A couple of weeks ago I lost my job. I quickly got a job interview for a job I REALLY wanted and promised myself that if I got this job I'd congratulate myself with a rook piercing.
At A Glance Author Aoife Contact shwaaa@gmail.com When It just happened Artist Dave (I think) Studio Celestial Ring Location Abbey Street, Dublin Lo and behold, a week ago I got the job. As I'm on three weeks holiday from college I decided I would go to Dublin to visit my boyfriend and while there I would get my rook piercing. I had decided on a rook piercing as I've never seen anyone here with it done.
I then set about picking my piercing parlor. I normally go to Waterford so I didn't have much knowledge on Dublin places. I knew my sister always got her piercings in a certain place but when I checked up on it I heard a lot of horror stories about how there standards had totally gone down the drain. I then discovered Celestial Ring and visited their website. I was expecting to be charged about €65 for my rook piercing but when I visited their site I discovered it would cost between €35 and €40. Seeing as it cost between €30 and €35 to get a tragus piercing I decided that I would get both my rook and tragus done as I wanted both equally.
The next day I woke up bright and early and set off to Dublin with my best friend. We arrived in Dublin at 10 but the piercing shop only opened at 10.30 so we went and got food. By the time our food was finished it was 11 so we decided to go to the shop although I was adamant that the piercer probably wouldn't be in by then. When we arrived at the shop I discovered I was right but the guy in the shop rang another studio of their's and checked if they had a piercer in. Thankfully they did so he sent me there with a 10% discount for my troubles.
When we got to the other shop I told the receptionist what I wanted. She asked me if I wanted rings or barbells and when I said rings she told me that when she got her's pierced with a ring she found them very hard to heal. She showed me the barbells and as they were small I decided on two barbells. I then met my piercer who was quite bored and wanted to do a scaffold between my tragus and rook. I declined as I wanted one in each ear. The piercer then pointed out that this would be quite painful to sleep on. I knew it would be sore but I didn't really think about how sore. I then decided to get both piercings in my right ear.
I was then brought into the piercing room and my piercer spent a good few minutes talking to me about all aspects of the piercing and answered any questions I had. I asked him if, in a few months, I decided that I wanted to get a scaffold put between my rook and tragus would that be possible. He explained that he would need to put in a different sized barbell in the piercing and then it would be possible. He brought me back out to the shop to show me what size barbell he would using. I liked the size and we agreed on that. I explained to him that I asked because I had wanted an industrial belly button but numerous people told me it was impossible. He then kindly checked my belly button and told me it was possible but it was pierced too shallow and I needed to take it out and get it re-done, but that's a different story.
I was then seated while the anti-bacterial solution was applied. While I waited for it to dry I was given an aftercare sheet to read over in case I had any questions. My piercer also applied the ink as a guide. He handed a mirror to show me although, as he pointed out, there wasn't much to see. He also covered my shoulder with a protector in case I bled. He then prepared the jewellery and needles and got ready to commence piercing.
He told me he would do my rook first as it was more painful. He placed the clamp on and told me to take a deep breath and exhale. As you know, when I exhaled he pushed the needle through. It did take longer than a normal piercing and it only hurt when the needle entered and exited. Then, before putting the jewellery in, he pierced my tragus. I didn't hear a crunch or pop on either piercing but I did find the tragus quite painful. I actually shouted out 'ow!' and then apologised but my piercer just laughed and told me ow was a standard response when you get a needle stuck in you!
He then inserted my jewellery which I found a bit uncomfortable but bearable. When the jewellery was in he spent a good five minutes cleaning the blood off my ear. He told me I didn't bleed much and he found this quite disappointing. He also said he would leave a little bit of blood around the bottom of the piercings as a cushion. Whilst cleaning my ear he kept me occupied by asking questions about my other piercings and my tattoo. He was really friendly throughout the piercing and I found this really nice. Most piercers I've been too are uninterested in conversation.
Once I was cleaned up we chatted a bit. I asked about piercing apprenticeships and about the strangest piercings he had ever done. He showed me his tattoos and piercings also. I found my experience at Celestial Ring really enjoyable as the staff are very friendly and accommodating. They were more than willing to ask questions and treated me more like a friend than a customer. I would highly recommend them to anyone in Ireland.