Claíomh: Articles

Historical Era

The group specialises in interpretations of warriors and soldiery c.1480-1660 A.D. of Irish Gaelic lineage (in which we include the galloglasses or gallóglaigh who were originally of Norse-Highland descent although who were by sixteenth-century times largely populated by native Irishmen), seasonal 'redshank' mercenaries from the Scots Highlands/Western Isles, those of Anglo-Irish - or 'Old English' - extraction, and Anglo-Scots Borderers. The period of speciality covered by Claíomh stretches from the last quarter of the fifteenth century with the final death throe of the Wars of the Roses at the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487 - which involved the invasion of England by a combined Hiberno-German force - carrying through to the epoch of the tumultuous sixteenth century under the shadow of the powerful Tudor dynasty, and onwards into the seventeenth century to the end of the Irish Confederate Wars fought in the 1640’s. Particular focus centres round the military personnel who participated in three main areas of study:

II. Sixteenth Century Campaigns

Other military campaigns of sixteenth-century Ireland such as those of 'The Firebrand of the Wicklow Mountains' - Fiach McHugh O'Byrne, the Desmond Wars in Munster, and the 'Nine Years War' prosecuted by Hugh O'Neill and Hugh O'Donnell culminating in the Flight of the Earls in 1607. These are examples, amongst others, of important episodes in Irish martial history and each is accorded regard as a major priority for the group’s interpretations. Claíomh's portrayals for this period include buannachts (native Irish professional soldiers), kern (traditional light infantry) and the notorious border-reivers of Anglo-Scots origin who were in the employ of Elizabeth I's army.

III. Irish Confederate Wars

The pike, shot and highland 'redshanks' of the Irish Royalist and Confederate forces of the Irish wars of the 1640's from Sir Phelim O'Neill's uprising in 1641, through the English Parliament's intervention under Cromwell and on to the final defeat of the Ulster Confederates at Scarrifholis. Included with these are recreations of the troops of the Irish Brigade raised by the Earl of Antrim, and led by Alasdair MacColla, which served with the Marquis of Montrose on the latter's Scottish campaign in the middle of that decade.

Research

In order to achieve these aims, Claíomh uses only the highest quality re-constructed artefacts available and many of our reproduced weapons are based upon the unique originals kept in the national collections of both jurisdictions - north and south - on the island of Ireland. All period clothing is faithfully based upon surviving remnants of original woollen and linen garments which have been preserved at various Irish bog sites in such as Killery (Co Sligo) and Dungiven (Co Derry). Where archaeological data is not available, contemporary artwork in unison with relevant source documentation is drawn upon - albeit, with an appropriate quantity of caution.

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