THE logo accompanying the new marketing strategy for Irish tourism depicts "two people embracing and exchanging a shamrock", according to Design Works, the Dublin based graphics company which created it.
Design Works won the £100,000 contract to develop the logo after a world wide trawl by Bord Failte on behalf of the other partners in the initiative.
The colours - yellow, red, and two shades of green - are drawn from "the Irish landscape, flora and painted houses", and the whole image is designed to feature "core words and images" of Irish identity.
Reports that the shamrock might not be included in the new agreed logo caused a mild controversy two months ago. But after considering its exclusion, the agency concluded this was impossible, according to Design Works partner, Ms Marion Cody.
"The brief we got was wide open. We were just asked to challenge the existing stereotype, so we started without the shamrock, which helped us to explore a very wide area. But it was impossible to leave It out. There is just no other symbol like it.
Both Bord Failte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board will retain their existing logo, which feature variations of the shamrock.
Design Works has won awards for its work with Guinness and the redesigned Brown Thomas store in Dublin.
