A great deal of this change in the fortunes of the Irish was due to the impotence of the Crown of England, and to the feuds and weakness of the Irish Normans, as will be pointed out in the next section. But it was chiefly due to a change in the military methods and organisation of the clans themselves. They still despised the use of armour, and at Downpatrick and Athenry they fought without it. But they were improving in the building of ... Read More

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 ... Read More