The Kilt's use in Irish Nationalism

[Blackrose87]

I have seen mentioned on a number of websites, that the kilt was adopted by some Irish nationalist leaders in the early 20th century. I'm assuming this was as part of the Celtic revival when such organisations as Conradh na Gaeilge and the GAA were founded.
However I can't seem to find any real evidence for this. I'm sure the very learned members here will know a lot more about this. Does anyone know who exactly were involved in this? And did they actually start to use kilts as everyday wear, or were they used as more of a gimmick to attract attention to thir cause?

Any information would be appreciated!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

You may be interested in this article, coauthored by Todd Wilkinson (cajunscot here on this forum), and myself.

http://scottishtartans.org/irish_kilts.htm

[Delaney]

Outstanding article Matthew and Todd! Well done!

[MacSpadger]

I tend not to get involved with this kind of thing online, as it seems to be an incredibly divise topic for some and a very puzzling one for others, but a good starting point is A Brief History of Ireland by Paul F. State, which explains the Irish Romantic Movement of the late 1800s and the Gaelic League's search for a political/national identity in the very early 20th century. The leine (shirt) was suggested and quickly discarded as it was merely a shirt.

Patrick Pearse investigated the possibilities of an Irish national dress, looking at reviving a middle ages style costume for a Feis, which consisted of a long shirt with what appears to be hose or trews underneath.

Copies of Patrick Pearse's 1900 suggestions to reject the idea of this costume as being not fit for "an Irish gentleman", (the original Gaelic League were very snobbish, many of them were wealthy and/or aristocrats living in England but owning land in Ireland, much like the Highland Society of London were to Scotland). The full text is online here, (and copies exist on microfiche in London and even Sydney, Australia), but it contains the much quoted lines: "Frankly, I should much prefer to see you arrayed in a kilt, although it may be less authentic, than in a pair of these trews.

You would if you appeared in the latter, run the risk of leading the spectators to imagine that you had forgotten to don your trousers and had sallied forth in your drawers. This would be fatal to the dignity of the Feis.

If you adopt a costume, let it, at all events, have some elements of picturesqueness".

This seems to many to be the point where the decision was made to attempt to adopt the kilt as part of Irish identity. (Don't shoot the messenger, I have lived and worked in Ireland and I'm not just quoting from books here, it's a general perception of a failed idea. I also get fed up with folk calling the leine a proto kilt or a tunic. Leine means shirt, and it did so as far back as the 1500s when Irish troops are described by 3 different authors as wearing shirts that they call leine under their tunics. The kerne that fought for Henry VIII at Boulogne created a stir when they arrived because their "privvets" could be seen dangling under their leine. Leine that exist in Irish museums that I have seen with my own eyes are linen shirts, no more no less).

I suppose that the idea of a National kilt in Ireland was both a gimmick and to attract attention to a Nationalist cause, however, the idea was only initially taken up by "Gentlemen" such as Bernard FitzPatrick and Pierce O'Mahoney who wore the kilt while campaigning in London, and some of the afore mentioned very wealthy people who were born, raised and educated in England while owning land or title in Ireland, such as John Randolph Leslie, William Gibson, Baron Ashborne and one of the first , if not the first, Irish "warpipers" Louis Noble. Although these people are mentioned as wearing the kilt as a symbol of Irishness while in England, I have not found references to them wearing a kilt in Ireland. Certainly, whatever they wore, they did not sound like Irishmen, as Louis Noble later found out on two occasions when he was held at gunpoint by the IRA who assumed he was English, (which, by birth and education, he was).

Pearse taught in a fee paying boarding school where the kilt was briefly the school uniform. Irish bagpipers wore kilts, from possibly 1903 onwards. Certainly 1903 was the year that mouth blown bagpipes began to get mainstream exposure in Ireland as part of a new national identity, with
donations from the aforementioned very wealthy people, such as Lord Castletown who financed the large issue of bagpipes to Irish regiments that year. Scottish instructors and even a Scottish bagpipe firm were brought over to Ireland to ensure that tuition and instruments were of a high quality.

