The Gallowglass

Рет қаралды 8,401

2 жыл бұрын

A discussion on the history of Irelands most famous weapon against the Anglo Norman encroachment on the clan lands of the Gaelic natives the super soldiers of the medieval period...The Gallowglass
#scottishhighlands
#scottishhistory
#irishhistory
#ireland
#scotland
#warrior
#soldier
#clan
#clans

Пікірлер: 85

@joesan3956 Жыл бұрын

As a MacNeil and MacCuish, both Norse-Gaels clans from Barra, proud of these Gallowglass roots.

@michaelshannon9169 2 ай бұрын

Ill take you on pal, my clann are the mighty Mac Not-A-Penny's!

@djmcneil9573 10 күн бұрын

Absolutely!!!...

@creekyknee 2 ай бұрын

New sub here. Guys, this was wonderful. I learnt so much.

@GallowglassAxe 2 жыл бұрын

That was a great video and I loved every minute of it. I love these deep dives into a subject but I also like the 20-30 min summaries like Clans and Dynasty's video had. You guys should do the same with the other Irish units and sub units. Gaelic forces like the Kerns, Horse Boys, Bonnaght, and their cavalry as well as non-Gaelic forces in Ireland like the Redshanks and Norman Irish. I know the Norman Irish did adopt Gaelic culture but they also used Anglo-Norman tactics as well. That is a lot of video potential with a summary video complimented with a deep dive video.

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Yes! 100% we are looking forward to make these videos and more. Have you seen are video covering the game total war??

@GallowglassAxe 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory I have not yet but I think we talked about it in one of your older videos. I know the Thrones of Britannia makes quite a few mistakes like making Horseboys a cavalry unit and they have Gallowglass even though they're a few centuries off.

@A_Moustached_Sock 2 жыл бұрын

Very happy I found this channel again. I wondered what had happened when I couldnt find videos from the old channel. Glad youre back. I will say in the meantime it did help me discover a channel called Rambling Kern. Glad more Irish history channels are popping up

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Rambling Kern is amazing!! and thank you for coming back it means a ton to us.

@rhysmcgreal8786 2 жыл бұрын

clan McGreal. proud gallowglass clan ended up in moyo and we moved around the world. im just happy to be apart of such a history of brave and powerful people

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Nice! that is amazing history right there to be proud of.

@jmcsweeney6519 2 жыл бұрын

Great information lads.....🪓👊🔥

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much man! that means a ton.

@feral7523 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Guys Great vid,, I often wondered why the Gaelic clans never decided to develop their own Gallowglass style warriors? they obviously saw first hand the impact they had on the battlefield.

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

There were armoured soldiers effectivly the nobles of each clan would have been equipped according to wealth much like most of the medieval world and the Kern were also an effective fighting force often missenterpted to have been ineffective due to lack of armour which we see now is not the case, the reason why the Gallowgalss work is because your noble class is only a limited pool of men so having the mercenaries means you swell your ranks, they can also be disbanded when funds are low, they also provided their own armour and training effectively they work out cheaper in the long run for the clans and families.

@conorfields2660 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory would kerns just be the local men of fighting age? If you look at the battle of the bogside, 1 side armed with shields helmets etc, the other side throwing stones and sprinting back. Similar?

@rhysmcgreal8786 2 жыл бұрын

they did. they got incorporated in later pon

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory what would these noble warrior retinues be called?

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

@@conorfields2660 no, they where the last born of the noble class. The kerns mean goal was dueling. Looking it there kit, it's all about easy moving and blocking ect rather then fighting out in the field. Although they can and where used in the field of battle as a side skirmisher.

@onbedoeldekut1515 8 ай бұрын

Thank you kindly, it's always great to learn more about my Suibhne forebears. If the MacSuibhne's came over with the Vikingers, how do we account for King Suibhne Geilt, living in the 7th Century?

@brendansweeney5644 3 ай бұрын

There is no connection between the mythological figure of Suibhne - who may or may not have existed - and the historical forbears of the McSweeneys/McSweens who originated in the West of Scotland. The McSweens descend from a different historical figure who lived in Argyll in the 12th century in Sween castle on Sween Lough.

@djs4329 2 жыл бұрын

Where can I read more about the life of a gallowglass. You mentioned how they grew up, etc, so I’d like to look into that more!

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Galloglass 1250-1600 GAELIC MERCENARY WARRIOR Author: Fergus Cannan Braniff Is a great place to start.

