Shillelagh (club)
Encyclopedia
A shillelagh is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel
, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob at the top, that is associated with Ireland
and Irish folklore
.
(sloe) wood (Prunus spinosa) or oak. The wood would be smeared with butter and placed up a chimney to cure, giving the Shillelagh its typical black shiny appearance. Shillelaghs may be hollowed at the heavy "hitting" end and filled with molten lead to increase the weight beyond the typical two pounds; this sort of Shillelagh is known as a 'loaded stick'. They are commonly the length of a walking stick (distance from the floor to one's wrist with elbow slightly bent). Most also have a heavy knob for a handle which can be used for striking as well as parrying and disarming an opponent. Many shillelaghs also have a strap attached (hence the Irish name), similar to commercially made walking sticks, to place around the holder's wrist.
and barony
in County Wicklow
.
Although originally used for settling disputes in a gentlemanly manner (like pistols in colonial America or the katana
in Japan
), the shillelagh eventually became a symbol of stereotypical violent Irish behavior. Modern practitioners of bataireacht
study the use of the shillelagh for self defense and as a martial art. Of the practice, researcher J. W. Hurley writes:
s of the Fighting 69th
regiment of the United States Army National Guard
carry shillelaghs as rank badges in parades. The Boston Celtics
logo has a leprechaun
leaning on his shillelagh. In San Diego, Padres
broadcaster Mark Grant
popularized the shillelagh as a rally call, by using terms like "Shillelagh Power" to describe late game heroics by the Padres. (The success of the phrase led the San Diego Padres store to carry inflatable
shillelaghs). Similarly, in college football
, a Jeweled Shillelagh
is the trophy given to the winner of the rivalry game
between the USC Trojans
and Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.
Shillelaghs are sometimes referred to in a similar context in folk songs, such as in "Finnegan's Wake
," in which the term "shillelagh law" refers to a brawl, and in the 19th century song "Rocky Road to Dublin
," in which references are made to fashioning a shillelagh, using it to hold a tied bag over one's shoulder, and using it as a striking weapon.
The MGM-51 Shillelagh
anti-tank missile was named for the club.
Officers of the Irish Guards
are issued with Shillelaghs as were past Irish Regiments of the British Army, such as the Inniskillen Dragoons and fusiliers.
Club (weapon)
A club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times....
, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob at the top, that is associated with Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Irish folklore
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
.
Construction
Shillelaghs are traditionally made from blackthornBlackthorn
Prunus spinosa is a species of Prunus native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa. It is also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America....
(sloe) wood (Prunus spinosa) or oak. The wood would be smeared with butter and placed up a chimney to cure, giving the Shillelagh its typical black shiny appearance. Shillelaghs may be hollowed at the heavy "hitting" end and filled with molten lead to increase the weight beyond the typical two pounds; this sort of Shillelagh is known as a 'loaded stick'. They are commonly the length of a walking stick (distance from the floor to one's wrist with elbow slightly bent). Most also have a heavy knob for a handle which can be used for striking as well as parrying and disarming an opponent. Many shillelaghs also have a strap attached (hence the Irish name), similar to commercially made walking sticks, to place around the holder's wrist.
History
It was named after the villageShillelagh, County Wicklow
Shillelagh is a village located in County Wicklow, Ireland.The town was planned as part of the FitzWilliam estate in the 17th century. Nearby Coolattin House was the seat of the Fitzwilliam Estate. Tomnafinnoge Woods is the largest remaining oak forest in Ireland...
and barony
Barony (Ireland)
In Ireland, a barony is a historical subdivision of a county. They were created, like the counties, in the centuries after the Norman invasion, and were analogous to the hundreds into which the counties of England were divided. In early use they were also called cantreds...
in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Although originally used for settling disputes in a gentlemanly manner (like pistols in colonial America or the katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), the shillelagh eventually became a symbol of stereotypical violent Irish behavior. Modern practitioners of bataireacht
Bataireacht
Bataireacht is the term used in Irish martial arts traditionally applied to various forms of stick fighting. Today the word bataireacht is used amongst Irish and English language speakers to distinguish between traditional and non-traditional stick-fighting styles.-Definition:Bataireacht is a term...
