Galloglass : From the Western Isles to Ireland

From their appearance in the 13th century to the 16th century wars of the Tudor age, the so-called galloglas determined the manner in which war was waged on Irish soil.

From their appearance in the 13th century to the 16th century wars of the Tudor age, the so-called galloglas determined the manner in which war was waged on Irish soil. While traditional Irish warfare mainly relied on swift-footed hit-and-run tactics, these battle-hardened warriors stood and fought it out to the last man, galloglass often facing galloglass. The era of the galloglas reached its gory climax in the Battle of Knockdoe in 1504. Described as huge, violent and raw-boned by contemporary sources, these warriors represented an archetypical element of Irish warfare, and yet they had their origins in the Hebrides off the Scottish coast. This book seeks to describe the origins, the history and the eventual disappearance of the galloglas from the battlefields of Ireland. Drawing on the latest archaeological evidence, it sheds light on the outward appearance, weapons and equipment, pay, organisation, and the motivation of these fearsome warriors. The book was written in cooperation with Claíomh, one of the leading Irish reenactment groups reconstructing the daily life of the galloglas. Apart from numerous photographs of reenactors in reconstructed galloglas equipment, this volume contains detailed photographs of weapons and equipment as well as of historic locations, contemporary illustrations, and specially commissioned artwork.