Wildcat Ink is one of Dublin’s most established tattoo parlours. They are well over a decade in operation – and going from strength to strength. Starting off in the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, they opened their second outlet just off Jervis Street, on the increasingly hip and happening Northside. Their second studio boasts three different rooms for piercings and tattoos, and is run by a team of four artists and three piercers.

“When we opened originally tattooing and piercing was seen as a bit risqué,” WildCat founder, Dolores Murray, laughs. “Initially, it would only be people who are really into tattooing who’d come in, but all of that has changed. These days everybody is getting inked. We get people from all walks of life.

“Reality TV shows, celebrity culture and sports stars like Conor McGregor and David Beckham have greatly influenced tattoo culture and opened it up to the world, which is brilliant.”

Keara Brennan, the current apprentice piercer in Wildcat in Jervis Street tells me that it’s a tight team of enthusiasts, who are in it for the win.

“To be honest, this is my five-year plan,” she tells me with an eager smile. “I want to be here for the foreseeable future – because there’s nowhere I’d want to be more than here. The guys at Wildcat invest so much into their team that my apprenticeship has been like doing a masters in the business and world of piercing. It has been brilliant.”

Dolores Murray stresses that people shouldn’t be shy in demanding exactly what they want from their piercings or their tattoos. At Wildcat, it’s all about individuality, and expressing yourself. As it should be...

Unit 3, 1 Jervis St, North City, Dublin 1
(01) 878 0551
wildcat.ie