Open AccessIrish Letters: Sacred and Secular Usage
Author(s) -
Eduardo Boheme Kumamoto
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
abei journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2595-8127
DOI - 10.37389/abei.v20i1.3107
Subject(s) - lettering , typeface , irish , scripting language , romanization , chariot , history , literature , nationalism , section (typography) , art , visual arts , linguistics , art history , archaeology , ancient history , law , philosophy , political science , computer science , operating system , politics
The objective of this article is to discuss the lettering styles that can be found in signs around Dublin, and which are used to convey some kind of Irishness and tradition. The first section discusses the story of insular scripts that flourished in medieval Ireland, being the Book of Kells their most conspicuous representative. After that, the rise of Gaelic typefaces is examined and, finally, examples are used to show the multiplicity of lettering styles in Dublin which are based on insular scripts. It is demonstrated that such letters often fail in their intention to display tradition and nationalism. Keywords: Medieval Ireland; Gaelic typefaces; lettering styles.