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The
design incorporates
several elements dear to
the armiger; the wavy
division of the field
with a blue chief
represents water and an
interest in sailing, the
cow is an obvious
reference to dairy
farming, and the three
arms in armour each
holding a scroll,
represent insurance
contracts and a triple
level of protection.
The
crest is, of course, a
hedgehog, or urchin,
which is also known, in
heraldry, as a herisson,
or herezon in the
canting arms of some
families of Harris; here
it is standing upon a
green grassy mound set
to remind the armiger of
his Irish heritage. As a
further reminder of a
farmer’s desire to
provide plentiful food,
the rampant hedgehog
carries the grapes to
provide for its
offspring. Medieval
legend held that
hedgehogs would creep
into vineyards at night,
shake grapes loose, then
roll about to impale the
fallen fruit before
carrying their bounty
home for their
offspring.
The
motto, Fiducia
Integritatis Tenacitas,
can be translated as
Trust Integrity
Tenacity.
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