Irish Kilts and Tartans

[Radge]

He defeated the Scots under Monro at Benburb in County Tyrone in 1646. Which was their only significant victory against a foe who hadn't eaten for days and had poorer pikes. Other Scots such as Alasdair MacColla MacDonald and his Highland Redshanks did sterling work for their fellow co-religionists in the Irish Confederate forces, after having done previous quality work against the Covenanters (esp. the Campbells) in Scotland. Alas they were wasted under the command of the incompotent Lord Taafe resulting in a Confederate defeat at Knocknanuss by Pro-English Parliamentarian forces under Murrough O'Brien, Lord Inchiquin. Which would have happened quicker hadn't the Redshanks been on hand.

About O'Neill sporting the Caubeen, aparently it wasn't a common type of headgear worn locally and may have come about by his adoption of headwear similar to that worn by the MacDonnell's of Antrim. Scots Bonnets. The 'Caubeen' shown in mid 19th century sketches and Edwardian cartoons seems to look more like a squashed top hat to me.