Irish Heroic
The costumes and details of this pack are in the spirit of "The Heroic Period of Irish History".
Irish “Heroic” Playing Cards, 1919
designed and drawn on stone by Irish artists of the Irish Decorative Art Association
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The costumes and details of this pack are in the spirit of “The Heroic Period of Irish History”. Published by: W. & G. Baird Ltd (Belfast), and manufactured by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd. (London), 1919. A similar "Irish Historic" pack was also published. |
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Above: the Kings and Queens are characters from the most famous Irish romances, myth and legends, and also represent the four provinces of Ireland, whilst the Jacks are charioteers. The cards were printed in London by Charles Goodall & Son Ltd; a later slightly different printing with the court cards substantially redrawn was produced by the Irish Playing Card Mfg Co., Cork.
‘Bricriu’ the Joker (“of the venom tongue”) was the chief cowherd of Queen Maeve, a satirist, poet and a notorious mischief maker.
See also: Irish ‘Historic’ pack►
References: Goodall, Michael H.: "The Fennell series of Irish Heroic & Historic Playing Cards" in The Playing-Card, Journal of the IPCS, Vol.37, No.3, 2009, pp.169-175.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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