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

[Panache]

[QUOTE=Valencian Kilted]HEY!... the last post made of me a kilted warrior! :mrgreen:

Congratulations as you now travel in the proud footsteps of El Cid!

Salud!

[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!!!

[ozmeath]

I probably need to clarify, I was told that it was a tiny version of this weapon down the hose. "little axes" she did say and I did wonder...but she was quite adamant and believable.

[Bill]

I could see that axe done as a kilt pin as they have done the sword. It would make a very cool looking one too IMHO.

Bill