Riverkilt - Irish Caubeen?

[Irish in Tacoma]

Ron,

I noticed your new avatar. I'm guessing it is an Irish Caubeen on your head. I think it is quite dashing and shows how much of a statement the right headgear can make. Well done, kilted brother.

Mike

[PiobBear]

Actually, it appears to be a tam o' shanter (yes, a very good look; much better than a glen, and fits Riverkilt to a T). The one in my avatar is a caubeen.



What Price Glory

Penny's of Thunder Bay

[McMurdo]

I think its a Dreadbelly Tam to be exact.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, 'tis a hand made Dreadbelly hat thingie do tam o whatever...

Thanks for that kind words.

Ron

[Nervous Jock]

Ah the "shapless Irish peasants hat" and the British military ones aren't even based on an Irish hat

[macwilkin]

The London Irish Rifles has a brief article about the caubeen of the Irish regiments on their web site:

http://www.londonirishrifles.com/caubeen.cfm

Regards,

Todd

[Panache]

Does one traditionally put a badge on the rosette of a caubeen or leave it plain?

Cheers

Jamie

[PiobBear]

My caubeen, sheillah of the 69th N.Y.V.I.; the Irish Brigade.

J Byous Co.

[PiobBear]

Ah the "shapless Irish peasants hat" and the British military ones aren't even based on an Irish hat

Can't say I particularly care what the British military ones are like. Caubeens are worn by pipers of the Óglaiġ na h-Éireann; the Irish Defence Forces, which makes it Irish enough for me.

[macwilkin]

Can't say I particularly care what the British military ones are like. Caubeens are worn by pipers of the Óglaiġ na h-Éireann; the Irish Defence Forces, which makes it Irish enough for me.

Of course, the Irish Defence Forces took much of their uniforms from the British Army, including said Caubeens; the ones depicted in Donnal Maccarron's Irish Defence Forces since 1922 are almost identicial to the caubeens of the Irish regiments of the British Army. Even the famous "coal scuttle" (Stahlhelm) helmets of the pre-WWII Irish forces, which bore a striking similarity to the German helmet were actually made in Britain by Vickers!

The Irish Army's Ranger Wing --Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm -- and the Irish Air Corps Pipe Band wear the glengarry, btw. But, it should be pointed out that the term "glengarry" was used by the Irish Army to refer to a caubeen-like bonnet! I'll have to dig out Maccarron this evening for the full skinny on that.

I highly recommend Maccarron's book (published by Osprey); He also authored a book entitled Step Together! about the Irish Army during "The Emergency" (World War Two) which has a plethora of pictures of the Irish forces and quite entertaining text.

Regards,

Todd