Hi everyone, my first time in a discussion forum of any type, so thanks in advance for your help.

I am working on a tattoo design to recognize mine and my wife's shared Irish heritage. I plan to have the word "family" in English, and would like to include the Irish equivalent. From asking around within family circles, etc I've been given two slightly different suggestions: "teaghlach" and "teaghlaich". The meaning I wish to convey is that of my immediate family - my wife, children and myself. If anyone can confirm which of these is more appropriate, or if there's another word more appropriate I would greatly appreciate (eg muintir, but I don't think that's exactly what I mean here).

Thanks kindly!

Not all speakers agree precisely on this, but in Irish, teaghlach usually refers to the folks in your household; muintir usually refers to a broader category of people (depending on the context, it can mean your whole family or clan, beyond just the ones in your home, or even your tribe or your “people”), and clann may mean different things in context. It often means just your children and other descendants, for example:
-- mo chlann = my children
-- mo chlann mhac = my sons

The form teaghlaich is not customary in Ireland. In Scottish Gaelic, teaghlach is likewise the usual form, but teaghlaich is a variant form, so there might be some people in Ulster who use it.

Just in case someone mistakenly tells you to use teaghlaigh, that's the Irish plural form, meaning "families" (the Scottish Gaelic plural is teaghlaichean).

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I'm not a native (or entirely fluent) speaker, so be sure to wait for confirmations/corrections, especially for tattoos.

I can second all this. I suggest "teaghlach" as being closest to the meaning you want and less potentially ambigous.

Redwolf

thanks for the help!!