Rethinking Irish Kilts (and a previously unseen vintage pic!)

[CMcG]

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In honour of Ireland's patron saint, I've been rethinking the idea of Irish kilts. There's no need to go over the whole history here, but I invite people to refer to the well-researched article by Xmarks' own Matt Newsome and Todd Wilkinson , "Hibernian Dress, Caledonian Custom: A Brief History of Irish Kilts and Tartans." I'm working on more of an interpretation.

Kilts are not native to the Isle of Eire, and Irish people only began wearing them in the late 1800s. The idea was proposed and adopted by a small number of leaders in the Gaelic League who were reviving—or reinventing—Irish culture. They adapted the kilt from their neighbours, the Scottish Highlanders, who were also from a Gaelic culture, but had managed to preserve a modern form of their traditional dress. The League's ultimate goal was to found a republic that would be independent from Britain, which was eventually successful.

One of the leaders was Patrick Pearse, who wrote in a letter to J. O'Kelly dated 1900 that, "I should much prefer to see you arrayed in a kilt, although it may be less authentic." The lack of historical roots probably contributed to the kilt never really catching on among civilians in Ireland, but it became a uniform for many Irish pipers, regiments, and dancers. However, this origin may help explain why the kilt is now more worn by the Irish diaspora; a century is plenty long enough time to become a tradition in the former colonies

There are certainly commercial influences at work, with many Highlandwear outfitters promoting an Irish kilted look that is obviously based on the Scottish model, including a whole host of district tartans that were designed in the 1980s. I argue that there is also a strong desire among people of Irish descent who live outside of Ireland to construct and represent their identity through kilts, which is what Pearse proposed many years ago.

This is what Hobsbawm and Ranger (1983) call the "invention of tradition." Nonetheless, the Gaelic league were only about 70 or 80 years behind the kilt being re-imagined as the national attire of Scotland, the latter of which is described by Hugh Trevor-Roper in his chapter on the Highland Tradition of Scotland in Hobsbawm and Ranger's book.

I propose that Irish kilt wearers—in Ireland or abroad—can know the history, and still embrace the garment with style, grace, and pride. As Patrick Pearse wrote, "If you adopt a costume, let it, at all events, have some elements of picturesqueness." It may not be the national attire of Ireland or have an ancient pedigree in that country, but there is certainly something picturesque about the Irish kilt!

Thoughts and comments are welcome

Now, here is a picture of my buddy's Irish great-grandfather, Cormac O'Cadhlaigh, who was part of the Gaelic revival and wore the kilt in Ireland. He apparently taught Gaelic at a university and one can even find some of his textbooks around to this day. The image is a scan of the original photo and has not been posted online before.


And here is a board I created on Pinterest for Irish kilts both new and old:
https://www.pinterest.com/colinpmcguire/kilt-irish/

Who's wearing the Irish kilt today?