Irish kilt pics, 1905

[macwilkin]

Quite right, Todd. But he may be credited with this particular hue. Seems he toured Ireland and came upon a school in the Aran Islands, where boys wore "kilts", although pleated all the way around. The colour was quite similar to what he used, but was apparently uglier, so he changed it somewhat to make it a little more palatable.

That presents a very interesting question, then: was the British Army aware of the originator of their particular shade of saffron was the leader of the Easter Rebellion?

The Irish Regiments had adopted some Irish Nationalist symbols, such as a the Shamrock and Harp, with a crown added, of course, to make it "politically correct", for lack of a better term -- although Lord Kitchner refused to allow the 16th (Irish) Division a Green "Harp Flag" during their service in WWI because of its Nationalist associations. Ironically, John Redmond's moderate Volunteer forces used the Green Harp flag, and it was the association with the Redmondites that caused it to fall out of favour with the more radical Irish Republicans, who later adopted the Tricolour.

Interesting to think about, though...

T.

[Moosehead]

That presents a very interesting question, then: was the British Army aware of the originator of their particular shade of saffron was the leader of the Easter Rebellion?

Probably not! At this point, it wouldn't surprise me to find that the man who suggested it might have been a graduate of St. Enda's.

Also, re. the green harp flag, for those who were not aware, green was not the original colour. It was, in fact, blue. St. Patrick's blue and the harp.

[michael steinrok]

That presents a very interesting question, then: was the British Army aware of the originator of their particular shade of saffron was the leader of the Easter Rebellion?

The Irish Regiments had adopted some Irish Nationalist symbols, such as a the Shamrock and Harp, with a crown added, of course, to make it "politically correct", for lack of a better term -- although Lord Kitchner refused to allow the 16th (Irish) Division a Green "Harp Flag" during their service in WWI because of its Nationalist associations. Ironically, John Redmond's moderate Volunteer forces used the Green Harp flag, and it was the association with the Redmondites that caused it to fall out of favour with the more radical Irish Republicans, who later adopted the Tricolour.

Interesting to think about, though...

T.

After readig the letter to Pearse I sure am glad he picked the kilt. In regards to the B.A. picking that particular color does make it interesting doesn't it?

Thanks for the link on the letter. I added it to my favourites

[Alan H]

This is a GREAT set of posts and a real education. Thank you, gentlemen.

I can only contribute this link from someone who actually DID some dyeing with a plant generally available to the Irish and Scottish weavers in the 1400's - 1600's and 1700's....namely, broom.

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com...affrondye.html

Notice that she says that the mordanted wool becomes a "dark yellow" when dyed with extract of the broom plant.

Also, this: http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/irish/saffron.html

From which I draw your attention to this text at the bottom:

"The colour of modern Irish pipe regiments who sport "saffron kilts" is not the colour that saffron produces. "

By 1900 saffron would have been much more generally available than it would have been three hundred years earlier, but still blisteringly expensive. the proprietor of Saint Edna's school surely could not afford the amount of saffron needed to dye all his schoolboys kilts "saffron". In other words, the irish "saffron" kilt as developed by Pease and others is dyed with something almost certainly, totally unrelated to saffron, and the word is only a term of convenience. It was probably used as a link to Irish History, in which the leinte was worn a bright yellow, and described as "saffron".

None of this has anything to do with the political history of the saffron kilt, but I thought you might find it of interest.

Also, a general reference: http://www.yorkcitylevy.com/modules....article&sid=39