Do the Irish wear an Axe, Not Skien Dubh?

[ozmeath]

It came to my attention (by way opinion of a very bonnie Scottish lass drinking with me) that the Irish wear an small axe down the hose instead of the skien dubh. Never have I heard of this so I did some net searching and have only sourced that the Irish hired Scottish mercenaries during the C13-14 called the Galloglaich. These warriors favourd a 6 foot handled axe now termed a sparth:

This image seemed the most true to the description as the hook was used to dismount cavalry. Nasty and effective. But Down your sock?
Anyone know about this at all?
Erin

[Big Dave]

It came to my attention (by way opinion of a very bonnie Scottish lass drinking with me) that the Irish wear an small axe down the hose instead of the skien dubh. Never have I heard of this so I did some net searching and have only sourced that the Irish hired Scottish mercenaries during the C13-14 called the Galloglaich. These warriors favourd a 6 foot handled axe now termed a sparth:

This image seemed the most true to the description as the hook was used to dismount cavalry. Nasty and effective. But Down your sock?
Anyone know about this at all?
Erin

I would not be putting that down my sock. I've never heard of the Irish having axes down their socks (maybe if they were drunk?).

[Mattg]

I've never heard that! I'll have to watch Braveheart (the source of all my history) again and see if that crazy Irishman had one in his sock

[macwilkin]

Sounds like the product of consuming far-too much Guiness to me, especially considering that the Irish have adopted much of traditional Highland dress for Irish kilt attire. :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd

[Valencian Kilted]

Never heard about that irish tradition, so, for me it's not a real fact at all... on the other side, that kind of axed pike was quite usual in Scotland since the middle ages until Culloden's disaster. It's even noticed by the english, who were surprised that clansmen would use such primitive weapons to beat them in so many battles during the '45.

...maybe it was a more effective arm than what it seems at first sight, on the same way I heard that during the napoleonic wars maybe the re-introduction of longbows would have been much more effective than the musket firework, limited by distance and lack of accuracy, against all those closed squared formations!

¡Salud!

T O N O

[Valencian Kilted]

HEY!... the last post made of me a kilted warrior! :mrgreen:

[IMG][/IMG]

¡Salud!

T O N O

[KiltedKnight]

I've never heard that! I'll have to watch Braveheart (the source of all my history) again and see if that crazy Irishman had one in his sock

That crazy Irishman didn't even have any socks.

Chris.

[auld argonian]

Okay...let me try this again...bottom of the page:

http://www.ramshornstudio.com/retail...2.html#item_86

....there...as I mentioned before, I have one of their sword shaped kilt pins and the pewter is HEAVY...in spite of the size of this little bugger I'd bet that it would make an effective kilt pin.

Best

AA

[Iolaus]

... I have one of their sword shaped kilt pins and the pewter is HEAVY...in spite of the size of this little bugger I'd bet that it would make an effective kilt pin.

I think you're right, it may be small, but it looks thick, I think it would be a good kilt pin.

$19, shipped to me; it's something to think about.

[Kilted KT]

Erin

Looks like a halberd-type polearm to me. I would want to put that thing anywhere near my socks...somthing about a 6-10 foot pole sticking out of one's hose might get a few people in a fuss...

if there was an irishman who put that down his sock, he would definitly be a few setts short of a kilt!!!