Shillelagh: The Irish Fighting StickFor centuries the Irish have been associated with a stick weapon called the Shillelagh. And for generations of Irishmen, the Shillelagh was a badge of honor - a symbol of their courage, their martial prowess and their willingness to fight for their rights and their honor. In modern popular culture, the Shillelagh has acquired a less appealing image, one that attempts to declaw the Irish through negative racial stereotypes of the Victorian era, which depict the Irish as harmless club-weilding Leprecauns or drunken, half-witted brawlers. John Hurley's illuminating study forever alters our view of this much maligned and misunderstood cultural icon by revealing the true martial arts culture of the Irish people, its history, evolution and decline and the resulting effects on the Shillelagh - the most powerful and controversial of Irish icons. |
Contents
Preface | 9 |
Irish Martial Arts | 15 |
Irish Martial Sports | 63 |
A Shillelagh Fight | 97 |
The Darlin Ould Stick | 117 |
Shillelagh Fighting Styles | 155 |
Shillelagh Law | 187 |
The Agreeable Recreation | 221 |
Shillelagh Culture | 247 |
The Decline Of Shillelagh Fighting | 285 |
Shillelagh Law Transformed | 311 |
Reclaiming The Shillelagh | 345 |
| 357 | |
Shillelagh Resources | 369 |
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Common terms and phrases
19th century Allanson-Winn alpeen ancient Irish armed athletic ball Banim bardic schools Barrington bata battle blackthorn blow boxing boys Brehon Law broadsword called camán Caravat Catholic ceathrún Celtic Cineál cipín cleith ailpín combat cudgel Devoy Donnybrook duel éille English faction fighting fair feet long Fenian Fíanna fighters fought Gaelic Irish Grimes hand head hedge schools hurley stick hurling hurling matches Ibid Ireland Irish Brigade Irish culture Irish fighting stick Irish language Irish martial arts Irish nationalism Irish shillelagh Irish society Irish stick Irish stick-fighting Irish warriors Irishmen John John Banim John Boyle O'Reilly Kelly martial artists modern native Irish O'Callaghan O’Mahony O'Reilly Party Fight played popular quarterstaff sabre fencing says schoolmaster scoobeen seems Shanavests Shillelagh Culture shillelagh fighting Shillelagh Law shinty side spear sport story striking style sword techniques thonged violence walking stick warfare wattle weapons whack William Carleton wrestling