Shilleagh's, walking sticks and anything else you like to carry.

**The Thing** · 5th August 09, 03:38 PM

I searched the search engine to see if there were any past threads concerning Shilleagh's, the legendry Irish walking stick\ weapon. These beautiful sticks from the blackhorn tree are incredibly strong, yet light and ideal as a walking stick\ defensive weapon; which was the original purpose for it's use. I think they are a very beautiful item to own that connects the owner with nature, as each one is hand crafted from a single tree branch. The crafts man with his or her keen eye first selects the most suitable stick, then digs down to the root, which when extracted becomes the handle of the sturdy Shilleagh, pronounced (Shi lay le). As the Blackthorn has sharp posionous thorns that were useful for defence, they are left on, but the sharp ends are filed down to give a ruff edge along the shaft. The stick was traditionally left to dry for up to a year before being smeared with butter and allowed to smoke up a chimney for several weeks. However modern pratice has evolved and the sticks are painted in a glossy black paint with the root handle sporting a knarled and mis-shapen finnish, which is a product of nature. To top or rather to bottom the stick off a brass or rubber mount is placed on the tip to protect from wear and tear.
I myself love my Shilleagh, a signature of my having entered manhood as was the custom of old. So my good friend's please feel free to tell us about your special stick that you like to carry, Shilleagh or otherwise. My stick and friend

Seagulls Snout says hello to you all.

**The Thing** · 5th August 09, 03:40 PM

I forgot to post a pic of Seagull.......!

**McMurdo** · 5th August 09, 03:49 PM

There was a walking stick thread that I started a while ago I hope you will post that photo there as well, here is the link:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/w...224/index.html

**The Thing** · 5th August 09, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by McMurdo

There was a walking stick thread that I started a while ago I hope you will post that photo there as well, here is the link:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/w...224/index.html

I certainly will, there are some amazing sticks there Cheers.

**Dall_Piobaire** · 5th August 09, 04:01 PM

Been seriously thinking about a cromach lately! My eyes are really bad, depth perception sucks. those last steps have this nasty habit of disappearing on me.

Don't need, hope to never need, the old white cane, but a cromach or Shilleagh would be the ticker, for now anyway. Any thoughts, and good sources?

**dfmacliam** · 5th August 09, 04:12 PM

I like the cromach too... but then a good shilelagh would be fantastic..... I had spied a synthetic one from Cold Steel..irish blackthorn for about $59.00.. I would rather have the real thing... but Cold Steel makes a good product..

I really do not know where to find a good cromach... but I keep looking..

**Dall_Piobaire** · 5th August 09, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by peacekeeper83

I like the crommach too... but then a good shilelagh would be fantastic..... I had spied a synthetic one from Cold Steel.. for about $35.00.. I would rather have the real thing... but Cold Steel makes a good product..

I really do not know where to find a good crommach... but I keep looking..

I have found one guy who does beautiful work over in Scotland. He doesn't have prices and that scares me. Especially considering import tariffs and all.

Peacekeeper, the boy scored a 75 on his ASVAT, everyone of his line scores was above 109. I told him what you had told me about GSE, thanks!

**dfmacliam** · 5th August 09, 04:24 PM

I am glad I was able to help... anytime... you know... I am not too far out of pocket..

**MarkMcM** · 5th August 09, 05:57 PM

These are called bata, in Irish:

For an excellent article, see:

http://quebec.shinkendo.ca/textes/stick_edited.pdf

For Liam O Caidhla, the last maker in Shillelagh (County Wicklow), see this link:

http://misticshillelagh.tripod.com/index.html

For the yahoo user group, see:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/MaideBata/

**Bigkahuna** · 5th August 09, 06:11 PM

The synthetic Blackthorn Stick from "Cold Steel" is a fine piece of work. Even up close it is hard to tell from the real thing. The only drawback is that it is so big and heavy and is obviously nothing more than a large club. That's why I love mine and make it a part of my gear whenever I go out.