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Irish Playing Cards

Right: Irish 'Heroic' playing cards, Belfast, 1919   more►

Not a lot is known about the early history of playing cards in Ireland, but during the nineteenth century playing cards were being produced in Dublin (John Young), Cork and Limerick. From the surviving specimens these were crudely drawn and the court cards often turned the wrong way for no apparent reason. During the twentieth century the Irish Playing Card Manufacturing Company (Cork) and The Ormond Printing Co. Ltd (Dublin) were producing cards for the Irish market, and subsequently there have been advertising, tourist souvenir packs and also art and design packs manufactured in Ireland and abroad.

It is enjoyable to recognise traces of Celtic decorative patterns in Irish playing card designs. Formerly the Celts inhabited central and western Europe long before the Christian era but ultimately they were confined to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and Brittany.

Above: a) Commemorating the establishment of the Irish Free State by treaty with England in December 1921, design by Edward Cunningham of Goodall & Son, 1922.   b) Aer Lingus compliments pack.   c) Joker from Irish Souvenir deck.   d) Joker from Irish ‘Heroic’ set, 1919.   e-f) 2 cards from Irish ‘Historic’ set, c.1920.

The Celts loved personal splendour and self-display as well as fighting. Surviving examples of their art include shields, swords, manuscripts, metalwork, jewelry, poetry and literature. Irish playing card designers often take their inspiration from these sources.

Above: Playing card designs based on motifs from early Irish manuscripts and metalwork   See more →

Above: Irish Historic Playing Cards, 1920.

Above: Souvenir playing cards published by C. T. Co. Ltd, Dublin, c.1950s. Several editions of these cards are known, with either green or orange coloured backs.

Above: “Cultúrlán” Celtic myth playing cards.

See also:  Irish Playing Card Mfg Co. • Irish ‘Heroic’ pack • Irish ‘Historic’ pack • Ormond Printing Co • Irish Souvenir • Views of Ireland • Catherine Kelly • Guinness Posters • Irish Hospice pack • Celtic Journey • Quantum • “Cultúrlán” Celtic mythology

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

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Curator and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.