Saffron kilt showdown

[dfmacliam]

My SWK Saffron at Arlington Texas Games

[Big Mikey]

A somewhat "lairdly" shot of the saffron.

[Paul]

Here's the Irish 28th Infantry Bn. piping in saffron kilts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4rES8JewUk

[Galician]

Years ago I read that Julius Caesar described the Celts in what is now France as known for wearing what he described as saffron. So I see it as more of a pan-Celtic color.

Thanks for the video link, Paul. They look very smart. From the basketball hoop by the stage, I assume that they were performing in some Catholic school auditiorium in the U.S.

I was surprised by their "plaids," though. They look more like sashes than the usual cape style I see worn by pipe bands here.

Edit: I just saw that it was filmed at the St. Patrick Day post-parade party in Bayonne, N.J.

[macwilkin]

One person here gave the date as 1859, so that's 150 years ago, and I have seen a photo elsewhere dated 1870 of the Enniskillen Fusiliers wearing the saffron kilt, so the slightly earlier date doesn't seem a stretch atall.

Just a caveat to this statement: we haven't seen any definitive proof via primary sources of either date. Both Harris and Murphy's histories of the Irish Regiments seem to point to the adoption of the saffron kilt by pipers in Irish Regiments right around the turn of the century in the early 1900s. They have the sources, so until I see something from a documented source, this pednatic pedagogue remains skeptical of these dates. If anyone has an actual source (documentation preferred), I would love to see it -- I've been looking for sources on this tradition for years!

T.

[thescot]

I think that the saffron kilt looks as good or better tha almost any other klt. And I like it for its Irish attachments. I may see about getting one before nest St. Patrick's Day since that is a big deal for me here, and I think the color would speak volumes that no one else in town would ever read.

[slohairt]

The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were formed in 1881 and their RHQ was in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, which is part of Northern Ireland. In 1961 they amalgamated with the Royal Ulster Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusiliers to become the Royal Irish Rangers. Then again in 1992 they merged with the UDR (Ulster Defence Regiment) to form the Royal Irish Regiment. Their pipers did (and still do) wear saffron.

I have a saffron kilt which I enjoy wearing very much. I believe the Stillwater Saffron kilts are actually a "shadow tartan"?

[macwilkin]

The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were formed in 1881 and their RHQ was in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, which is part of Northern Ireland. In 1961 they amalgamated with the Royal Ulster Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusiliers to become the Royal Irish Rangers. Then again in 1992 they merged with the UDR (Ulster Defence Regiment) to form the Royal Irish Regiment. Their pipers did (and still do) wear saffron.

I have a saffron kilt which I enjoy wearing very much. I believe the Stillwater Saffron kilts are actually a "shadow tartan"?

Pretty common knowledge, though...most of the above facts are found in Murphy and Harris, as well as on regimental web sites -- I'm specifically looking for primary source information that dates the adoption of the saffron kilt to pipers of Irish regiments at mid 19th century.

T.

[slohairt]

Of course! (And it took me all of one minute to find it! ) I was posting the information mainly to show when and where the RIF were established, not to imply that their pipers started wearing the saffron at that time.

[macwilkin]

Of course! (And it took me all of one minute to find it! ) I was posting the information mainly to show when and where the RIF were established, not to imply that their pipers started wearing the saffron at that time.

oh..my apologies for the misunderstanding.

T.