Great Fishing Houses of Ireland

The Great Fishing Houses of Ireland represent the finest salmon fishing and trout fishing establishments across Ireland. In the year 2000, I was approached by the group to create a timeless identity for their orgnisation. The challenge was to create a classic mark not only to convey the prestigious nature of the houses themelves, but with a primary focus on the fishing itself. After many initial ideas, my focus landed back on nature itself and inspiration struck when I thought about the best fisherman of them all—the Kingfisher—a fast, agile, adept, and sophisticated bird, it felt like the perfect fit for the mark, and so we decided on a Kingfisher in flight framed in a classic typeface to tie in with the history and architecture of the houses. Below is the complete mark, and some early usage concepts, using elements of the bird to form a visual language.