Breathnach Family Crest framed artprint

The Breathnach Family Crest framed artprint. Beautifully illustrated. Carefully researched. Uniquely personal.

Whether it’s a gift to celebrate a milestone birthday, a wedding or a housewarming—this piece is an instant heirloom.

Because this is my own surname, this artwork has a personal resonance for me. My fascination with heraldry didn’t start in a library or an archive—it began on the walls of my parents’ shop in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland.

Growing up, our shop sold a little bit of everything: newspapers, books, magazines, greeting cards, sweets, and cigarettes. But for me, the real centerpiece was a map of Ireland hanging on the wall, bordered by traditional family crests. As a child, I was curious about them and had opinions about what elements I thought looked quite nicely done, and also which ones didn't seem to make much sense.

Our family coat of arms featuring a swan pierced by an arrow, always struck me as profoundly sad — white swans are very much a feature of growing up in Westmeath. It wasn’t until the historical meaning behind that striking imagery was finally explained to me that my perspective completely shifted.

Decades later – after art college (NCAD) and a long career as a graphic designer — the vivid memory of that map in our shop sparked a massive creative journey. It inspired me to begin redrawing these historic emblems from scratch—a passion project that ultimately became this Family Crests Store website. Digging into this artwork gave me a deep appreciation for a largely lost language of visual symbolism widely understood by the often illiterate people of medieval times.

The Symbolism of the Breathnach - Walsh coat of arms

The Breathnach family crest features a swan (a symbol of everlasting love – swans mate for life) with an arrow piercing its breast. In heraldry this signifies pierced or transfixed by a great love (or loss of love) as well as resilience in the face of hardship and adversity. The white background of the shield symbolizes peace and sincerity. The arrowheads denote a readiness for battle while the red chevron (meaning ‘rafter’ in French) signifies safety and protection. The Walsh family motto is ‘Transfixus sed non mortuus’ – ‘Pierced but not dead’.

Origin of the Breathnach - Walsh name

The surname Breathnach is of Irish origin – meaning ‘Briton’ or ‘Welshman’. This name has a rich history in Ireland. The earliest recorded reference to the name dates back to 1171, when Haylen Branach, son of Phillip the Welshman, accompanied Strongbow’s invasion of Ireland.

It appears in early Anglo-Norman records as Walensis, Waleys, le Waleys, then in the Irish form as Brenagh, Bretnagh, Breathnach and by the 1500’s was commonly anglicized as Walsh, Walshe, Welch, Branagh, Brannagh, amongst other variants.

By the 1300’s variants of this name were firmly established in various strongholds in the south-east of Ireland, especially around Kilkenny, Laois, and Waterford. Notable examples include the ‘Walshs of the Mountains’ from Castlehale in Kilkenny, Walshs of Carrickmines in Dublin, Walshs of Ballykileavan in Laois and of Ballyrichmore in Waterford.

Product details

Ayous wood 0.75″ (1.9 cm) thick frame from renewable forests
Paper thickness: 10.3 mil (0.26 mm)
Paper weight: 189 g/m²
Lightweight & acrylite front protector
Hanging hardware included

No Warehouses. No Waste. Just for you, made to order

This product is printed especially for you when ordered, one at a time, by royal decree of Mother Nature to keep the realm beautiful. Family Crests Store guarantees your custom treasure meets all EU and USA safety standards.

About the artist

Each coat of arms in the Family Crests Store is an artwork by heraldic artist Éamonn Breathnach. All are carefully researched, drawing from the earliest available records across multiple heraldic archives. Noted for their elegance and attention to detail, these artworks make meaningful gifts for family occasions.