There is a great interest in DIY shillelagh making, and lots of people ask questions about the subject in online groups. This is not an article about this subject per se, as I am no stick maker, though I already expressed my opinions as a practitioner of bataireacht and a teacher in this article.
No. Today, I want to talk about a related subject: wood. Specifically, two very similar ones: hawthorn and blackthorn. Not based on their intrinsic physical qualities though, but rather on the folklore and traditions that surround them. Ireland has a very vibrant folklore around wood, and some of them (yes hawthorne, I am looking at you!) are never mentioned as suitable materials for very good (at least if you believe in them) reasons. So let’s take a stroll in the wild and fascinating world of the invisible (cue Lorenna McKennit music)!
Don’t forget your spectrespecs!
Hawthorn
No, I am not starting with blackthorn because Hawthorn, May Tree, Whitethorn or Sceah Ghael is probably the wood that is the most curious of them all. On paper, a great wood for a fighting stick: very commonly found (farmers complain that it grows everywhere), very tough (farmers complain that it ruins their tools when cutting it) and overall really close to a blackthorn with its sharp and long thorns (farmer complains about that too… they really complain a lot). It seems like such a good choice for a cudgel people ask about it all the time. What’s not to love? Well, according to the Irish people of old, many things!
Hawthorn is great if you want to: A) be cursed B) anger some fairies C) die D) have bad stuff happen to your family E) commit blasphemy F) start a blood feud with someone G) just have weird stuff happen to you H) all of the above
Let’s see why. The May tree, as the name implies, is a symbol of springtime and is associated with magical powers and the little people. Stories abound on the misfortune of those who dared disturb a hawthorn, especially the fabled « lone tree », which is often associated with holy wells and doorways to the otherworld. People getting sick or unlucky after uprooting a tree, or bringing some of it home, or having mischief done to them. The flower is considered especially unlucky, with death resulting from bringing some in a home. It was commonly believed that Christ was crucified on a hawthorn, and that the crown of thorns was also made from that tree. Probably even more interesting to bataireacht, in places such as West Cork it was considered wrong to hit anyone with a stick of hawthorn as there was « temper » in the tree. If a stick was brought into the house, trouble would stay until it was removed.
Yet, the tree also had protective powers. People would plant them around the house to ward off evil witches, and they were also esteemed for influencing fertility. Even in recent times, the hawthorne was treated with particular respect. In 1982, workers at the De Lorean factory in Northern Ireland thought that the problems the company was having was because a lone tree had been felled during construction. The company had another planted with all due ceremony, which solved… well not much. In 1999, a highway in County Clare was diverted to avoid cutting down a sacred hawthorne tree, and you can find many other instances of this.
For all these reasons – and many, many more – hawthorn is never once mentioned as a suitable wood to make shillelaghs. You hear of blackthorn, oak, holly, ash, even crabapple, but hawthorn? Never. It would appear it was a taboo wood, no matter its inherent qualities. Which is too bad, as there are many where I live, but no blackthorns. But better stay on the good side of the little people!
You cut my tree. I cut you up!
Blackthorn
Alright, let’s get to our old friend. Blackthorn, or Draighean, is in many ways the yin to the hawthorn’s yang. In fact, they are often referred to as sisters. While Hawthorn is mostly associated with Spring, fertility and many positive things, blackthorn is associated with war and winter. You would think that this would make it quite a bad wood to carry around, but this is actually the opposite.
Blackthorn was considered as a protection against the fairies as they regarded it very highly. It was said to be protected by the lunantishees or moon fairies who, at the best of time, were no friends to humans and would curse anyone foolish enough to cut down a blackthorn on the 11th of November (the original All Hallow’s Eve) or on the 11th of May (Original May Day). The best time to harvest the tree was during full moon, as the lunantishees would be away during that time. On a good day, the lunantishees would give inspiration to the musician or the poet as well as valour and strength to the warrior.
Cormac’s Glossary notes that the etymology of draighin comes from « the wretched one », and the tree is often associated with witches and mages, using it to fashion powerful magic wands and staves. The tree seems to have been perceived as a female tree, and associated with many mythical figures including queen Maeve, Morrigan; goddess of battle, strife and fertility, reigning over creation and destruction, and Cailleach; the crone of death and winter who would begin winter by striking the ground with her blackthorn staff. No doubt that all of these associations came to play a role in its negative perception in Christian Ireland, and to its status as the prefered material for making shillelaghs.
