This claddagh tattoo needed to include many custom elements at the request of a fireman eager to show his loyalty to his profession, his ethnic background, and his family. We started with a subtle Maltese cross as a shield in the background, the traditional symbol of firemen. Then we added the shamrock and Irish ring of the claddagh, to include the traditional symbols for luck, love, and loyalty. Then inside the shield we put his wife's name, and on the sides the names of their children, thus bringing together all the family in one tribute. Then we put it on his ribs, a challenging spot.
