Various Customs

Above: Various Customs

Arms and Armour.-The Irish employed two kinds of foot-soldiers: Galloglachs or Galloglasses and Kern. The galloglasses were heavy-armed infan- try. They wore a coat of mail and an iron helmet; a long sword hung by the side, and in the hand was carried a broad heavy keen-edged axe. The Irish never took to armour very generally, but preferred tc fight in saffron linen tunics, which lost them many a battle. The Kern were light-armed foot-soldiers : they wore head-pieces, and fought with a skean-i.e., a dagger or short, sword, and with a javelin attached to a thong.

” It is a curious that bows and arrows are very seldom mentioned in our old writings : and the passages that are supposed to refer to them are so in- distinct, that if we had no other evidence, it might be difficult to prove that the use of the bow was known at all to the ancient Irish. However, the matter is placed beyond dispute by the fact that flint arrow-heads are found in the ground in various parts of the country.” In prehistoric ages, hammers, axes, spear-heads and arrow-heads were made of flint or other stone. Next came bronze axes, spear-heads, and swords. Lastly, swords, daggers, and spears of iron and steel. Shields were made of wicker-work covered with hides; also of yew and bronze.

Chariots and Roads.-Our literature affords un- questionable evidence that chariots were used in Ire- land from the most remote ages. The war chariots had spikes and scythe-blades like those of tlie ancient Britons. That the country was well provided with roads we know, partly from our ancient literature, and partly from the general use of chariots. There were five main roads leading from Tara through the country in different directions; and numerous minor roads-all with distinct names-are mentioned in the annals.