To conclude, all of this folklore is as good as your belief in it, but it explains the total absence of hawthorn, and the prevalence of blackthorn as fighting sticks. Both trees have great qualities, but only one of them won’t curse you!
If you wish to learn more about the fascinating folklore surrounding Irish trees, I suggest reading Ireland’s Trees: Myths, Legends & Folklore by Niall Mac Coitir.
Here is a subject I have been wanting to tackle for a while. The main reason being that I get a few people discovering bataireacht and being surprised at the weight of the shillelaghs we use. A lot of people come to us expecting that we will be using large and heavy clubs. This is the image that has been presented of a shillelagh in popular culture, and surely that’s what a bata fundamentally is? Right?
So let’s talk about it then, how heavy does a shillelagh really need to be?
(Again, what I am going to say applies only to Antrim Bata, other styles may have their own rationales)
As I teach a traditional style, I always like to look back into history to see what people thought was a great fighting stick. Let’s check with Allanson-Winn, who wrote a little bit about bataireacht in his book Broadsword and Singlestick:
The weight of the stick is an important matter to consider. Some blackthorns are so enormously heavy that it is next to impossible to do any quick effective work with them, and one is reminded, on seeing a man “over sticked,”—if I may be allowed such an expression—of Lord Dundreary’s riddle,[Pg 108] “Why does a dog wag his tail? Because the dog is stronger than the tail,” or of David in Saul’s armour. Some time ago it was rather the fashion for very young men to affect gigantic walking-sticks—possibly with the view of intimidating would-be plunderers and robbers, and investing themselves generally with a magic sort of noli me tangere air.
Without wishing to detract from the undoubted merits, in certain special cases, of these very big sticks, I am bound to say that, only being useful to a limited extent, they should not be encouraged. Let the stick you habitually carry be one well within your compass. If it comes up to guard readily and without any apparent effort or straining of your wrist, and if you find you can make all the broadsword cuts, grasping it as shown in Fig. 14, without the least spraining your thumb, then you may be pretty sure that you are not “over-sticked,” and that your cuts and thrusts will be smart to an extent not to be acquired if you carried a stick ever so little too heavy for you.
Winn takes the time to say that we should be able to grab the stick with the thumb up in the same manner as shown in fig 14:
The author of the Footpad and the cane does not really describe the size of the shillelagh, but actually shows it in photographs.
Or if we go back further in time,in 1840, to Donald Walker’s Defensive exercises:
Now, we can say that this is all fine and well for these hoity toity gentlemen, but what about the real manly men Irishmen, fighting in fearful factions fights? Well, it so happens we have a few photographs and reliable depictions of a few of them:
Where are those humonguous clubs?
It’s very much possible that, in the Medieval era, Irishmen used bigger clubs like those we see for example in the treatise of Paulus Hector Mair. But these were used in a context where one could possibly meet up with a foe wearing steel armor, which was not that common in Ireland though. By the 18th century, breastplates and helms were relegated to the attics of old tower houses and there was then no impetus to carry big clubs like these when much smaller ones could do the job just as well.
Many researchers now believe that Mair was mostly poking fun at peasants in this treatise, showing them with oversized clubs that they likely did not use
Then… we get to this…
What do you mean compensati… Ok I already made that joke.
Ah… Hollywood… But where exactly did we get the idea that a shilellagh should look like this? A part of that answer goes back to British colonial caricatures. Stick fighting was a very peculiar Irish activity in British eyes, and so became quite a stereotype. If you wanted to show an Irishman without necessarily having to explain it, well you would usually have him carry a shillelagh. I was surprised to find though that even in caricatures it is not easy to find examples of really big clubs. That seems to become a thing in the 20th century, and particularly in American postcards, as even British cartoonists seemed to know better.
The stereotype of the herculean shillelagh then comes back even more so with novelty pieces, often times given as trophies or gifts to visiting celebrities and adorned with a shamrock or two… or ten…
A finished and unfinished shillelagh by Con Stanton of Killarney in the 1940s. You never see the unfinished type on the right in 19th century illustrations. It’s possible that when some makers realized they could sell them to tourists for the same price with no extra work they jumped on the opportunity.
