![]() ![]() The less frequent methods were to bury the shank in a dung pile, or in slaked lime. Most commonly, the chosen wood would be placed up a chimney to cure for a duration of several months to several years the accumulated layer of soot gave the shillelagh its typical black shiny appearance. Wood from the root was prized since this would be used for the knob, and was less prone to crack or break during use. With the scarcity of oak in Ireland the term came increasingly to denote a blackthorn stick, and indeed blackthorn stick is sometimes glossed as equivalent to shillelagh. Shillelaghs are traditionally made from blackthorn (sloe) wood ( Prunus spinosa) or oak. The geographic name Shillelagh derives from Síol Éalaigh, or "Descendants of Éalach" in English. Īs an alternate etymology, Anna Maria Hall and Patrick Weston Joyce have written that the name may have derived from the wood being sourced from forest land in the village or barony of Shillelagh, County Wicklow. ![]() The name shillelagh is the Hiberno-English corruption of the Irish (Gaelic) form sail éille, where sail means "willow" or "cudgel" and éille is genitive for iall meaning "thong", "strap", "leash", and "string", among others. Other spelling variants include shillelah, shillalah, and shillaly. ![]() It is associated with Ireland and Irish folklore. Typically as popular as Irish gifts, Shillelaghs also feature prominently in celtic jewelry designs, especially as small replica Irish charms for charm bracelets.A shillelagh ( / ʃ ɪ ˈ l eɪ l i, - l ə/ shil- AY-lee, -lə Irish: sail éille or saill éalaigh, "thonged willow") is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty blackthorn stick with a large knob at the top. 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. The ballad "Finnegan's Wake" is generally considered to have coined the term "shillelagh law" which refers to refers to a brawl. 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”. 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. 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 The Shillelagh was the primary weapon used in Bataireacht - a form of traditional Irish stick fighting popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. 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. ![]()
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