Irish Kilts and Tartans

**Woodsheal** · 26th February 10, 04:05 PM

Great work, and long needed! Thanks, gents.

So, the Forde tartan (one I wear because of my Irish Ford ancestry) was basically a Pendleton invention - probably for use in their flannel shirts and other "plaid" products?

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 26th February 10, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsheal

Great work, and long needed! Thanks, gents.

So, the Forde tartan (one I wear because of my Irish Ford ancestry) was basically a Pendleton invention - probably for use in their flannel shirts and other "plaid" products?

More than likely yes, that is how it originated.

However, Strathmore Woolen Mill has been weaving it for some time now, and selling it as an Irish family tartan, so no doubt many folks today wear it for reasons of honoring their family.

**Paul** · 26th February 10, 04:32 PM

Very, very interesting. I learned probably about 20 detailed pieces of information in that article.
Thanks Matt!

**Kiltman** · 26th February 10, 08:30 PM

Thanks for the scholarship, aways a pleasure to read such fine work.

**Tattoo Bradley** · 26th February 10, 09:14 PM

Fantastic work gents.

**MrShoe** · 26th February 10, 09:22 PM

Gentlemen,

Great collection of facts and interpretations of writings. So, now we have the definitive research article to point to and refer the Irish to that they should not wear kilts or have Irish "recognized" tartans.

**macwilkin** · 26th February 10, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by MrShoe

Gentlemen,

Great collection of facts and interpretations of writings. So, now we have the definitive research article to point to and refer the Irish to that they should not wear kilts or have Irish "recognized" tartans.

No, we never said that -- our conclusions only stated that the kilt is not an ancient Irish garment, but rather a product of the late 19th/early 20th century.

T.

**The Thing** · 26th February 10, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by MrShoe

Gentlemen,

Great collection of facts and interpretations of writings. So, now we have the definitive research article to point to and refer the Irish to that they should not wear kilts or have Irish "recognized" tartans.

Personally I find your quote offensive.......!
If that were the case then only Blood Born Scottish and in effect Highlanders should be allowed to wear the Kilt and certainly NO AMERICAN's, as it stand's the Kilt is for everybody to wear and was adopted by the Irish to affirm a link to their rich and glorious past. Irish men have been wearing the Kilt for long enough to claim it as an Irish icon as well.

**macwilkin** · 27th February 10, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by The Thing

Personally I find your quote offensive.......!
If that were the case then only Blood Born Scottish and in effect Highlanders should be allowed to wear the Kilt and certainly NO AMERICAN's, as it stand's the Kilt is for everybody to wear and was adopted by the Irish to affirm a link to their rich and glorious past. Irish men have been wearing the Kilt for long enough to claim it as an Irish icon as well.

As do I. As Matt stated earlier, neither one of us would dare tell anyone, Irish or otherwise, what to wear. All we were trying to do was tell the very interesting history of Irish kilts & tartans. Mr. Shoe speaks for himself only.

T.

**CMcG** · 27th February 10, 07:13 AM

First of all, thanks to the authors for an enjoyable and well researched article. My favorite part was this:
one William Royce called for the adoption of the kilt by the volunteers, saying that the only objections to such a move would “come from the skinny-legged, knick-kneed type for whose faulty or undeveloped ‘understandings’ the pants as a covering are a veritable Godsend.”

Originally Posted by The Thing

<snip> as it stand's the Kilt is for everybody to wear and was adopted by the Irish to affirm a link to their rich and glorious past. Irish men have been wearing the Kilt for long enough to claim it as an Irish icon as well.

I agree with The Thing. The city I grew up in (and where both my parents were born) was barely more than a fur trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company when the Irish started to wear kilts. That's plenty enough history for me in both cases!

Despite the fact that the kilt is not much worn in contemporary Ireland outside of pipe bands and some traditional dancing, it is worn in the Irish Diaspora. This is a fairly common situation for immigrant communities in multicultural environments: people have to try harder in a new locale to stake out a sense of cultural heritage than they would in the homeland.

What I get out of this is that when one wears a kilt as an Irishman, they should acknowledge their debt to Caledonian origins but try to wear it in a Hibernian fashion. Here is a very apt picture to illustrate the point of style versus origin. Solid saffron kilt with green Kilkenny style jacket, but note the watermark that says scottishkilts.net!