‘The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,’ as the Wrenboys sing each Stephen’s Day – recalling the triumph of the plucky little wren who nestled in the feathers of the mighty eagle to beat him in a competition to fly the highest and seize the title of ‘King of the Birds.’

Clever little fellow. Oh very smart. Oh yes, fair play to him.Oh he was thinking now. Oh he’s very cute. Oh that smart little wren – the lil’ cheater. Cheating bollix. Sit back and let the eagle do all the work, and at the last second when ‘Boxer’ the eagle is dead tired and done in, pipe up, claim the crown and secure the monarchical position for you and yours. Sound like another social contract that doesn’t work for the everyday person.

Anyways, Marxist readings of old Irish folktales aside, let’s talk eagles. Before gun toting, big mac slurping, eating pizza with a knife and fork – [Editor’s note: Not all these stereotypes are quite right] – Murica invades your thoughts for oil, remember that we have eagles in Ireland too. Booted Eagles, Golden Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles soaring over the western coast of Ireland. Even the odd Bald Eagle knocking about looking for laser-hair therapy.

The eagle is a symbolic bird in cultures across the globe, representing for many ideals of honesty, truth, majesty, strength, courage, wisdom, power and freedom. For those who value one, or all of these values, an eagle tattoo represents an opportunity to wear your values on your sleeve. [Editor’s note: Clever tattoo pun, well done.]

Eagle tattoos consistently get tattoo lovers’ engines revving; they chime with the modern world as one of the ultimate symbols of freedom and individuality.The Eagle, as an apex predator, is an undeniably powerful and clever animal; perfect for representing qualities like courage, focus and determination. In a world that can often produce harsh turns in life, eagle tattoos can represent inner-strength and self-responsibility. 

These majestic creatures are also simply a visual feast, making the potential range of eagle tattoos vast and exciting. For starters, what type of eagle you want to get is an important consideration. A perched eagle is often said to demonstrate concealed power, patience and self-assuredness, whereas an eagle in full flight is the perfect symbol for action and decisiveness.

Eagle Chest Tattoos

Eagle Chest Tattoos are amongst the most popular eagle tattoos in The Ink Factory. Broad space allows for artists to really flex their creative skills. The fact that eagles naturally have such an elaborate appearance in the form of intricate feathers means that artists can go into incredible detail and collaborate with the client to produce some mind-blowing tattoos. 

Fighting eagle tattoos are also a popular choice. Usually fighting a snake which is in its talons, these are great tattoos for someone who wants to explore the concept of conflict. From combat sport practitioners, to armed forces members to anyone who privileges a disciplined approach to life, these are superb visual statements. 

Depictions of eagles can range from realistic portrait-style tattoos to more abstract ones. Tribal eagle tattoos are becoming increasingly favoured. These can range from a solid black, minimalist style to highly colourful, Aztec or Native American-inspired pieces. If intense colour is what you’re after, there’s a mountain of different ways you can bring in Neo-Traditional and Watercolour styles to reimagine and experiment with eagles as subject matter.

Finally, symmetrical shoulder wing tattoos and smaller eagle tattoos are worth mentioning. Getting a smaller-sized eagle’s head with a screaming pose can be a subtle, interesting way of saying, “hey, don’t underestimate me”. 

Whatever way you want to explore the world of eagle tattoo designs, we’ve got the most passionate and skilled tattoos artists in the game and can take your body art story to the next level.