celtic nature spirit representing the cycle of life, and the rebirth of plants and nature in the Spring. The green man went into hiding with the spread of Christianity, but vestiges of his viny visage continued to appear in the carvings of churches, chapels, and cathedrals. In fact, there are more than 110 green men carved into the crevices of the esoteric Rosslyn Chapel (the cryptic chapel associated with the Knights Templar after they were disbanded and went into hiding). The oldest found carving of the leafy lad's foliate face dates back to 400 AD! The green man archetype is connected to some legends that you may not have heard of such as Jack-in-the-Green, the woodland faery Puck, Cernunnos, and Herne the Hunter. But the green man also lives on in other legends you probably HAVE heard of such as Robin Hood, Peter Pan, the Holly King (you know the Holly King better as the Ghost of Christmas Present), and the Green Knight of Arthurian legend. All of these characters beckon back to an older time.

Some "Green man" Lettering to go with the Green man Sketch

"Keltic Krampus"

Ah, Christmas. Mother in her kerchief, and Father in his cap. The children swimming through a sea of wrapped gifts. Stockings stuffed with chocolate hang neatly above a blessed Yule log crackling away in the fireplace. So cozy. So joyous. The fear of possibly receiving coal in your stocking is long gone. The biggest fear children have around Christmas time these days is "Elf on a Shelf", and, boy, is he an intimidating figure....

Elf on a Shelf  =  Nothing to worry about

"You better be good, little boys and girls, or Elf on a Shelf might.... move around the room...??!" Yep. Nowadays parents try to coerce compliance from their children by threatening them with a tiny household sprite whose biggest threat is that he may show up in different spots around the house in a variety of FABULOUS poses. How absurd.

It wasn't always this way. A long time ago, before Coca Cola created Santa Clause and before the reason for the season was to go into debt buying cheap crap made in China in order to show people you secretly can't stand the other 364 days of the year how much you "love" them, there was a reason for bad children to dread Christmas.

You see, the German speaking cultures didn't fuck around when it came to discipline. It wasn't, "Oh please be good, little children. If you're good I'll take out a second mortgage on the house in order to buy you more shit you don't need, and if you're bad, Elf on a Shelf might do a split on the mantle, and you'll still get all your presents anyway!" Hell no. In the German speaking world, fathers would get together, get bombed on hearty lagers (not this "lite" shit people drink now), and they would then TERRORIZE their own children dressed as something so horrible, so unbearably wretched that the German children wouldn't even THINK about misbehaving!

They dressed..... as KRAMPUS!

Krampus  =  a LOT to worry about 

(photo by Anita Martinz found on Wikipedia)

Forget about dad dressing up as jolly ol' St. Nick and bringing joy into the household. No way. The German children lived in FEAR that a slight infraction, a single misstep, one back sass, or tantrum could get them WHIPPED by Krampus' birch branches, or worse! Krampus had a sack, but it didn't contain gifts. It contained the bodies of exceptionally bad children whom he ABDUCTED from their slumber, and then promptly DROWNED them in the local river or creek. Merry fucking Christmas!

You can imagine that Krampus was a bit more motivating than Elf on the God damned Shelf... The Krampus traditions fell out of favor in the USA after we fought not one, but TWO WORLD WARS against the Germans. After that, anything German wasn't all that popular... BUT, the Krampus seems to be on the verge of a comeback in North America! So nasty, whiny, bratty, spoiled, snot nosed, running through a restaurant, tantrum throwing, screaming, children may just get what is coming to them! Krampus might just show up again, and dish out some long overdue ass whoopings! BEWARE!

The drawing above is the second attempt by me to fuse some Celtic style into the Krampus mythos (you can see the first "Keltic Krampus" drawing here). What I love about the Celtic style is that it conveys a sense of mystery. Like the artwork depicts something ancient and lost to time and history. That's why I think the Krampus is a perfect character to be portrayed in a Celtic style. The history of Krampus, as with most folklore, is shrouded in a past that isn't totally clear, and yet, it's presence continues to be known into contemporary times. This version, to me, looks kind of like a Tarot card. It's more simplistic and two-dimensional, but it's meaning implies centuries of history and hidden meaning. You can buy apparel with a colored version of this drawing by clicking HERE!

Cernunnos, "The Horned God"

In Celtic culture, the mysterious image of a horned being permeates from the Iron Age in the Gaulish La Tène culture all the way up to 19th century England in the legends of Herne the Hunter. In spite of several depictions of a "horned god" in Celtic artwork throughout the centuries, the answers to exactly who this horned being was is not clear.

The name "Cernunnos" is found on an artifact known as "the Pillar of the Boatman". It's a carving from the first century CE, and it is the only time the name Cernunnos appears in reference to this horned being. However, the oldest image of Cernunnos is found on the Gundestrup Cauldron, an Iron Age relic of the ancient Celtic people of mainland Europe. Modern interpretation speculates that Cernunnos was a god of nature and fertility. In spite of the uncertainty behind this arcane creature, one thing is clear, his importance to the Celts must have been great in order for his legend to endure for so many centuries.

