Material Culture

(Above) This is a woodcut from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England described as "Irish Chieftains." It was probably drawn from life ("after the quicke") in the early 16th century and perhaps shows Irish light infantry or Kern who may have been mercenaries on the continent and who were sometimes also bodyguards. They may have been Irish recruits for Henry VIII of England's 1544 war with France. Note the standardized clothing and distinctive Irish swords (wide near the tip with a spatulate crossguard and ring pommel on the handle) and the long daggers. They carried a blue dyed cow skin for a cloak, mantle, or blanket, a leather upper body protector (ionar) with a shamrock or flower design which was worn over a saffron or wellow linen tunic or léine. The colors that could be worn by the different classes were sometimes regulated by law, tradition, or custom. Lower class people, at least in England, were more likely to have worn fewer colors and less brightly colored clothing. No brooch appears to have been used with the cloak, which may have been deliberate, in order to increase the speed of removal in a fight. The "nimble sworded" Kern apparently would step forward and parry with the left hand pushing away the attacker's dagger and the sword in the right hand would then have presumably been swung at the neck. The soldiers are shown in various positions and poses either practicing or executing parrying positions with the hand or sword hilt and preparing the riposte. (During the 10th century men wore linen clothing. The saga about the first Callahan describes Irish men wearing "elegant tunics with smooth fringes, . . . and beautiful, finely wrought collars.")

(Above) This was a typical woman's dress in northwestern Europe during the 9th and 10th centuries. (After a drawing of an Anglo-Saxon woman's costume by Eudora Sellner. Published by The School Arts Magazine, 1923, The Davis Press:Worcester MA; color added).

(Above) This is an image from the New Minster Charter, 966 A.D., of 10th century King Edgar I ("the peaceful") of England, c. 943 - 975 A.D.. Note the knee length woolen or linen tunic and the blue cloak finely edged in gold and held together with a brooch or ring. According to Wikipedia, functional buttons would not be invented until the 13th century.

(Above) The Book of Kells, Illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, "Christ enthroned" c.800 A.D. Christ is depicted like an idealized Irish Christian king. Note the book and the depiction of curly blonde hair, which is a common standard for beauty described in Irish sagas, and the blue tunic and brown colored cloak, tall stature, and bare feet. (Wikipedia). The first Callahan in the 10th century, Cellachan Caisel, was described in his Irish Saga as "fair-haired, and also as having curly hair." This was in addition to his various other ideal Christian kingly virtues. "For he was a king for great stature, and a brehon for eloquence, and a learned saga-man for knowledge, and a lion for daring deeds." He was praised for being a "battle-victorious, valorous gentle king."

(Above) The Book of Lismore's compilation of different manuscripts originally had the saga of Cellachain Caisil bound into it. It was discovered walled up along with a bishop's crozier during remodeling in 1814 at Lismore Castle near Cork, Ireland. (Photo from The Oghamzone website.)

(Below) Lismore Castle, Co. Cork, Ireland. (Photo Source: Wikipedia).

For more about Irish material culture see also the Callahan Genealogy and History Facebook page.