Loooong story behind this --- it took me 4 years to find the right guy to do it (it's permanent and all; not like getting your car painted that only costs money to change).
The principle behind it is based on Thomas Cahill's
How The Irish Saved Civilization. "Saved" doesn't mean "rescued", but "preserved", in the context of the Irish/Celtic culture absorbing Catholicism into itself, rather than Catholicism overrunning the indigenous culture, as happened in Italy, Spain, Portugal, etc.
We're some of the most devout, believing Catholics, but we're still Pagan in very important ways.... and I wanted a "battle" tattoo ... something a Celt warrior would've worn into battle. Not "loopy", "pretty" knotwork, but primal.
I've got no use for bubblegum tattoos -- inane, meaningless barbed-wire, or faux "tribal" tattoos. It's my body and I'm not going to pollute it with pop culture references.
It's still to be finished (the "ring" around Celtic crosses and as trisekellion in the center to finish the Trinity -- Life/Death/Rebirth Celtic cross-reference) but this guy takes months to get an appt. and I no longer live in the City, so it's tough.
I don't think the picture does the scale justice, but we live within the limits of bandwidth...
I really like its imperfections and asymmetry. I told the tattoo artist not to make it "perfect".
JP