Is there any type of irish swordsmanship?

Question

Is there any type of irish swordsmanship?

Answer 1

The term Gallowglass or Galloglass is an Anglicisation of the Irish, Gallóglaigh ("foreign soldiers")...

Answer 2

If you go to Temple Bar on a Friday or Saturday night there are plenty of Irish blokes about wanting to show the ladies their 'swordsmanship'.

Answer 3

The answer is Yes.  

Historically there were two types of foot soldiers in Ireland who employed Swords these are:

The Gallowglasses who were very heavy armed, wore a coat of mail, an iron Helmet: a long heavy sword hung by their side, and in the hand was carried either a broad, heavy, keen edged Axe or an Axe called a Sparth which was long (as tall as the soldier) , narrow and very sharp  They were noted for their dexterity in the use of the battle Axe against which neither Armour nor helmet was sufficient protection.

The Kern were light armed: they wore head pieces, and fought with a Skean, i.e a longer dagger type sword, a small bow and javelin attached to a thong.

Kern's and Gallowglasses fought in many of the Inter Clan and in the wars against the English from early times up to the 16 hundreds.

Initially Gallowglasses were Scottish mercenaries brought over by the Irish to Ireland to fight in Ireland

Many stayed and today the descendants can be identified by their surnames that derive from the term Gallowglass

Later on indigenous companies of  "Gallowglasses" were formed for the same purposes

Example of the weapons (including swords) can be seen in the National Museum of Ireland.  Example of these have been found in graves and excavated sites.

Answer 4

I don't think so, This should help. http://johnwhurley.com/shillelagh.htm

Answer 5

The claymore(sword) would have been common as with the gaelic tribes of scotland.

The sord used by william wallace was a claymore it is quite a heavy sord, sordsmansip was later replaced with pike infantry.

wernt the gallowglasses scottish mercenaries???