@forasfeasa 2 жыл бұрын

Great and very informative about a subject that is often over romanticised. Just about Hugh O'Neill, it is often hard to see through the disguises he created (and misinterpreted by historians ever since). He was never actually Elizabeth's best friend - though he did portray himself as Elizabeth's ally, then becoming her worst enemy. In relation to Gallowglass, O'Neill built up a new type of Gaelic army, based on pike and the caliver musket and inspired by Spanish practices - which for a long time was better than Elizabeth's forces. (And like the gallowglass, still described by many as barbarian etc)

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

We would love to get you on here for a chat one day, About any topic in irish history.

@forasfeasa 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory That would be great. Can I send you a DM tomorrow through the Clans page on Facebook?

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Of course, we will sepak soon

@Jackjackjaxk Жыл бұрын

Anyone have info on McGrady? As far as Ive been able to track is to ulster in the early 1700s and not much info on the name. Any help would be apperciated.

@onbedoeldekut1515 8 ай бұрын

My father (Daniel Sweeney) left our ancestral land in Donegal in the 60s, I don't know as much as I'd like about our history.

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

Where can I find the picture you had in the backround of the warrior with the shield on his shoulder?

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Michael had gotten an artist in just for that. So am told.

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory I would love to use some of the art as a phone wallpaper.

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

Out of curiosity, what were the Irish cavalry of this era like? I see a lot of information on the Kern and the Gallowglass, but the Celts have such a rich cavalry tradition, I can't believe that they didn't possess some excellent cavalry. What were they like? What were they called? How did they fight and what gear did they use?

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

😂 I would have to make a video covering that as that in it self is a huge topic.

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory I would love to see it. I recall that they tended to ride without stirrups and used javelins. I assume they equipped themselves as they were able and were mostly skirmishers. What were they called though? I heard someone say Rídre?

@donconnell533 Жыл бұрын

are the gallowglass not celts they are celts arent they

@huntclanhunt9697 Жыл бұрын

@@donconnell533 They are.

@glrx7 Жыл бұрын

Any ideas as to why some galloglas kept the clan names like mcsweeney while others were named gallogly and similar?

@Scotia6261 Жыл бұрын

The Normans and Irish also began holding onto their surnames around the same period probably to do with pride and a brand name would carry more clout.

@thedirtyfecker 8 ай бұрын

The real drive for galógalaidh is that they were hirable mercenaries that could be used as a main bodyguard force for Irish Kings/chieftans. The reality is that in Ireland, Chieftans did not arm or train the ceithern. The reason for this is that in Ireland chieftns did not have standing armies. To do so would leave them open to being usurped by one of their rivals. You don't train and arm the populace when the populace might be used against you. The galógalaidh did not have the same internal politics and simply worked for pay and so could be used as a loyal elite force that could be relied on in battle and a symbol of power to rivals and make them think twice about trying to overcome the current leader.

@vestty5802 2 жыл бұрын

Did the gallowglass ranks contain Irishmen who perhaps wanted to become a gallowglass and went through the training necessary?

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, when i stated they adopted children in the irish custom there would have also been no reason for them not to take on men of good stature and military prowress regardless of ancestry, the mans standing within the rank structure would no doubt have been lower at first.

@vestty5802 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory ah ok that makes sense great podcast tho very interesting keep it up 👍

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so very much as always, we have Ruadh Butler back for another video tonight once it finishes uploading so hopefully we can get our number to what they were before.

@vestty5802 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory I’ll have to tune in to that one should be good best of luck with regrowing too

@silverbullet6436 2 жыл бұрын

I've heard it said most Irish are brown eyed and haired . Where as iam or was blonde hair blue eyes. Great subject the gallowglass. Thanks very much lads .

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!! I wouldnt know the genetic make up of ireland but it would be fun to look in to, although i believe Brown eyes and Hair are known as dominant genes therefore given the amount of time passed since the norse migration into Ireland you would expect their to be more Brown haired/eyed people here, i wouldnt argue against your statement though as both Philip and Myself are Brown Haired/eyed.

@vestty5802 2 жыл бұрын

No one people are limited to the same hair and eye color. Ireland has some of the highest amounts of red hair and green eyes in the world and plenty of Irish have blonde hair and blue eyes. Even many surnames in Ireland mean things like “the fair one” or the “blonde one” or things of that nature.

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

As far as im aware the blue eyes gene is from one common ancestor but this is several thousand years ago, you are correct on the red haired and green eyed in fact my eyes are hazel a mix of my fathers green and my mothers brown i assume, like i said genetics is not a subject i would know to much about but it is interesting all the same and would be great to maybe get someone who studies it on here so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

@vestty5802 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory yeah I’m no expert either but definitely an interesting subject to discuss on the podcast. Irish people come many varieties it seems haha Irish vary from really dark complexions to very light complexions but same as most Western European nations I suppose

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

Did the Scots and Irish ever develope/adopt a helmet or armor design that would have been very distinctive to them?

