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Dublin: Learn and Experience Cló Gaelach - Irish Calligraphy
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From €18 per person
Cló Gaelach is the traditional Irish script that once appeared on everything from shop signs to government documents across Ireland. It’s largely disappeared from everyday life now, but this two-hour workshop brings it back in a hands-on, completely accessible way in the heart of Dublin city centre.
Your host walks you through the history of the script first - how it developed, how it spread, and why it gradually fell out of use over the course of the 20th century. Then you learn to write it yourself. No calligraphy experience required; the session is designed for complete beginners. There’s something genuinely satisfying about forming these letterforms for the first time - the sweeping curves and pointed strokes feel unlike anything in the Roman alphabet, and you start to understand why people who grew up with this script remember it with such affection.
As part of the workshop, you’ll receive a specially crafted postcard featuring lost poetry by the Irish poet Eilis Ni Partholain (Alice Furlong), written in Cló Gaelach with an English translation. You can use your newly learned script to write a personal message on it - turning it into a one-of-a-kind souvenir to send or keep. The session also brings in some modern Irish music and a few phrases of the Irish language along the way.
At EUR18, this is one of the best-value cultural experiences you’ll find in Dublin. Two hours of focused, hands-on learning with all materials included and something tangible to take home is unusual at this price. If you’re building a Dublin itinerary with a mix of paid attractions, this one earns its place without much debate.
Don’t overthink the writing before you start. Cló Gaelach looks intricate, but the session is genuinely paced for people who’ve never held a calligraphy pen before. The letterforms are taught systematically, and the practice sheets are forgiving. Most people are surprised by how quickly they start producing something that actually looks like the script.
The postcard is worth sending rather than keeping. Part of what makes Cló Gaelach compelling is that it’s a living connection to an older form of the language - writing something personal in it and sending it to someone who matters feels more meaningful than leaving it in your bag. Your host can advise on where to find stamps if you want to post it from Dublin.
This workshop pairs well with a visit to the Chester Beatty Library. The Chester Beatty holds an extraordinary collection of manuscripts and decorated texts from across many traditions, including Irish material. Spending an hour there before or after the calligraphy workshop gives you a broader sense of how script and text have been used as art across different cultures - and makes what you’ve learned feel connected to something larger.