Jackie’s Roisin Dubh Tattoo

My Roisin Dubh tattoo has a many layered meaning.

My father’s family is Irish, and my mother is South Korean. Roisin Dubh means “Black Rose” in Gaelic. I look more asian than Irish so it confuses most people to see an asian girl with Gaelic on her. They think it spells out my name. I’ve actually had people argue with me about my heritage. Which I find quite funny, because my last name is obviously Irish. I figure I’m quite dark for an Irish girl.

My birth month is June, so my birth flower is the rose. My tattoos with flowers have roses in them, so this just ties into the rest. This is also the only tattoo I have right now that is visible when I’m wearing my regular work clothes. (I work in a hospital.) Since it’s so well done, I haven’t had any complaints about it. And it’s usually the older people who absolutely love it. They seem to love the fact that I’m Irish.

And the last reason…I adore the band Flogging Molly. They have a song called “To Youth (My Sweet Roisin Dubh). It’s the song I love the best out of all their songs, so I got this to pay tribute to the band. Plus, no one who isn’t a Flogging Molly fan knows what it means, so it kind of helps me to find other fans. I’ve also shown it to the band member I met and he loved it.

John at Smiling Buddha Tattoo shop did this one. They are based in Savannah and Statesboro, Georgia. He works at the Savannah shop. I love his work and all the artists there are great. I’ve gotten all my tattoos except one done there. If you’re ever in the Savannah, GA area, go see them. They are some of the best artists I’ve ever met.

-Jackie

Inked by John at Smiling Buddha – Savannah, GA

What motivated me to get my tattoo? A lot of things. I’m Irish by birth and never really appreciated my heritage, because when I was little I always thought it was normal for people to have half of their family living in another country.

It never struck me until after my grandfather died and I visited Ireland with my grandmother that I was lucky to have all that I do, especially when it comes to my family. Even if some of them are across the ocean, we’re always there for each other. And my tattoo is something that has always been a family motto of ours, throughout all of the good and bad times: Maireann croí éadrom i bhfad – A light heart lives longest, in gaelic. Because it’s true, you know?

So this is a tribute to my family, my heritage, my life. That’s why the letters curve in a way, to give it a sense of whimsy, so that I always remember that not everything is going to be perfect, not everything SHOULD be perfect — and I think everybody should remember that. A light heart lives longest! Let the little things go, it’s not worth it.

- Jessica

Inked by Jack Lenz: Artistic Dermagraphics, Boardman, Ohio.