As the Gaelic League gained more members who were more inclined to direct action rather than poetry, music and clothes the leaning went toward the Irish Volunteers and the National dress idea dwindled. All in all, the adoption of the kilt it was not a success, to the majority of Irish born people it was not important. It is fair to say that the kilt has been worn in Ireland for over 100 years.

[macwilkin]

I tend not to get involved with this kind of thing online, as it seems to be an incredibly divise topic for some and a very puzzling one for others, but a good starting point is A Brief History of Ireland by Paul F. State, which explains the Irish Romantic Movement of the late 1800s and the Gaelic League's search for a political/national identity in the very early 20th century. The leine (shirt) was suggested and quickly discarded as it was merely a shirt.

Patrick Pearse investigated the possibilities of an Irish national dress, looking at reviving a middle ages style costume for a Feis, which consisted of a long shirt with what appears to be hose or trews underneath.

Copies of Patrick Pearse's 1900 suggestions to reject the idea of this costume as being not fit for "an Irish gentleman", (the original Gaelic League were very snobbish, many of them were wealthy and/or aristocrats living in England but owning land in Ireland, much like the Highland Society of London were to Scotland). The full text is online here, (and copies exist on microfiche in London and even Sydney, Australia), but it contains the much quoted lines: "Frankly, I should much prefer to see you arrayed in a kilt, although it may be less authentic, than in a pair of these trews.

You would if you appeared in the latter, run the risk of leading the spectators to imagine that you had forgotten to don your trousers and had sallied forth in your drawers. This would be fatal to the dignity of the Feis.

If you adopt a costume, let it, at all events, have some elements of picturesqueness".

This seems to many to be the point where the decision was made to attempt to adopt the kilt as part of Irish identity. (Don't shoot the messenger, I have lived and worked in Ireland and I'm not just quoting from books here, it's a general perception of a failed idea. I also get fed up with folk calling the leine a proto kilt or a tunic. Leine means shirt, and it did so as far back as the 1500s when Irish troops are described by 3 different authors as wearing shirts that they call leine under their tunics. The kerne that fought for Henry VIII at Boulogne created a stir when they arrived because their "privvets" could be seen dangling under their leine. Leine that exist in Irish museums that I have seen with my own eyes are linen shirts, no more no less).

I suppose that the idea of a National kilt in Ireland was both a gimmick and to attract attention to a Nationalist cause, however, the idea was only initially taken up by "Gentlemen" such as Bernard FitzPatrick and Pierce O'Mahoney who wore the kilt while campaigning in London, and some of the afore mentioned very wealthy people who were born, raised and educated in England while owning land or title in Ireland, such as John Randolph Leslie, William Gibson, Baron Ashborne and one of the first , if not the first, Irish "warpipers" Louis Noble. Although these people are mentioned as wearing the kilt as a symbol of Irishness while in England, I have not found references to them wearing a kilt in Ireland. Certainly, whatever they wore, they did not sound like Irishmen, as Louis Noble later found out on two occasions when he was held at gunpoint by the IRA who assumed he was English, (which, by birth and education, he was).

Pearse taught in a fee paying boarding school where the kilt was briefly the school uniform. Irish bagpipers wore kilts, from possibly 1903 onwards. Certainly 1903 was the year that mouth blown bagpipes began to get mainstream exposure in Ireland as part of a new national identity, with
donations from the aforementioned very wealthy people, such as Lord Castletown who financed the large issue of bagpipes to Irish regiments that year. Scottish instructors and even a Scottish bagpipe firm were brought over to Ireland to ensure that tuition and instruments were of a high quality.

As the Gaelic League gained more members who were more inclined to direct action rather than poetry, music and clothes the leaning went toward the Irish Volunteers and the National dress idea dwindled. All in all, the adoption of the kilt it was not a success, to the majority of Irish born people it was not important. It is fair to say that the kilt has been worn in Ireland for over 100 years.

See our article above. A lot of this material is already covered there.

T.

[Blackrose87]

All in all, the adoption of the kilt it was not a success, to the majority of Irish born people it was not important.

