Black Watch kilt in Northern Ireland?

[Chris Ellison]

Hello all,

I'm Chris, a Scotch-Irish American history teacher living in the Netherlands. I have a Black Watch kilt I sometimes wear for formal occasions like weddings and the like. This summer I have a wedding I'm attending in Northern Ireland. Taking care for the sensitivities of others I wanted to ask the forum: would there be any problem with wearing my Black Watch in Northern Ireland considering the possible military association?

Thanks for any advice.

[cessna152towser]

Depends on where you are travelling in Northern Ireland. I would expect that a Black Watch kilt would be safe anywhere, with the possible exception of one or two Catholic/Republican areas in Belfast or Londonderry. I have one grandparent from Northern Ireland and when visiting relatives in Lurgan and Portadown I have frequently worn a kilt, including travelling through Belfast. I have usually worn my County Armagh tartan, which few of the inhabitants of the county actually recognise as their tartan. I attended a ninetieth birthday party in Lurgan Castle, the world headquarters of the Loyal Orange Lodge wearing my Cunningham tartan kilt. I have never had any sectarian problems with the kilt. The kilt certainly catches the Irish eye and you will get plenty of comments, all of them friendly.

[ASinclair]

Hello, Chris!

[Phil]

from Edinburgh. I have seen a few kilted weddings in Northern Ireland when over there. I wouldn't concern yourself about wearing your kilt and I am sure nobody there would have a clue what tartan you are wearing anyway.

[Grizzly]

Welcome Chris from Southampton.

[John_Carrick]

I do not encounter problems in any area when kilted here. People do not tend to recognise tartans or associate them with anything other than Scotland, Ulster Scots heritage and pipe bands. Kilted weddings are very common here.
The 2013 year of culture in Derry/Londonderry saw a greater integration and appreciation of different traditions than ever (e.g. pipe bands one week, the Fleadh the next).

[mattie]

Welcome to XMTS. I say wear what you want! Of course you are conversing with a man that wore a Campbell kilt in Newtonmore Scotland best regards Mattie. ith: