Inkhancement Tattoo Studio

Inkhancement Tattoo Studio This studio no longer exists on Croke Street but the tattoo artist Brian Inks is still available working locally at a private studio.

Feel free to get in touch though this page. Tattoo by Appointment, In A Private Room! Artist Owned, Artist Run Studio, No Piercing!

As a gift for valentines day I'll give ye all a sneak peak of some of the historical replicas available to view in Lorrh...
14/02/2026

As a gift for valentines day I'll give ye all a sneak peak of some of the historical replicas available to view in Lorrha over the month of March! Don't forget to join the conversation on March 18th where we will discuss all things Sheela. And give this almost forgotten Irish lady the day she deserves.....

What has Friday the 13th and the Sheela Na Gig's got in common? One would beg to wonder? But in fact this very unremark...
13/02/2026

What has Friday the 13th and the Sheela Na Gig's got in common?
One would beg to wonder? But in fact this very unremarkable looking Sheela Na Gig has a very remarkable story to unveil even with no strong features or even a face to be seen!
On Friday the 13th of October 1307ad a coordinated arrest of all Templars swept across main land Europe all the way to the roaming hills of Clonoulty Co. Tipperary. Commonly forgotten in Irish history are the Templars. But after the battle of Thurles and the only recorded defeat of Stongbow in Ireland. King Henry II gifted the Templar Knights a 8000 acre farmstead in the heartland of the premier county. Not much is recorded of the reasons why or of what they set out to achieve. But history does record the arrest and their later realise without charge with each member to be banned from practice along with being given a small state pension. It was a literally a land grab that lead the way forward for the future estate of The Butlers, Earls of Ormand that we now see as the main historical family of the area.
The Clonoulty Sheela Na Gig which now resides in the Bolton Library in Cashel. Hides this story in a beautifully esoteric manner. Discovered in 1989 after a storm blew down a 200 year old Yew tree. This Sheela was discovered in the roots of the fallen tree on the land that was once a Templar Precptory. On closer inspection of these warriors of God they believed every breath was a Devine gift to be meditated on in their Precptory at the end of each day.
Like the ancient Munster kingdom of the Eoinacht who were said to be born of the Yew Tree so was this Sheela Na Gig. Opening up a Pandora's box of mystery and unanswered questions. Was the Sheela part of the Precptory and part of the Templar belief system or was she discarded on the building of the Precptory? What do you think?
Make sure to join us in The Shed at The Friars Tavern 6-9pm on Wednesday 18th of March where the discussion and conversation will lead, like the Sheela Na Gig, is anybodies guess..... Precptory

Just message my page....
09/02/2026

Just message my page....

Introducing for the first time all in one place the Kilkenny collection of Sheela Na Gig's. Kilkenny has five very diffe...
04/02/2026

Introducing for the first time all in one place the Kilkenny collection of Sheela Na Gig's. Kilkenny has five very different Sheela's to offer to the ever growing national collection that I am working on.
BALLEN LITTLE: This figures original placement is unknown but she resides repositioned on the wall of a farm house 4km north West of Freshford.
She was thought to originally been seated on a castle that no longer stands. Which in turn it is said that a earlier church was on the site before the castle. Both buildings are now fully removed and lost to antiquity. It is unknown which of the past structures the Sheela Na Gig was first carved to protect.
BALLYLARKIN: This figure resides in the National Museum. Found on yhe site of a 13th century parish church 3km from Freshford. She is a prime example of the style of carving of the earlier Sheela's and has stood the test of time holding a strong pose and strong prominent features. She possibly has two sets of beasts or prominent bottom ribs.
COOLIAGH MORE: Unearthed during clearance work on Coolaigh Church close to Kells priory. This figure was said yo gave been first found in a well at Kyle. And buried on the grounds of cooliagh-more. There is thoughts that she may first if been in position on a pre-Norman church site at the ancient monastic site of Kilree where a old church and round tower partly remain.
She now stands for viewing in full view at House, Kilkenny city.
TULLAROAN:This very large lightly carved extraordinary figure was discovered in 2006 while clearing rubble from a old school wall. Her original position is unknown but she has strong visible tool marks of the original mason. Along with a very unusual stance. She has very prominent ears lacks breasts in position but has what could be very small breast in the centre of her chest. She has a very deep groove start at her v***a and continues far down the stone.
She resides in the storage of Noel Coogan the man wo discovered her in the salvation of the rubble.
CLOMANTAGH CASTLE:Possibly my favourite of the five figures Clomantagh has been repositioned on the privatelying owned fully restored castle. 5km from Freshford. I've reached text limit.