Although surely his can't be said for the whole country? The Ulster-Scots movement, in particular the Orange Order, seem to have a long history of wearing kilts, and having kilted pipers in their parades.
I've not actually seen a parade myself, as I tend to stay away due to my own political and religious background, and also due to fear of my personal safety. But coverage in the local papers still seem to showing many in kilts, and many more flying Saltires.


In regards to Irish Nationalism, that was a very interesting article. I had heard of some aspects (mostly from history class back in school) but I wasn't aware of the wearing if the kilt in Pearse's school.
Have you seen any evidence of James Connolly ever being kilted. Being from the Cowgate in Edinburgh, I'm assuming it would have been something he would have been familiar with growing up. Although I know that he did try to distance himself from his Scottish birth, so maybe he would have tried avoiding such an obvious connection.

[macwilkin]

Although surely his can't be said for the whole country? The Ulster-Scots movement, in particular the Orange Order, seem to have a long history of wearing kilts, and having kilted pipers in their parades.
I've not actually seen a parade myself, as I tend to stay away due to my own political and religious background, and also due to fear of my personal safety. But coverage in the local papers still seem to showing many in kilts, and many more flying Saltires.

I'll tip-toe very carefully in my response, but I can't say I've seen much evidence of the Loyalist community in Ulster wearing kilts (save the Northern Irish regiment's pipers) before the Second World War. One would think that if it were done, the 36th (Ulster) Division would have had pipers at the Somme, or its pre-war predecessors, the Ulster Volunteer Force, Young Citizen Volunteers, etc. -- but so far, I haven't seen anything that confirms it. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, though -- I'd love to be proven wrong in that regard.

In an interesting note, the US Marines, whilst stationed in Londonderry during WWII, did organize a pipe band, although the Leathernecks did not adopt Highland kit.

In regards to Irish Nationalism, that was a very interesting article. I had heard of some aspects (mostly from history class back in school) but I wasn't aware of the wearing if the kilt in Pearse's school.
Have you seen any evidence of James Connolly ever being kilted. Being from the Cowgate in Edinburgh, I'm assuming it would have been something he would have been familiar with growing up. Although I know that he did try to distance himself from his Scottish birth, so maybe he would have tried avoiding such an obvious connection.

Again, I can't say I've seen any evidence of Connolly as a kilt-wearer. Both he and Jack White (one of the other organisers of the Irish Citizen Army) were ex-British Army (White was a Major who was awarded the DSO), but I don't believe either of them were in Scottish regiments. Ironically, White and Connolly adopted the Boer slouch hat as the ICA's headgear, rather than Highland kit.

It's an interesting observation you make though, as many rankers in the Scottish regiments were Glesca Irish, especially "Hell's Last Issue", the Highland Light Infantry.

T.

[Blackrose87]

I'll tip-toe very carefully in my response, but I can't say I've seen much evidence of the Loyalist community in Ulster wearing kilts (save the Northern Irish regiment's pipers) before the Second World War.

I can't say I know too much about it really, but my Grandfather still carries on some Ulster-Scots cultures, including speaking fluent scots and singing Gaelic. However, I'm positive he has never worn a kilt in his life. I know two of his brothers were in the OO but I've never met them, so I don't know if any of the rest of the family wore kilts, even if just for parades or lodge meetings

The majority of that side of the family disowned my father after he married my mother and moved to Derry, so unfortunately I am quite ignorant of their culture and history.

[seanachie]

You may be interested in this article, coauthored by Todd Wilkinson (cajunscot here on this forum), and myself.

http://scottishtartans.org/irish_kilts.htm

I am avoiding any opinions or subjective discussion to stay on the right side of the law. However, the article says: "Another nationalist, who was later killed in the Easter Uprising of 1916, Eamonn Ceannt, wore a kilt when playing
the uileann pipes during an audience with the Pope in 1908."

Eamon Ceannt was actually executed by firing squad on 8 May 1916 for his participation in the Easter Rebellion. The railway station in Galway is named in his honor.

[Delaney]

Historically speaking, is it rational to say a Scottish kilt is a vestigial breacan and the Irish kilt is a vestigial brat, albeit adapted and adopted in the 19th century rather than the 18th century?