Carlow colored doorways

Of course in Carlow we have a lot of colored doorways. You can find them everywhere on the small streets of the town.

Besides, Ireland is a country known for (among many other things) its vibrant colors. Exploring any town within the Emerald Isle, you’re bound to see bright houses and vivid signage. Then, kaleidoscopic streets, and famous colored doorways.

The official story of colored doorways

Irish doors began their global career in 1970 during the American celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day. All because of the poster (colorful collage of Dublin doors). Which was hung in the window of the tourist office on Fifth Avenue in New York. People saw an unusual view, they stopped to admire the colors of the door. And then asked if and where they could get a copy. In this way, the colorful Gregorian door has become one of the symbols of Ireland. And that is the official version.

Other stories of colored doorways

There is also the story/legends about colored doorways in Ireland. One legend says that two well-known Irish writers. George Moore and Olivier St John Gogarty did not shun glass (or beer mug). So, after leaving the pub had problems getting to their homes. Finally, one of them, irritated by the neighbor’s frequent mistakes, painted his door green. The other did not owe him and he painted his own – but in red.

Another legend says that when the famous British Queen Victoria died. The Irish decided to paint the door in all colors of the rainbow as a sign of joy.

The most popular version suggests that the fabulous colors of Irish doors are the effect of the preventiveness of Irish wives. Apparently the Irish were fed up with the fact that their drunken husbands did not return to their homes. But mistakenly (apparently) went to the house of a neighbor. To prevent this, women decided to paint the door in vivid characteristic colors. So that their partners would remember and recognize their homes well.