How has Ireland's impressive legacy of innovation shaped the modern world?

Introduction

In order to celebrate St Patrick's Day, we decided it was appropriate to showcase a legacy of innovation from the emerald Isle.

Loved worldwide for its lush landscapes and rich cultural heritage, Ireland has a much less-known legacy of lively inventions. Moving beyond the world-famous Guinness, let's dive into some of the most fun and functional inventions that have sprung from Irish minds, shaping our daily lives in delightful ways. Here are seven Irish innovations that have done just that:

Eight Wonderful Irish Inventions

1. Potato Crisps: The Snack Revolution

In a delightful twist to the history of the humble spud, Ireland contributed to its evolution through the birth of potato crisps. Thanks to an Irish innovator, Joe 'Spud' Murphy, founder of Tayto, our snacking experience was forever changed in the 1950s with the introduction of seasoned crisps. These crunchy delights have become a worldwide snacking essential, thanks to an amazing variety of mouth-watering flavours.

2. Tattoo Machines: Art on Skin

In the history of body ink, Ireland's contribution to the development of tattoo machines opened a whole new world of self-expression. Although tattoos have been around since the dawn of civilisation, the invention of improved ink applicators made a huge difference.

Samuel O’Reilly was an Irish-descended American who opened a tattoo parlour in New York City in 1875, in the unsavoury Bowery district. He captured Thomas Edison’s idea of an electric pen by developing a hand-held machine that made a tattoo artist’s job much easier. O’Reilly’s machine generated around 50 perforations per second, versus the previous approaches of a few less effective perforations. He became exceptionally famous as the ‘Tattoo Man’, increasing the availability and ease of tattoos while simultaneously making them more socially acceptable.

This innovation helped make tattoos an enduring human canvas for stories, memories, and identities.

3. Bringing Home the Bacon (Rashers)

Irish butcher Henry Denny from Waterford helped create a ‘full Irish breakfast’ when he invented the bacon rasher. Denny tested and then patented several bacon curation techniques which involved soaking the meat in brine. This method improved the shelf-life and quality of bacon products and enabled Denny to build a thriving bacon export business outside of Ireland.

So, next time you enjoy that special crispy, salty, fatty breakfast delight, remember to thank Henry Denny, the patron saint of bacon.

4. Colour Photography: Capturing Life in Hues

In 1891, John Joly, an Irish physicist and inventor, gifted the world with the first successful method for producing colour photographs. This technique, involving a screen of lines in three primary colours, paved the way for the vibrant imagery we cherish today and the colourful memories that can now be permanently stored.

5. Croquet: Lawnside Leisure

Although a French word, croquet, is believed to have Irish origins. It was introduced into England around the 1850s and then spread to America and other countries. It was a particularly popular pastime in the 19th and 20th centuries amongst the upper classes, perhaps because it was one of the rare instances where men and women could compete equally. Australia and New Zealand also adopted croquet and even conducted a test match between the two countries in  1925.

Today, croquet is a staple of garden parties and family gatherings and a global, egalitarian sport. Although competitive, it still exemplifies a genteel and charming nature that is a reminder of its origins.

 7. Online Payments: Simplifying Purchases

Thanks to two Irish sibling entrepreneurs, the world of online purchasing changed overnight when they introduced their Stripe software product. Prior to this, buying anything online was a messy process for merchants. E-commerce was not the smooth and fast process we enjoy today. This software revolutionised online business by removing frustrating inefficiency and complexity for merchants in one amazing software solution. It helped online businesses process payments on an easy-to-use payment gateway. This change helped the e-commerce market boom and encouraged many more transaction innovations that radically transformed the online financial world.

Conclusion

Next time you think of Ireland on St. Patrick's Day, you can appreciate how a small country such as the Emerald Isle can boast about much more than Guinness and U2.

From crunchy 'cheese and onion' crisps to skin art, the charm of croquet to the world at our fingertips, Ireland's contributions to fun and functionality are as diverse as they are impactful. So, the next time you enjoy these everyday pleasures, remember the Irish ingenuity behind them. Here's to Ireland – not just the land of Guinness, but a hub of happy innovations!