I'm delighted to announce The Sheela Na Gig Collection will be on display from 1st March until the 29th of March in The...
02/02/2026

I'm delighted to announce The Sheela Na Gig Collection will be on display from 1st March until the 29th of March in The Shed at The Friars Tavern, Lorrha, Co. Tipperary. Free Admission.
With a Special Event National Sheela Na Gig Day on Wednesday the 18th between 6pm and 9pm.
Admission €5.
6pm to 7pm Sacred Sounds will set the vibration with ambient therapeutic healing frequencies.
Followed by a open conversation between 7-9pm.
Hosted by Dan and Ciara from Bog Bodies. Where myself and special guest Eimear Burke will be chatting to the lads. Each of us sharing our own interpretations of these medieval mystery stones. In a open conversation with all in attendance.
It has all the potential to be a very interesting conversation not to be missed. We hope to see ye all there to enjoy the banter and get involved.
There will be a pop up Sheela Na Gig Shop in attendance on the night for anyone who would like to take home their own little mystery deity.

Everyone needs a blacksmith buddy! I highly recommend one... and they don't even eat that much!! 😉Some people make reed ...
28/01/2026

Everyone needs a blacksmith buddy! I highly recommend one... and they don't even eat that much!! 😉
Some people make reed crosses for St. Bridgid Day. Other's forge hot metal in honour of her other attributes....

Popped over to the ever amazing Kilcooley Abbey to catch a glimpse and a photo of its very unremarkable Sheela/Seamus Na...
25/01/2026

Popped over to the ever amazing Kilcooley Abbey to catch a glimpse and a photo of its very unremarkable Sheela/Seamus Na Gig. For a new exhibition I'm working on at the minute.
I'm always left dump founded by the almost scratch mark Sheela on such a extravagantly decorative Cistercian Abbey. So out classed by the various other beautiful carvings! Especially the perfectly carved St. LÍBan the mermaid saint. The mermaid is often wrongly referred to as a warning on vanity. But in the Annals of the four masters her tale is told quite differently.
The 6th century princess trapped in a cave after the flooding of Lough Neagh was saved by the salmon of knowledge. By transforming her into a salmon woman and her dog into a otter.
She was said to of swam the Irish sea's protective of sailors and often seen. Up until she was caught in a net by St. Comgall who baptised her Muirgen and realised back to swim freely.
She was later canonised and became Ireland's only Mermaid Saint. Unfortunate mostly forgotten about snd misinterpreted as a carving warning of vanity. The mermaid is a symbol of trust and transformation with impossibilities becoming possible.

For my next offering I present a single side version of the Janus Figure from the mystical Boa Island in Co. Fermanagh. ...
13/01/2026

For my next offering I present a single side version of the Janus Figure from the mystical Boa Island in Co. Fermanagh. This incredibly peaceful figure was a pleasure to recreate with the last piece of available clay in 2025.
Why male figures dominated Island sites is a mystery. Or is it? Maybe we just haven't thought about it in the right way.....

Address

Croke Street Thurles
Thurles
TIPPERARY

Opening Hours

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Wednesday 12pm - 6pm
Thursday 12pm - 6pm
Friday 12pm - 6pm
Saturday 12pm - 6pm

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085 1924596

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