study the use of the shillelagh for self defense and as a martial art. Of the practice, researcher J. W. Hurley writes:
Methods of Shillelagh fighting have evolved over a period of thousands of years, from the spear, staff, axe and sword fighting of the Irish. There is some evidence which suggests that the use of Irish stick weapons may have evolved in a progression from a reliance on long spears and wattles, to shorter spears and wattles, to the shillelagh, alpeen, blackthorn (walking-stick) and short cudgel. By the 19th century Irish Shillelagh-fighting had evolved into a practice which involved the use of three basic types of weapons, sticks which were long, medium or short in length.
Modern usage
In modern usage, the shillelagh is recognised (particularly in an Irish-American context) as a symbol of Irishness. For example, the NCONon-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s of the Fighting 69th
69th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 69th Infantry Regiment was a Regular Army infantry regiment in the United States Army.-History:There have been three different lineages started under this number: The Famous 69th Infantry Regiment , and two under the Federal designation....
regiment of the United States Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
carry shillelaghs as rank badges in parades. The Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
logo has a leprechaun
Leprechaun
A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology...
leaning on his shillelagh. In San Diego, Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
broadcaster Mark Grant
Mark Grant
Mark Andrew Grant is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher and is the current color commentator for the San Diego Padres' television broadcasts.-Career:...
popularized the shillelagh as a rally call, by using terms like "Shillelagh Power" to describe late game heroics by the Padres. (The success of the phrase led the San Diego Padres store to carry inflatable
Inflatable
An inflatable is an object that can be inflated with a gas, usually with air, but hydrogen, helium and nitrogen are also used. One of several advantages of an inflatable is that it can be stored in a small space when not inflated, since inflatables depend on the presence of a gas to maintain their...
shillelaghs). Similarly, in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, a Jeweled Shillelagh
Jeweled Shillelagh
The Jeweled Shillelagh is passed between the annual winner of the college football game between the University of Southern California Trojans and the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The shillelagh, an Irish war club, is made of oak or blackthorn saplings from Ireland...
is the trophy given to the winner of the rivalry game
College rivalry
Pairs of schools, colleges and universities, especially when they are close to each other either geographically or in their areas of specialization, often establish a college rivalry with each other over the years. This rivalry can extend to both academics and athletics, the latter being typically...
between the USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
and Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
.
Shillelaghs are sometimes referred to in a similar context in folk songs, such as in "Finnegan's Wake
Finnegan's Wake
"Finnegan's Wake" is a ballad that arose in the 1850s in the music-hall tradition of comical Irish songs. The song is a staple of the Irish folk-music group, The Dubliners, who have played it on many occasions and included it on several albums, and is especially well known to fans of The Clancy...
," in which the term "shillelagh law" refers to a brawl, and in the 19th century song "Rocky Road to Dublin
Rocky Road To Dublin
"Rocky Road to Dublin" is a fast-paced 19th century song about a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool, England from his home in Tuam. The tune has a typical Irish rhythm, classified as a slip jig in 9/8 timing, and is often performed instrumentally.- Origin :The words were written by D.K...
," in which references are made to fashioning a shillelagh, using it to hold a tied bag over one's shoulder, and using it as a striking weapon.
The MGM-51 Shillelagh
MGM-51 Shillelagh
The Ford MGM-51 Shillelagh was an American anti-tank guided missile designed to be launched from a conventional gun . It was originally intended to be the medium-range portion of a short, medium, long-range system for armored fighting vehicles in the 1960s and '70s to defeat future armor without an...
anti-tank missile was named for the club.
Officers of the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
are issued with Shillelaghs as were past Irish Regiments of the British Army, such as the Inniskillen Dragoons and fusiliers.
External links
- Shillelagh at irishcultureandcustoms.com