Celtic Resurrection - David "Skull" Bingham David 'Skull' Bingham I was born in Belfast, N. Ireland, in 1956 and led an idyllic childhood with a loving mother, 2 sisters and a father who was a retired war sergeant from the British Army and who was heavily tattooed. Being my father’s son I was destined to follow in his footsteps, unbeknown to me at that time. The perfect childhood was shattered when the Civil War started in 1969, and by 1975 I was shipped off to the United States by my parents to escape the civil conflict. Ironically, I joined the US Army and my love of tattoos and the history of the art had taken me directly into the footsteps of my father. I started tattooing while serving as a sergeant, in the US Army, and received, my first tattoo while stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado. The artist was Snake Yates. His professionalism and advice never left me. I then tattooed from base to base, working in local studios that would have a guest artist who was in the military. I worked with Bal Dasa at Goldcoast Tattoos, Salines, and I also worked alongside Tom Roake from New Mexico. I had a small tattoo studio of my own for a short while in Monterey until Uncle Sam relocated me to Germany, where again I opened up a studio off base for 3 years. I retired from the military in 1988 when I returned home to Ireland and opened up Belfast City Skinworks and The Celtic & World Tattoo Museum, inspired by my many visits to Lyle Tuttle's in San Francisco. Opening a studio in a war-torn city with politics and sectarianism had me decide upon a neutral place where people from all sides could come together. My stance on no political or offensive tattoos, and openly condemning political tattoos and the artists who make their living decorating people with these offensive slogans, not only made my chosen art form look cheap, but in the political climate, extremely dangerous for the wearer of this permanent mark. Belfast - N. Ireland Belfast City Skinworks Belfast City Skinworks operated for 15 years with, at times, 4 full time working artists and numerous guest artists dropping in for working vacations. On Dec-1st 1997 the tattoo studio and the museum were totally destroyed by a firebomb attack. I suppose I was finally paying the price for my principles. I reopened a new studio in a different Belfast location 26 days later, never looking back, and with the help of friends and tattoo enthusiasts worldwide I reopened the new Celtic & World Tattoo Museum. In 2003/2004 Belfast City Skinworks was sold and it operates under a different name now. After the tragic loss of my partner in 2004 I took some time off travelling around in Europe and the US in search of ideas for a new shop and concept. Besides this I was working the tattoo circuit for shows and conventions world wide. The Celtic Resurrection shop was opened in 2007 in Sligo, Ireland: Celtic Resurrection Tattoos & Piercings Corner Shop Old Market Street Sligo Ireland Phone: 071 - 914 66 28 Phone (international): (+353) 71 914 66 28 Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11:00AM - 7:00PM Cathy "Cat" and "Skull" The Team: David 'Skull' Bingham Tattooist and owner Tarn Tattooist Lauren 'Orn' Receptionist