My Caubeen Arrived From Ireland!

[OC Richard]

Here's a nice photo showing the caubeens worn with white tropical tunics

[John_Carrick]

Hello John,
Thank you for your reply. Any idea as to how that saying "Kildare side" came to be?
Bob

Hi Bob

No is the honest answer. I'd always assumed it was a geographical allusion and your hat could be tilted towards the Dublin side another time.

I would be delighted to be corrected, but I think it has something to do with the (attempted) rule of the Anglo-Norman aristocracy in medieval times in Ireland, mainly centred on the Pale, which comprised much of Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Louth. Many English settlers were going a bit native and the Statute of Kilkenny (1366) laid down that English families should not adopt Irish language, customs, dress etc. The dominant family, exercising military and political power on behalf of the English King were the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare up until the Tudors came to power and got more directly involved in Ireland.