Ok, now this is just ridiculous…
Compare these to this shillelagh, sold recently at auction, and said to have been used at the Fair Day Massacre in Ballinhassig in 1845. It measures 3feet five inches long. There are no weight given, but I doubt it is more than 300gr.
Alright, now that we have established the history of the shillelagh itself, how about some explaining. As I said in a previous article, a shillelagh (at least as used in Antrim bata) does not need to really be heavier than 300 to 400 gr at most. This seems to really surprise a lot of people.
Take into account that all of these objects weight around or even less than 400gr. Yet, getting hit with any of them would ruin your day, some more than others.
The 400 gr escrima stick (which is fairly heavy for an escrima stick) is 100gr heavier than the hammer. Yet, getting hit with the latter could easily kill someone while it would necessitate a lot more effort to do that with the former. The difference lies not in their weight so much as how that weight is distributed. The same applies for a shillelagh. While the straight stick has its weight evenly distributed, the shillelagh concentrates it at the very point of impact which considerably augments the force that is being transferred to the target.
So while the shillelagh is considerably lighter than, let’s say, a broadsword, it can hit with more authority because where a broadsword has a guard and needs to be able to keep a light point in order to thrust with agility a shillelagh needs none of that. This also means that it has to keep the weight down, because while a 1kg broadsword can be well balanced with the weight close to the hand, a 1kg shillelagh with the weight at the top would be completely unwieldy.
Using slender looking clubs is also a common practice in many cudgel fighting cultures, here in different African nations
You can see here what the effect of a blow with such a stick can be on an unprotected head. The technique used here is similar to what we in Antrim Bata would call a lark. It’s a very powerful strike that is very hard to parry.
The other issue that is often raised is that of solidity. People seem to consider that a 400 gr shilelagh would not endure full contact fighting. Let’s compare it again with other sticks. As I explained in a previous article, you should be able to grip the shilellagh with most of your fingers touching your palm, otherwise you create an opening for a disarm. Most people will then go for sticks ranging between 7/8 of an inch to a full inch in diameter, sometimes a bit more. This is the same size used by many different stick arts from escrima to bojutsu with little concern about durability. Add to this the fact that a shillelagh is most often made of blackthorn, a wood of incredible solidity, and you have a perfectly good weapon that will endure many years of practice.
Could it break? Yes. Every weapon has its breaking point and every single one will meet it in time. One would hope that this situation would not happen in the heat of a life or death struggle, but here is the thing. If I am scared of my stick breaking and I decide to go with the thickest one I can lift, then will I be able to even defend myself with it? If the stick is so heavy that I cannot swing it fast enough to strike powerfully or to defend myself in time, or if I become dead tired after a few minutes of fighting, then what have I really gained?
Leave the heavy stick for strength and endurance training, but keep lighter sticks for drills and sparring. A heavy stick is a good tool to prepare your muscles and tendons for the effort of training, but used too much it can lead to debilitating injury such as rotator cuff impingement, tendonitis or bursitis. What good is it to learn a martial art if you are in too much of a bad shape to use it? Train smart!
So in conclusion, shillelaghs were fine and agile weapons like you would find in most other stick fighting arts and capable of dealing deadly blows. In some ways, it suffers from the same preconceived notions as the medieval sword which was long considered a heavy crowbar before HEMA people blew this idea out of the water. Let’s do the same and move the cartoonish club to the dustbin of history.
UPDATE: To help make my point clearer, I have added here a few cudgel type sticks I own, most of them antiques, some of them are shillelaghs, others not. Let’s see how much they weight.
