Hi Philibeg, And Glen.

Thank you both for your welcome.

I live in the west of Ireland.

I grew up in the gaeltacht which is the traditional area of Ireland, Next stop America.

My Mother ran the local craft and woollens shop, Sadly my dad died when I was eight so I grew up in a house with a older sister and my mother.
From a young age I wore the kilt, most people think that the kilt is worn in Scotland only, But in Ireland it is worn in traditional areas for formal wear generally Sundays and special occasions, for pipe bands, Irish dancing, wedding, and Scout troupes depending on the area and some of the older church run secondary schools.
We wear two types of kilt, solid colour kilts generally for Irish dancing, and scouts who generally wear saffron or a dark green kilt, Or tartan kilts worn by schools, and pipe band although some bands wear solid kilts as well.
can always remember wearing kilts as a kid, Every Sunday I wore a kilt for church sometimes changing when I got home, sometimes wearing it for the day when we went out for lunch and a drive. Generally at Easter and Always at Christmas I wore a kilt for at least Christmas day and the church events, I was never keen on the kilt at the time. When my dad died mum used to bundle me off to Irish dancing, piano lessons and ballet. The biggest decision of my life up to then was when it was time to go to secondary school, I had the choice of two schools the vocational school which was a state school which taught the regular subjects as well as trade subjects like woodwork and metalwork.
The other school was ran by the church, but was funded on its attendance by the state and the extra money needed was raised through fund raising or by parents.
The school was old but had very modern science facilities, and had received a state grant for a new computer lab, The vocational school was support to be building a computer lab, I wanted to do computers so I chose St Mary’s, The only down side in my mind was that the kilt was part of the uniform and that a number of my friends were going to the vocational school, Although a few were going to my new school as well.
This bothered me a little but it was not like I was not wearing them all ready,
My sister went to the same school was in her final year there when I started so mum was a little happier that I decided to go there.
We all wore navy jackets, ties, white shirts, and bottle green socks, the girls wore long tartan skirts and we wore the kilt.
I remember trying on the uniform a few weeks before starting secondary school and being pleased that was until the night before going back, then I panicked when I saw my jacket and kilt hanging in my room for the next morning, I felt I had made a terrible mistake but there was no going back.
The following morning I got dressed and faced my friends, the guys that went to vocational school were having the laugh, My other friends were in much the same state as I was, I did not want them to think I enjoyed wearing kilt so I complained.
I got through the first day, Changed the minute I got home but in time changed less and less to the point I was more comfortable in a kilt than anything else.
Now I wear the kilt for New Years Eve, some wedding and when ever I can.
Sadly they are now worn as much now, But are making a comeback.
Its great to see a intrest in other countries.

John