To kilt or not to kilt: A St. Paddy's Day conundrum

[JS Sanders]

Now this is respectable for St Paddy's...

[Galician]

Once more, I'll just toss out that saffron is not a specifically Irish usage, but was noted as the common color for the dress of Celtic tribes on the continent as far back as Julius Caesar. So, while the modern kilt is a Scottish adaptation, the use of a saffron kilt is a perfectly good pan-Celtic way of dressing.

[beloitpiper]

I'm in an Irish pipe band, so I'll be wearing my band uniform on St. Patrick's Day:





Solid green kilt. But when I'm doing solo *Irish* piping, I wear my saffon:





But actually have a whole new Irish piping uniform that I can't WAIT to show you guys. You'll love it.

[RCallan]

I have a St. Patrick's Tartan Kilt...
And I'm going to wear it.

Enough Said.

[PiobBear]

Once more, I'll just toss out that saffron is not a specifically Irish usage, but was noted as the common color for the dress of Celtic tribes on the continent as far back as Julius Caesar. So, while the modern kilt is a Scottish adaptation, the use of a saffron kilt is a perfectly good pan-Celtic way of dressing.

In 1900 Seamas O Ceallaigh of the Gaelic League asked Pádraig Pearse about developing an Irish national dress, perhaps based upon a pair of trews which had been found at Killery, County Sligo dated from about the 16th century in the Royal Irish Academy Collection in the National Museum in Dublin.
On October 26 Pearse wrote:
"...one would at first sight take them for a rather clumsily made and ill-treated pair of modern gentlemen's drawers. Frankly, I should much prefer to see you arrayed in a kilt, although it may be less authentic, than in a pair of these trews. You would if you appeared in the latter, run the risk of leading the spectators to imagine that you had forgotten to don your trousers and had sallied forth in your drawers."
The ancient dress of Ireland was the leine and brat, somewhat resembling a woman's chemise and a horse blanket. As a modern form of national dress, it suffers from the same limitations as the trews in the National Museum. As the Irish leine was traditionally dyed the color of saffron, the color saffron was chosen as the color if the Irish kilt. There is no evidence of kilts being worn by the Irish, saffron or otherwise, prior to 1900.

As the Celts were tribal, spread over a wide geographical area, never unifying into nation-states and with great diversity in religion, language and customs, I find the possibility that they dressed in a common color rather remote, unless you have some supporting documentation.

[macwilkin]

I haven't really put my twa bobs into this thread, but as I was walking the dog this morning after Mass, I thought about it and came to a conclusion.

I'm not much on most American St. Patrick's Day parades in general, because they're usually nothing more than a "green Mardi Gras" parade, although there are exceptions. Still, I really don't see any reason not to wear a kilt to the festivities. As many posters have mentioned, there are some close ties between Alba and Erie. And I remembered this morning, many expat/loyal societies in former British colonies usually attended each others functions, so why not?

As far as wearing a kilt to Chinese New Year and other ethnic functions, several years ago our Scottish society had a "Sikh night" where we invited a local Sikh gentleman to speak about the relationship between the Scots & the Sikhs. We even had catered food from the local Indian restaurant, and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Two of our members attended a New Years party in Kansas City several years ago where the majority of attendees were Indian, and they said they received many compliments about their traditional Highland attire.

Regards,

Todd

[Oldhiker]

I have only had my kilt for about 10 months. When I attended St Patty's celebrations previous year, I always saw people wear their kilts and admired them for doing so. My mother (Moore) was Irish so I am thinking my next kilt will be the Clan Muir.

I will wear my kilt (ancient Lamont) which is mostly green for St Paddy's day. I am looking forward to my fix of corned beef and cabbage...mmmm

[slohairt]

I have only had my kilt for about 10 months. When I attended St Patty's celebrations previous year, I always saw people wear their kilts and admired them for doing so. My mother (Moore) was Irish so I am thinking my next kilt will be the Clan Muir.

I will wear my kilt (ancient Lamont) which is mostly green for St Paddy's day. I am looking forward to my fix of corned beef and cabbage...mmmm

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the Irish Moore (from Ó Mórdha) and the Scottish Muir (derived from the geographical term) are completely unrelated names.

[Oldhiker]

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the Irish Moore (from Ó Mórdha) and the Scottish Muir (derived from the geographical term) are completely unrelated names.

a few Moore spelling variations
MUIR/MORE/MOORE/MURE - MOST COMMON IN AYRSHIRE AND AREAS SOUTHWEST

MOAR - MOST COMMON IN THE ORKNEY AND SHETLAND

MOIR - MOST COMMON IN ABERDEENSHIRE AND SOUTHWEST

MOHR - MOST COMMON IN CENTRAL LOWLANDS

MOR - MOST COMMON IN CENTRAL LOWLANDS

O'MORE - MOST COMMON IN IRELAND

O'MORHDA- MOST COMMON IN IRELAND

O'MOORE- MOST COMMON IN IRELAND

[BoldHighlander]

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the Irish Moore (from Ó Mórdha) and the Scottish Muir (derived from the geographical term) are completely unrelated names.

While that is true in my own case we've found our O'Mores /Moores from the north of Co. Antrim travelled across the water to Muir country (Ayrshire), and back, frequently prior to the 17th century. So at least in the case in my family there seems to have been some connection.