Painting an Irish Army – The War of Three Kingdoms

 

I’m putting together an Irish Army for the War of Three Kingdoms-often called the English Civil War. There are two challenges to this.

First, the majority of Irish soldiers were Gaels and they wore trews not breeches and hose.  Khurasan Miniatures gets it right and I’m using their figures.

Second, there is the issue of clothing colours. Irish clothing colours were muted. This was new and a consequence of the overthrow of Gaelic Ireland at the end of the Nine Years War.  There were less resources to go around and it showed.

Some Clans had been dispersed. Others waited for the inevitable dispossession of their ancestral lands. The land was full of men ready to soldier. They lacked arms and training. Once these were available armies formed. The new soldiers went to war in what the stood up in. Uniforms were not provided.

At the top of the page is Eoghan Ruadh O’Neill back from Spanish Flanders. I have chosen to paint "Red Owen" in red, replete with Red Hand flag of his clan. He wears a traditional fringed Brat cloak to remind the boys what they are fighting for. Otherwise he is dressed like a Spanish soldier as is his companion. Many of the Irish officers had seen foreign service and were attired as such.

The rank and file soldiers and junior officers wore Irish clothing. I find a set of WW2 paints come in very handy here. The subdued colours lend themselves nicely to this army.

 

Above we see a Command Stand of an Irish regiment. In reality the kinsmen of the commander would be grouped around him. The man himself has a buff coat, his clothes are colourful. He has a morion helmet, perhaps hidden for decades. Or maybe newly acquired.  The drummer is well dressed in good quality trews and a coloured coat.  The piper is more simply attired.

His pikemen will repay scrutiny. Two are wearing expensive plaid trews requiring much time and labour to make. Robust wear for campaigning. Otherwise one has a sword and two have a scían (Long Knife).  The scian was handier for pike fighting but the sword carried more prestige. The flag is that of the Irish Confederation that claimed the allegiance of Gaels and Old English both. This is a Wargames Designs Flag.

Above we see a close up of Seán O' Brógáín's painting of an Irish pike man. Note the buttoned sleeves allowing them to be opened. An old trait of Irish clothing. We also see part of the scían. The latter was pointed, single edged and, in this period, 21 inches long. Image from Helion's Raw General's and Green Soldiers.

We often read that the Irish preferred a ratio of 1 to 1 for Pike and Shot. That they fielded such regiments is clear. Whether it was by choice is something I intend to pursue.  That is for another day. However, I can tell you now it was not the practice in the Spanish Army where so many of the Irish had served.

Let us look at an Irish cavalry trooper and consider his armament. 

He is clearly more expensively dressed than the ordinary foot soldiers. Plaid trews and a brightly coloured jacket and hat. Note he wears shoes. His armament is sword and lance. Initially, before Eoghan Ruadh, it had been the sword alone. These fellows were the gentry of Gaelic Ireland. Post successful actions helmets and other kit could be acquired.

So armed, the Irish cavaliers struggled to cope with the sword and pistol armed Scots cavalry.  Sometimes a Scots horsemen might have 5 pistols. Meaning he had 5 chances to down the Irish opponent before swords crossed. 

The Irish couldn't cope and demanded armour. We easily follow the military logic. They were happy to fight the Scots but didn't want to die before they got a chance to do so.

Eoghan had little armour to give them. Instead he trained them as charging cavalry and gave them lances. It worked. 

Pistol armed Scots resented being skewered beyond sword reach and Scots Lancers could be met on equal terms. 

Khurasan are making Irish cavalry based on the above.  I'm delighted and will be buying many of them. 

We finish with an Irish Musketeer. Note the muted clothing colours and the longer version of the scían. 

We will return to this subject when I have more to show you. More immediately as part of our Victory without Quarter series we will look at Montrose's Irish Regulars or possibly the Highlanders.