From left to right:
1- Antique cudgel. I am not sure what this one is made of, possibly some type of rosewood. It might have a loaded head. 50cm, 247gr
2- An antique life preserver. This is essentially an iron bar covered with leather rings, used by all sort of people for protection or not so noble ends in the late 1800s up to the mid 1900s. 56cm, 283gr
4- A Rumbu. This is a type of fighting stick used in Eastern Africa. Used for throwing as well as actual stick fighting. 66cm, 233gr
5- An antique shillelagh. This one is really interesting. It’s made of blackthorn and the murlàn is decorated with a skull on one size and what I could best describe as a « meat tenderizer’ on the other. I believe it was meant as a fighting stick and has an impressive forward balance due to the massive murlàn. 90cm, 271gr
6- This is a blackthorn shillelagh I have used for many years for drills as well as test breaking. 92cm, 346gr
So obviously this year has been a quiet one for everyone. Our yearly seminar in Paris had to be cancelled as well as the one in Dublin. We did manage to continue practicing though. Maistìr Maxime Chouinard has been holding online classes with instructors every two weeks, and some seminars did happen!
The first one was an online event hosted by Cumann na Gaeltachta which is an organization for the development of Irish language and culture in North America. Maxime was invited to teach for their yearly immersion week, which this year was held online. The response was very positive and we hope that this becomes a long lasting partnership!
Meanwhile, the Old World Faction continued to spread Antrim Bata in Europe with a seminar at Morge’s Castle in Switzerland. This was an opportunity to launch the Swiss Faction with Romain Meister as the captain of this new group. We wish them all the best!
Since the day humans began using tools and fashioning weapons for hunting and self defense, the humble stick has been a basic option for one’s personal protection. Even as weapons technology evolved, the simple stick or staff, of various lengths and weights, remained a reasonable consideration for most, especially those without means to possess and carry the cutting edge weapons technology of the day. This appears to be fairly universal in that virtually every culture at one point of another seems to have had stick or staff fighting arts at one point or another .Often the lowly stick remained a training adjunct to allow novices to safely train through drills, principles and motions without using more expensive and often more dangerous bladed weapons. In Ireland, the use of various sticks and staffs reached a high level of development by the 1800’s.
The Irishmen were well known for these skills which served them well both in personal self defense and in skirmishes between opposing groups of stick fighters, referred to as “Factions”. Foreign observers often reported on the high degree of Irish faction fighters’ stick handling skills as well as the brutality of the faction fights. These fights could occur anywhere, but often erupted at fairs which seemed to serve as convenient venues for combat between rival groups and families. While it may be a good thing that the days of Faction fighting have passed into history, it is unfortunate that, along with those days, most of the methods and styles of stick handling and fighting have disappeared as well. Fortunately, a very small number of family-based stick fighting methods have been preserved to one degree or another and are being preserved by enthusiastic practitioners.
Antrim Bataireacht is one of the few surviving styles of Bataireacht or Irish Stick Fighting, which has a specific curriculum, rather than being a small collection of stick handling tricks and techniques. The primary weapon is the stick, referred to as the Bata or, by some, the Shillelagh. The fighting stick of Antrim Bataireacht, is traditionally 4 foot in length and may be of varied woods, with blackthorn, oak, ash and hazel appearing to be historically preferred. In modern times, a stick of 3 feet length has come into favor as that approximates the average length of most standard canes and walking sticks in common use today. Antrim Bataireact is, as one might surmise, a blunt impact weapon method. The focus is the use of the weapon as such, making use of the blunt knob or end of the bata, the mid shaft and, the narrower end that may or may not be tipped with a ferrule. Evasive footwork, some grappling, bare knuckle boxing and even conservative kicking skills are used to support the weapon and afford other options during the chaos of combat. It does need to be emphasized that the art always regards the weapon as a stick and never as a means to develop edged weapon skills. Various aspects of the training methodology will definitely develop attributes that would be helpful with the use of other weaponry, but the fact that this weapon relies on blunt trauma is not forgotten.
In considering Antrim Bataireact as an option for modern self defense, several points should be considered:
-The use of any weapon in combat can be considered “use of a deadly force” and, while not as dangerous as a firearm or as fear inspiring as a knife, the use of the bata without appropriate cause can have significant legal and social implications depending on one’s location and culture.
-Bataireacht evolved in an age when firearms were nonexistent to and reached its apex in an age when firearms were still rare and often unreliable. Attributes developed could potentially afford some potentially useful skills and options when accosted by a criminal with a firearm under special circumstances. However, as an art, it does not pretend to be a method capable of countering a well- trained handler of firearms who is mindful and has conditions in his or her favor.
