Irish grant of arms

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Heraldry is as much an art as it is a science. When devising arms a herald takes into consideration not only the symbolism of the blazon but its artistic effect as well, insofar as it is possible to do so.

Unless the client requests otherwise (or it is the custom of the granting authority to do otherwise) the default for mantling is usually gules doubled argent; as previously noted the mantling may, instead, be doubled of the principle colour and metal. Generally speaking the livery colours may, or may not, be the same colours as the mantling, nor is the client limited to only two colours-- three colours are not unknown, as in the red, yellow, and black livery of the Baron of Slane whose torse is so coloured on his letters patent, while his mantling is (as I seem to recall) blazoned as azure doubled ermine corded and tassled or.

[Gael Ridire]

Thanks to everyone who posted!

Mike : I've been criticized in the past for not saying the crest wreath is vert & argent. But the shield being ermine, the crest wreath is to be white, or as you said "not silver/argent."

Scott : Thanks for your comment. The person who felt the incompatibility of Irish arms & Scottish dress was the Clerk of Lyon Court. And thanks for the clarification on the use of the feather for "all" armigers. I shall have to add it back to my bonnet.

[Gael Ridire]

Scott : Thanks for the expanded use of the manteling being "gules & argent." After getting this grant I could find no explanation except in the newsletter of the Canadian Heraldry Society, where someone noted that it was common use during the medieval time period and used Garter Stall plates as an example. Another in the same piece commented that he thought it was granted to new armigers.

[Mike_Oettle]

True enough, Cygnus. The Spanish also make that distinction. But it exists nowhere north of the Pyrenees.
Regards,
Mike