I love Cernunnos because of the mystique and secrecy that surrounds him. In addition to antlers on his head, he is often depicted holding a torc in one hand, and a serpent in the other. Again, the significance of this is unknown as the Celts did not write it down, but I find the riddle of Cernunnos to be fascinating. My drawing pays homage to this enigmatic figure of the forest by depicting the horned figure, torc in one hand, serpent in the other, as he has been depicted since the earliest times. My interpretation of Cernunnos was done in a Celtic style, which seemed fitting to me since this is a character from Celtic mythology. He is in an action pose because I imagine Cernunnos having the speed and agility of a deer or elk to match the antlers on his head. I would think that anyone who spends all their time in the forest would have to show some measure of athleticism.

Ancient Celtic Woad Warrior

"While on his deathbed, an old chieftain was asked if he could find it in his heart to forgive his enemies before his impending death. The chieftain replied that he had no enemies, for he had already killed them all."

This is my take on what the Ancient Celts looked like based on descriptions by Roman historians that had encountered them. Plaid trousers, woad tattoos, hair highlighted and spiked into points with lime, clean shaven except for a moustache, and a habit of collecting their slain enemies severed heads!

Sketch Version

People of Celtic decent are often known for having large families. In particular, families that produced strong, rowdy boys that work hard, and play hard. They grow up fighting and competing with each other, but this also forms a bond between them that is unbreakable. Hence, the Clan structure that existed throughout Celtic society.

Brothers may fight each other, but God help the poor soul that made trouble for any one of them. The offender would feel the wrath of the whole family! It's just the Celtic way.

This image represents the bond formed through a lifetime of trials and tribulations. The three brothers here are intertwined with each other just as their lives have been intertwined from birth and will remain intertwined for life. They are rotated in a triangular pattern. Each watching the others back. Never letting their guard down.

This one hits close to home for me, and I'm sure for many others out there.

If you like this design, consider checking out our online store which offers many of our original Celtic designs on quality clothing and gifts!

A Celtic Lion in the Medieval Celtic monk style. The image is the letters "DJC" (my initials). The lion is the "D" and the "J" and "C" are in dark black. Can you see it? This style of lettering is extensive in medieval books such as the Book of Kells. The animorphic styles (such as the use of the lion) was introduced to the British Isles by the Vikings and represents a style that was very popular among the Germanic tribes of Europe. The Celts combined these popular Germanic styles with their own ancient styles (mostly spiral motifs) to create a sort of hybrid that is mostly identified as a Celtic style today.

If you like this design, consider checking out our online store which offers many of our original Celtic designs on quality clothing and gifts!

For the ladies... 

The Celtic Cross is probably the most favored way of showing Celtic pride. It was the first thing I tattooed on myself, and my relatives all have one hanging somewhere. The unique style of The Celtic Cross has made it a very identifiable symbol of Celtic Culture. 

However, it can be difficult to find a Celtic Cross that is a stand out from all the others. This custom Celtic Cross is definitely unique because it has an almost Gothic style to it with its aggressive points and dark colors. Definitely a bad ass and unique Celtic Cross.

Our online store, Celtic Hammer Club, offers this design in men's and women's clothing!

"The Hunter vs. the Wolf"

This original drawing depicts a Hunter locked in battle with a Wolf. I wanted to draw a Celtic Image that was in the basic shape of a "figure 8". Something kind of symmetrical. So I drew a figure 8 and played around with it and determined that, in order for this image to work, I was going to need two different figures to create complexity. I didn't want to just created a Celtic serpent in a figure 8. That would have been too easy and boring. So I came up with this idea of the "Hunter vs. the Wolf". I thought it was kind of a folksy idea that was true to the style of the image. I threw some blood and gore in there to add a bit of modern edge that I'm so fond of, and to this day this is still one of my absolute favorite images. We have clothing with this design on it in the Celtic Hammer Club Store.

The Iron Cross has been a symbol of power and strength. I've always had a thing for its pointy edges and symmetry. The Iron Cross just looks bad ass! So, as I usually do, I blended this powerful image with custom Celtic knot work and this image was the result. Getting that border right was a bastard and drove me absolutely "knotty" (you have permission to slap me if you ever meet me for punning like that). 

Knots within knots

Trinity Knots

Another colorful insular knot work picture.

 Blank shield and banner allows for personalizing!

The Berserker from our Gym Apparel line. I wanted him to be over the top. A cross between humorous and bad ass.

A quick Krampus sketch I did in pen and marker. I really liked how he came out. I could picture him in a cartoon.

Two versions of an Irish/Celtic harp. The harp has been the symbol of Ireland for centuries. It predates the shamrock and is still extensively used to represent Ireland to this day.