Irish Pike Men at Kinsale

This contemporary painting shows the pursuit of the Irish pike men after the battle of Kinsale. As you can see they have kept their weapons and are vainly trying to keep together as the English demi lancers spear them.  Let's have a closer look at their dress and equipment.

The English demi lancer is in half armour and is using his lance over arm.  The Irish pike men are all wearing helmets, three are clearly morions.  They seem to me to be uniformly wearing an aketon of thigh length. They wear trews which may be a light blue colour and have swords at their belts.  Compared to the pike men shown below that we have looked at previously they present a uniform appearance.

While we are on the subject I came upon some testimony from an English observer of the training of Irish pike men.  He noted that a large part of their training consisted of moving swiftly from one point to another and forming a pike hedge immediately they arrived. This makes perfect sense when their tactical role of blocking the English cavalry is considered.  Their job was to protect the Irish shot and that must have involved swiftly placing themselves between the former and the threatening English Horse.  I'm minded, noting their light equipment, that they should be considered fast troops in terms of movement.