![]() With the scarcity of oak in Ireland the term came increasingly to denote a blackthorn stick, and indeed blackthorn stick is sometimes glossed as equivalent to shillelagh. Shillelaghs are traditionally made from blackthorn (sloe) wood ( Prunus spinosa) or oak. The geographic name Shillelagh derives from Síol Éalaigh, or "Descendants of Éalach" in English. Īs an alternate etymology, Anna Maria Hall and Patrick Weston Joyce have written that the name may have derived from the wood being sourced from forest land in the village or barony of Shillelagh, County Wicklow. He is a member of the Craft Council of Ireland and carries on a family tradition of quality Shillelagh Stick craftsmanship at his premises in Shillelagh village.įrom ornamental keepsakes to walking sticks and lethal fighting weapons, which can also be personalised with ‘loaded’ heads and inscriptions, he now supplies enthusiasts the world over.ĭiscover the latent power within a ‘real’ Shillelagh, having gone through three years and 17 different processes in the making, yielding a lifelong companion and an heirloom for future generations.Ĭallers are always welcome to our store in Shillelagh village.The name shillelagh is the Hiberno-English corruption of the Irish (Gaelic) form sail éille, where sail means "willow" or "cudgel" and éille is genitive for iall meaning "thong", "strap", "leash", and "string", among others. Liam Kealy (Liam O’Caidhla) is the definitive Shillelagh stick maker, being born and raised in the area. Thus originated the association of the blackthorn Shillelagh with the ‘Fairies and Leprechauns’. ![]() Battle clubs, walking sticks, cudgels, message sticks and good luck charms are some of the devices covered by the name ‘Shillelagh’, which were made from Blackthorn as only its unique properties deliver the correct blend of lightness and hardness which following a process of cutting, seasoning, fashioning and sealing, taking up to three years, produces high quality pieces which will last for generations.īlackthorn was sacred in pagan traditions and its’ impenetrable thickets, which helped to protect the territories of the Siol Ealaigh from infiltration, led to the belief that the ‘Little People’ resided within. Over the generations the style of the ‘Shillelagh’ changed with the needs of its users. Countless modern Irish family names such as Kelly, Kealy, Kiely, Kelleher, Callaghan, and variations of these, owe their origins to Ealach. His followers were known as the ’Siol Ealaigh’ meaning the seed ( or descendants ) of Ealach. , and who resisted the influences of other clans who were becoming too Celtic in their ways. The name originated from a king or clan chieftain, Ealach Mac Faelchon, who lived in the 7th Century A.D. The subsequent dispersal of these people throughout Ireland and onward on the famine ships brought the fearsome weapon of their ancestors to the greater Irish Diaspora. This ethnic people had survived the invasive influences of the Celts, Vikings, Danes and Normans until their last refuge, the great oak forests of Shillelagh, were finally felled in the 18th century. ![]() In the first millennium, the warrior stick fighters of the Shillelagh territories were so renowned for their martial arts skills and ferocity that their tribal name became synonymous with the weapon that they were so adept with. ![]() Learn its history and folklore and perhaps the secrets of what makes a real Shillelagh, while exploring the stickmakers yard. ![]() Experience the ancient craft of Shillelagh stick making in the ancestral home of this renowned Irish icon. ![]()
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