Interesting email from an Irish fellow about Irish kilts.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I've just been reading through this thread, it makes me angry that Irish people from the Isle of Ireland have no idea of their own hertiage. The Leine and Brat most likely would have developed into the modern day kilt and the wearing of the Kilt in Ireland would have been as common for the Irish as it is for the Scots.

Is there any historical evidence to support this claim?

The brat and leine were the common clothing of the Gael in Scotland and Ireland prior to the sixteenth century. Starting at the end of the sixteenth century, the style evolved into feilidh-mor in the Scottish Highlands. During the seventeenth and much of the eighteenth century, the feilidh-mor was the common dress of the Highland male. Is there any evidence at all to suggest the feilidh-mor was also worn by the Irish during this period? No.

Over the course of the eighteenth century, the feilidh-mor further evolved in fashion to become the feilidh-beag, which by the end of the eighteenth century would become the tailored kilt. Again, this change of fashion occurred in the Scottish Highlands. Is there any evidence to suggest this was happening in Ireland, as well? No.

The nineteenth century continued to see the style of the kilt evolve from one that was made of four yards of cloth and box pleated to one that was made from eight yards of cloth and knife pleated. The style of pleating further changed from pleating to no pattern, to pleating to stripe, to pleating to the sett. By the time we get to the end of the nineteenth century, we have the kilt more or less as we know it today. Again, all this tronsformation of fashion took place in Scotland. Is there any evidence to suggest this occurring in Ireland? Again, no.

Let us please put an end of the myth of the kilt as an "Irish garment."

There is a reason why the kilt is referred to as "Highland Dress" or "Scottish National Dress" and not "Irish National Dress." It has nothing to do with Irish pride or overcoming a sense of inferiority or having a "positive understanding of Irish history." Rather it's simply about having a correct understanding of history based on the available evidence.

Why would it suggest that anyone have less pride in their Irish heritage if the Irish didn't historically wear kilts? In my opinion, the Irish should be proud of their history and heritage regardless of what their ancestors would or would not have worn. What does the kilt have to do with that?