Of Kerns and Gallowglasses by Robert Gresh - A Review

 

If you are interested in Irish Armies of the 16th Century 1487-1587 this is the book for you. Robert Gresh has absolute command of his subject. The authorial voice is pleasant as he takes us through 298 pages. There are also 8 colour plates, five maps, 2 figures and 32 tables.

Let us take a table, a famous one. It is called A Description Of The Power Of Irishmen. It lists the military resources of each Irish Lordship. It is a piece of English intelligence work usually dated to the early C16th. Gresh gives us the true date (1490) of the document and tells us how he knows. This nicely sets the tone for the book. I should say the martial resources of the Towns and the Great Earls are also detailed. The Englishry, as it were. A contrast to the Irishry of the Gaels.

Importantly, Gresh begins with how Irish Society worked. The law was massively different from that in England, as was the social structure. This approach enables us to understand how and why things happened. When we are in the 20 mile deep Pale, English Law pertained. Hence Beyond the Pale.

If Ireland was politically decentralised its concepts were unified.  It knew itself to be an ancient culture and indeed was in the throes of a cultural revival. If the Lords of Ireland appeared like figures out of history that, Gresh notes, is precisely what they intended.

The Great Earls (Old English) were speaking Irish, employing Brehon Lawyers, Gallowglass and Kern. I  have written of them before in the Hibernia section of Billhooks. Gresh takes them in turn and in detail. These were the proto  Macmorris of Shakespeare’s later confection. Ostensibly Irish, but politically English in allegiance.

I’ll note that Fitzgerald of Kildare had the motto “Crom Aboo” on his standard. An anglicisation of “Crom Abú”. Gresh, correctly tells us that “Crom” refers to Croom Castle a Geraldine stronghold. Abú simply meaning “Up” or “Uber Alles” if you like. Literally "above".

Yet, in the middle of the Gaelic Resurgence it was known that Crom, Lord of the Mound, was one of the Old God’s. An old God linked with death. Was this Geraldine humour?

Highly detailed sections on Horsemen, Galloglass and Kern  follow sequentially. The information is first rate and comprehensive. Gresh goes further than anyone else writing on the subject today. 

If you want to know about Irish horse tack and riding style it is here. The virtues of the Irish mount for men throwing darts?  That’s here too. A Continental Comparator? The Jinete of Spain. So said the Spanish. The English view? "The finest scourrers on Christian ground".  Gresh tells you why, and even what colour horses the Irish favoured.

The modeller and the painter are well catered for with a wealth of information. Note the notches on the Gallowglass axe shaft top of post. Ogham, and the owner would know what it said.

He does not give us the big picture. You can find that readily enough elsewhere. He does give us the definitive volume on the Ireland's military prior to O’Neill’s gunpowder revolution and the Nine Years War.  

Colour plates are by Séan O’ Brógáin, a treat as ever. You see two above. An extensive 10 page bibliography completes the work.

Robert Gresh is a participant in Wilde Irish a Living History Group. You can find them online. He has accomplished something rather special with "Of Kerns and Gallowglasses".  I commend it to you.

One of Helion's best so far. Inspirational? Most certainly. As we shall see in coming weeks and months.