

In "The Rocky Road to Dublin" the singer describes how he fashions a shillelagh to use as a striking weapon to defend himself against bandits and highwaymen. Shop our huge selection of shillelagh & blackthorn Irish canes. The ballad "Finnegan's Wake" is generally considered to have coined the term "shillelagh law" which refers to refers to a brawl. QUALITY IRISH MATERIALS: Blackthorn is a resilient and heavy wood that has been used throughout history, to make weapons and sturdy canes TIMELESS STYLE & DESIGN: Also known as the Shillelagh, the Irish blackthorn walking stick has a rustic texture and sealed to protect the wood. Biddy Murphy offers genuine irish walking sticks made in Ireland. The Shillelagh gained fame through mentions in several well-known Irish folk songs. "Cut a stout, black thorn to banish ghosts and goblins" - The Rocky Road to Dublin Some boys were educated in the ways of the Shillelagh by the local Maighistir Prionnsa or “fencing master”.
#IRISH SHILLELAGH CANE HOW TO#
Fathers taught their sons how to fight and many young boys received shillelaghs as a significant rite of manhood. Tipperary.īy the 19th Century Shillelagh fighting evolved into a martial art. TIMELESS STYLE & DESIGN Also known as the Shillelagh, the Irish blackthorn walking stick has a rustic texture and sealed to protect the wood. Faction fights remained a common occurrence up until the 1840s and the last recorded brawl took place in 1887 at a fair in Co. While most of these fights were purely for sport they eventually took on a political and violent edge as the years went on. During the 18th century bataireacht was practiced primarily with Irish gangs called "factions" who often fought each other at gatherings and events. The forest was once famous for its massive stands of fine oaks. Known by many names, including ‘bata’ in Gaelic which means a fighting stick the original cane gets its name from the Shillelagh Forest in County Wicklow. The The Shillelagh was the primary weapon used in Bataireacht - a form of traditional Irish stick fighting popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their weapon of choice would have been a cane made from oak, blackthorn, ash or holly. It is typically made from a stout knobbly and knotty stick with a knotty head, which can be used for gripping or striking. the Shillelagh was commonly used as a walking cane or walking stick, and can sometimes described as a cudgel. Shillelaghs are usually made from Blackthorn wood with a leather wrist strap joined to the handle. The word Shillelagh comes from the Irish phrase sail éille which translates into English as "thonged willow-stick." The Shillelagh is thought to have originated in the village of Shillelagh, County Wicklow, which was once said to be surrounded by vast oak forests.
