The Kilt's use in Irish Nationalism

[Blackrose87]

If someone says I like wearing a kilt because I like the look\I like the feel\It's a laugh\it makes me feel different\I just like dressing up now and then\I just really like the bloody things, I have no problem with that at all. I just don't get the representing/honouring all Celtic nations/ancestors biz.

Don't most people just wear their own tartan? They're just representing their own family, nothing to do with 'Celtic' nations. Similarily I'm getting a Ulster tartan kilt, to represent the province where I'm from. Again nothing to do with Celtic nations or ancestors, just representing where I was come from.

I just think that there may be a bit of confusion between the Scots and Irish. Doing business with Americans here and abroad, I have been asked if I am Irish more times than I can remember. If I say I am Scottish I have been told that I do not sound Scottish. This coming from individuals who have never been to Scotland. If I insist I am Scottish, I often get a reply along the lines of "Well, it's all Celtic, isn't it".

I don't think there's all hat much confusion between the countries. Maybe with some people abroad with no knowledge at all of the places. But can you blaim them? Would you automatically know the difference between a North and South Dakota accent for example?
Then again, maybe my accent is just stronger than yours but I've been to America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and I've never been mistaken for a Scot.[/QUOTE]

No, it isn't, there's quite a dreadful history between Scotland and Ireland for anyone who chooses to seek it out. Without being too obvious, it's easy to see why the introduction of the kilt in Ireland in 1900 failed, for many it was a symbol of something else, something negative. Thankfully times are changing, but the idea of some sort of Celtic unity remains a fantasy, (least of all because if you want some true Celtic unity you are going to have to include the English with their heavily "Celtic" DNA, like it or lump it). I have just reminded myself yet again why I do not post here too often.

I don't really think that there was much negative feelings solely towards the Scots at the start of the 20th Century. I always felt it was against the British. Even though some events heavily involved the scots, e.g the Ulster Plantation, here we're ultimately 'British' actions.
As far as I'm aware there have always been connections between the two countries. Growing up in a city occupied by a British army, I never felt any animosity towards the Scots. The majority of my friends would have supported Scottish football teams for example.
I can't say it was the same 100 years ago, but I think the kilt failed because we had no history of wearing it and no connection with it. It wasn't that we felt it was 'Scottish' so we were supposed to hate it. Probably more that the nationalists just didn't like the looks of it?