1680 Picture questions.

[Henry Mc]

Hi all

Hope I'm not straying too far here, but I have a few queries about this painting that some of our resident experts here might be able to solve. Its by artist John Michael Wright (1617-1694), Title Sir Neil O'Neill, Date 1680.

Sir Neil is dressed as a Gaelic lord of times gone by, well the last century (16th) anyway. My questions are legion but I'll try and narrow them down a bit.

1. Neil and his manservant seem to be sporting sporrans of a sort, do you agree they are sporrans or what do you think they are?
2. The servant wears his brát very plaid-like (I know, humour me) it looks to me like it could even be a tartan plaid (looks like a green and black tartan) although its not too clear, what do you reckon?

Any comments or suggestions particularly about the 'sporran' would be great!