If you’re looking for something a little more personal than a mass-produced gift, Irish artist and printmaker Rachel Merrigan has created a collection of contemporary prints that bring together Irish folklore, design, colour and place.
Merrigan works across screenprinting, etching and vitreous enamel, creating small-edition works that explore Ireland’s visual and cultural heritage through a distinctly contemporary lens.
With prints ranging from €50 to €250, her work offers an opportunity to own something original and support an independent Irish artist.
From design to printmaking
Merrigan originally trained in visual communications and went on to work as a graphic designer and design educator. After years working in the fast-paced world of design, she found herself wanting to return to something more tactile.
In 2022, she travelled to Bristol to complete an MA in Multidisciplinary Printmaking at the University of the West of England, graduating with a Distinction before returning to Ireland in 2023.
That design background remains central to her work. Her prints make striking use of shape, colour and texture, while traditional techniques such as screenprinting and etching give each piece a handmade quality.
Her approach is also deliberately slow. Printmaking involves experimentation, layering and plenty of opportunities for things not to go exactly to plan. For Merrigan, that unpredictability is part of the appeal.
An Ireland beyond the postcard
Much of Merrigan’s recent work is inspired by Irish folklore, particularly the traditional healing practices once passed down through generations.
Her research into the Irish “Cure”, or “charm”, has led her to explore stories surrounding local healers, herbal remedies, rituals and indigenous knowledge. Rather than simply recreating these traditions, Merrigan uses them as a starting point to consider Irish heritage and identity from a contemporary perspective.
The result is artwork that feels unmistakably connected to Ireland, without relying on the usual clichés.
Three pieces in particular caught our eye.
Our Lady of Dublin
For anyone with a soft spot for Dublin, Our Lady of Dublin is an obvious choice. The piece takes inspiration from the capital and transforms that sense of place into a contemporary print, making it a particularly fitting piece for a Dublin native, former resident or anyone with a strong connection to the city.
Botanics
Botanics taps into another recurring element of Merrigan’s practice: the relationship between Ireland, nature and traditional knowledge.
With its botanical inspiration and graphic approach, it offers a more understated option for someone looking to bring an Irish connection into their home.
love/Grá
Then there’s love/Grá, a simple and very Irish take on one of the most universal subjects. The bilingual title gives the piece an immediate connection to Irish language and culture, while the contemporary printmaking treatment keeps it firmly rooted in the present.
It would make a thoughtful gift for a partner, friend or family member, or simply for someone who appreciates beautifully designed Irish-made artwork.
A gift that tells a story
What makes Merrigan’s work particularly interesting is the combination of design and history. These aren’t simply decorative prints with an Irish theme. Her work is informed by research into the stories, beliefs and traditions that have shaped Irish culture, then reinterpreted through contemporary printmaking.
For anyone looking to support an independent Irish artist, a small-edition print is a chance to give something with a story behind it, and something that can live on a wall long after the occasion has passed.
Shop Rachel Merrigan’s prints → www.rachelmerrigan.com/shop-prints
Instagram: @rachelmprints
More info at: www.rachelmerrigan.com
Photo credits: Rachel Merrigan