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, Scotland is not my field, but Ireland has the Irish Ring sword and Sparth axe, you also have ridire Knight's armor found in Kilkenny.

@huntclanhunt9697 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory The axe and sword would be weapons, but not Armor. Did the Irish ever adopt or develope a uniquely "Irish" look to their helmets and body armor? Like how England, France, Germany, and the Italian states all had unique armor flavors.

@kevinmurphy65 2 жыл бұрын

Its been suggested had the galloglas arrived a century or two earlier things would had been very different going forward.

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

You did have early Vikings from them islands coming over and you would have early Gallowglass coming in for the siege of Dublin. I'll go more in to that much later on.

@louisburke8927 8 ай бұрын

I apologise for my ancestors

@markmacdonald3260 Ай бұрын

The Macdougals fought for Scotland in the Norway/Scotland Wars whereas the Macdonald clan fought for Norway.

@MrResearcher122 2 жыл бұрын

Statues Of Kilkenny were really about preserving Norman-French culture and language. It had nothing, it seems, to do with Anglo-Saxon culture,a culture equally despised. The statuses are written in Norman French, not English. To be an Englishman, at that time, was to be a Norman, and a French speaker. Hence, why Edmund Burke was fond of calling himself an ''English man'', in that older sense (according to Connor O' Cruise's biography of the Conservative Statesman).

@taylorahern3755 Жыл бұрын

Late Medieval "super soldiers" indeed! The Western European Samurai of the era of 1300-1600 (Gallowglass)!

@conorfields281 2 жыл бұрын

And we think it's noble and normal to work all day 5 days a week to keep our home? Welcome to years of subjugation

@jupiterrising887 2 жыл бұрын

For some people it's normal. For others, they've set themselves up so they don't have to. Western civilization is set up in a way where you can be like those second group of people, if you make the right moves.

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Like me so.

@waynemcauliffe2362 2 жыл бұрын

They reckon some of my ancestors were with the McCarthy`s in 1261 at the Battle of Callann.Don`t know if any Gallowglass were there but we won. Beat the Normans ha ha

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

No to early for Gallowglass, But I was on your side buddy.

@SK-yb7bx Жыл бұрын

You can work it out by getting your Y chromosome tested. I did just that using 23&me and worked out that male line is Scottish and then goes further back to the Faroe Islands and then to Trondheim in Norway.

@waynemcauliffe2362 Жыл бұрын

@@SK-yb7bx Had it done mate. The McAuliffe`s were there

@Scotia6261 Жыл бұрын

A battle was fought in Connacht 1259 which halted the English advance and it was the first mention of gallowglass so it's probable that McCarthy had them at Callan in 1261 to route the English and push them back across the Maine river.

@waynemcauliffe2362 Жыл бұрын

@@Scotia6261 Cheers for that

@waynemcauliffe2362 2 жыл бұрын

I`m more a Kern fan myself.Faster

@IrishMedievalHistory 2 жыл бұрын

Kerns are epic!

@waynemcauliffe2362 2 жыл бұрын

@@IrishMedievalHistory They are

@Dishfire101 27 күн бұрын

Irish Monks myths too much Guinness there was no country called Ireland there were many tribes the country was called Scotia ie Land of the Scots later called Hibernia and much later Ireland.

@Valhalla88888 2 жыл бұрын

All wrong the Gallowglass are not Irish they are Picts/Scots/Vikings who were employed by Irish kings as mercenaries

@MrResearcher122 2 жыл бұрын

Many have Gaelic heritage from West Scotland. Irish called them Gall Gaeil ("foreign Gaels")

@taylorahern3755 Жыл бұрын

True, yet by the middle of the 1300s in order to augment their numbers (always dwindling due to heavy battlefield casualties) those ferocious Norse-Gaels from the Hebridean Islands began to recruit more & more Native Irish Gaels into their ranks (equally fearsome in fighting spirit as their Norse-Scottish mentors!). By 1450 the vast majority of Gallowglass mercenaries serving in Ireland were of pure Irish Gaelic origin (granted most still fought with Norse style axes, relics of the Viking age maintained as proud tradition!).

@cormacmcquillan828 Жыл бұрын

At first yes, but they settled in Ireland for centuries and eventually formed a warrior cast. By the 14th century they began to recruit local Irish men. Their ranks would've almost have been entirely Irish.