What do those square buttons say?

[OC Richard]

We've all seen them, and probably most of us have a jacket with them, the square silver/nickel/chrome buttons with the tiny lion and the enigmatic Gaelic inscription.



The button at upper left, what's that letter that looks like an upside-down U?

What is that squiggly line at lower right?

Why do some of the other letters change from button to button?

Clann nan Gael an Grallib na Crelle?

Or is it na Creile?

There are no such words "grallib" or "crelle" or "creile" in my Gaelic dictionary, what could it mean?

The first thing is to go back to some older buttons, and badges, where we find

Clann na Gaidheal (an) Guallibh (a) Cheile



Helpfully the Malcolm MacLennan Gaelic dictionary gives

na Gaidhil an guaillibh a cheile

"Gaels shoulder-to-shoulder" cf guala "shoulder" and ceile with various meanings of match, spouse, together, etc.

Then we find Our Gaelic Proverbs by Angus MacGillivray (1928) which gives

Clanna nan Gaidheal 'an guallibh a cheile

which he explains as "friendship".

[Jock Scot]

I am not a Gaelic scholar, I have enough trouble with English, but I have been told a few times over the years that the words on the buttons are meaningless. I can't say that I take any notice these days, for me, they are what they are.

[figheadair]

Richard,

The button script is a corruption of the older version. A literal translation is Children (descendents) of the Gael Stand Shoulder to Shoulder in Friendship.

[kilted2000]

Richard,

The button script is a corruption of the older version. A literal translation is Children (descendents) of the Gael Stand Shoulder to Shoulder in Friendship.

If you don't mind me asking, do you know the origin of these buttons? Where do they come from and why did they become so ubiquitous on certain kilt jackets?

[OC Richard]

Richard,

The button script is a corruption of the older version. A literal translation is Children (descendents) of the Gael Stand Shoulder to Shoulder in Friendship.

Do you have the older version that includes the "stand in friendship" part?

Or are those concepts implied by the "shoulders together" phrase?

[GlenaladalePiper]

I’d love to know the history behind kilt jackets going from thistle buttons and round buttons to these square buttons.

[figheadair]

If you don't mind me asking, do you know the origin of these buttons? Where do they come from and why did they become so ubiquitous on certain kilt jackets?

I'm afraid that I don't know their history but the earliest use I've seen is the capbadge used by a number of Volunteer Regiments in the 1860's including the:

• 1st City of Edinburgh Rifle Volunteers
  Highland Company Badge For The Queens Edinburgh Rifles

It seems likely that its use was later adopted for civilian Highland Dress, possibly as late as the early-mid 20th century.

Do you have the older version that includes the "stand in friendship" part?

Or are those concepts implied by the "shoulders together" phrase?

The ‘in friendship’ element is implied.

The term appears to have come from the Gaelic song Ri Guaillibh a Chèile by Donnchadh Mac Ille Ruaidh, born in Kintyre in 1849. The chorus of the song is:

Clanna nan Gàidheal ri guaillibh a chèile
Faicibh a' tighinn iad 's faram nan ceuman;
Bratach na Gàidhlig tha nis air a sgaoileadh,
Clanna nan Gàidheal ri guaillibh a chèile.

Clanna nan Gàidheal ri guaillibh a chéile meaning Gaels standing shoulder to shoulder.

The Gaelic Society of Inverness used the motto Clanna nan Gàidheal ri guaillibh a chéile from the 1870’s.

I’d love to know the history behind kilt jackets going from thistle buttons and round buttons to these square buttons.

I don’t know but have a feeling that the square version is a mid-20th century mass production fashion that has become popular via the hire trade.

[Regimental]

Interesting!

I’m curious if all the buttons are made by one firm – it seems odd that the misspelling etc are so standard otherwise. Would be nice for one of the kilt jacket manufacturers to take the opportunity to refresh them (or at least offer some better alternatives).

[MacRobert's Reply]

There were/are multiple button manufacturers and at least three versions of the garbled script. In addition, there are other square buttons with a variety of images.

[MacRobert's Reply]

20220419_201115.jpg

A couple of variations on the square buttons that also included St Andrew.

20220419_201208.jpg

20220419_201300.jpg

Highland societies and armigers also had their own, and some were plain with silver or gold plating.