Interesting email from an Irish fellow about Irish kilts.

[Chas]

Close, but no cigar . The Kingdom of Ireland was a seperate kingdom from 1542 until the act of Union in 1801. So England did incorporate Wales as a principality but not Ireland, which remained a seperate kingdom until 200 years after Scotland was subsumed. Simples. You want meerkats, comparethemeerkat.com.

This joke will only work in the UK - but is very funny none the less.

Regards

Chas

[Phil]

Close, but no cigar . The Kingdom of Ireland was a seperate kingdom from 1542 until the act of Union in 1801. So England did incorporate Wales as a principality but not Ireland, which remained a seperate kingdom until 200 years after Scotland was subsumed. Simples. You want meerkats, comparethemeerkat.com.

Confusing isn't it?

[mouse 1]

I am sorry, I just dont see the reason for the negative feelings this person feels. wearing a kilt is not as common as it should be, regardless of what country one stands on. wearing a tartain in a respectful manner should be seen as decent. I suppose he must feel the same about Americans drinking Irish beer, or eating Irish food, or being paid American Dollars as they consume it.

[Colonel MacNeal]

You can get plastic saffron now? The wonders of modern life eh?

The Poly in polyviscose is plastic. Acrylic is also plastic.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As for the kilt not being Irish national dress, it is true on the one hand that it has never been recognised by the Irish government.

This is absolutely true because the Irish Government-- in a rare moment of infinite wisdom-- twigged to the fact that the kilt isn't Irish. Just like they haven't "recognized" the ubiquitious baseball cap which is seen on street corners and on trams throughout the nation.

On the other hand, the main thrust for it's adoption as such was by the Gaelic League during it's early years, and that organisation was founded in 1893, some 19 years before there was any Irish government that could have considered the matter and rendered a decision one way or the other.

Ah yes. The Gaelic League. And let's not forget about Lady Gregory and the Celtic Dawn, either. These folks were in a distinct minority at the end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century, and were generally regarded as cranks and crackpots by most of the Irish. Their espousing the wearing of the kilt had nothing to do with Irish history, and everything to do with wanting to look "Irish". Lacking any sort of distinctive native Irish dress, they borrowed the kilt from the Scots-- they could have as easily dressed in knee britches and buckle shoes-- and created the myth of "ancient celtic dress" right there on the spot.

As far as the Irish government "rendering a decision" on whether or not the kilt is "Irish"-- the Irish people are intelligent enough to not need government directives on what to wear or how to dress. I realize that government directives of this sort may be useful in some parts of the world to prevent people from wearing their underwear backwards, or some such, but in Ireland such is not the case.

They know, without need of an act of the Oireachtas, that the kilt isn't Irish.

[macwilkin]

Ah yes. The Gaelic League. And let's not forget about Lady Gregory and the Celtic Dawn, either. These folks were in a distinct minority at the end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century, and were generally regarded as cranks and crackpots by most of the Irish. Their espousing the wearing of the kilt had nothing to do with Irish history, and everything to do with wanting to look "Irish". Lacking any sort of distinctive native Irish dress, they borrowed the kilt from the Scots-- they could have as easily dressed in knee britches and buckle shoes-- and created the myth of "ancient celtic dress" right there on the spot.

And let's not forget the Irish regiments of the British Army, that also began to adopt the saffron kilt as dress for pipers right around the time of the First World War.

Regards,

Todd

[Jon1975]

[macwilkin]

Thank you, Jon! I was looking for a graphic of that particular poster, but I couldn't find it. My bonnet's off to you, sir!

T.

[starbkjrus]

Man, this thread just refuses to die.

::dead::

[thanmuwa]

Thank you, Jon! I was looking for a graphic of that particular poster, but I couldn't find it. My bonnet's off to you, sir!

T.

Yes, that is interesting... I presume from WW1?