-The skills of Antrim Bataireacht might best exist as one aspect of a person’s complete spectrum of self defense that follows a logical use of force continuum and includes skills with weaponry. While Antrim Bataireacht is an excellent skill set for defense of one’s person, it does not preclude one from developing empty hand combat skills or skill in use of firearms, blades and other defensive tools. This method, as fine as it is, does not claim to answer all situations in all circumstances. There is no requirement for the Antrim Bataireacht practitioner to eschew the carry of the firearm or other weapons.
With the above considerations in mind, Antrim Bataireacht and the Bata have some elements that commend them well as a part of one’s overall defensive skills. First, especially in this day and age, the Bata carried as the walking stick or cane is not often regarded as much more than an ambulatory aid. As long as one does not carry the stick in a manner that appears threatening or combative it may be overlooked by most citizens in one’s proximity. So, one may carry a weapon at ready, in the hand, without worry of inspiring suspicion and agitation amongst others. If questioned about one’s possession of a cane or walking stick it can always be explained away as being used to assist walking due to a lower extremity infirmity or as a tool for discouraging dogs or snakes while out on one’s walks. Practically speaking, a stick of such length often does come in handy for very utilitarian reasons and one may well find possession of a stick often comes in handy for reasons far more common that self defense.
In some cases, potential aggressors may be observant and regard the bata/cane as a credible threat and move on to easier targets. So, the carrying of the stick may in some ways afford a degree of deterrence. However, some may look at the stick as a potential flag signaling vulnerability. In such cases, they may approach with over confidence and inadequate regard for one’s ability which could prove to one’s tactical advantage. As always, the mindful self defense expert has to consider such possibilities. The Bata is a blunt impact weapon and, as such, often does not arouse visions of bloodletting, dismemberment and wounding associated with edged weapons and firearms. This can make it an acceptable option for self defense for someone who would never consider the carry of knives and firearms. For that person, a bata in hand can foster confidence that he or she has a method of personal defense readily in hand should a potential threat is become evident.
For many there is either a psychological or a moral “line in the sand” that will not allow them to choose defensive options that would likely result in evisceration, blood loss and the traumatic “opening” of another’s body. To be sure, the blunt impact weapon is capable of maiming or killing , but one adverse to such things can rationalize that through effective footwork and targeting, they may well diminish and dissuade an attacker without deliberately attempting to permanently injure or even kill their attacker. With the carrying of the bata in hand, one may have an immediate option to deal with a threat while gaining time ,distance and position to bring other options , including the firearm, to bear if necessary.
However, the immediate use of the combative cane or bata might well circumvent the need to move to other options. As always, the prudent self defense practitioner needs to be alert, mindful, situationally aware and observant of his or her environment and circumstance to maximize the effectiveness of the bata. If this mindset of preparedness is not fostered, a situation might arise resulting in the bata being just as useless as the handgun still in its holster during an attack. The challenge to the individual is to develop the mindset and carry of the bata couched in a sense of preparedness along with moral restraint and social sensibility rather than paranoia, aggressiveness and ego. That way, the weapon can be carried and at the ready without threating those one find’s oneself near or engaged with in the community.
There can be some minor considerations with carrying the bata as a routine self defense option. For some ,there is a difficulty in getting used to the constant carry of the stick as it does tie up one hand and can complicate some tasks if one does not devise a method of holding or carrying the stick while using one’s hands for varied mundane tasks. One also has to get past the notion that some will regard anyone carrying a cane as somewhat debilitated or “gimpy”. I expect for “some of us” that are getting older, it can be a bit annoying in one’s mind to know that the cane may make some younger folks regard you as old and infirm. While it may mean your social camouflage is very effective, I’ve had a student that was not keen on that reality and had to put that bit of his ego in check. The final difficulty is that in order for one to ‘fly under the radar’ and remain unnoticed while carrying the bata, the carry of that weapon must be innocuous, nonthreatening and by all means non-martial.
The Basic Ready Stance: This may be with a true or false lead. The bata is held raised in the “High Outside Guard”, which finds the hand positioned approximately 1/3 of the way up the bata, allowing the lower potion to shield the forearm and elbow from attack. The free hand and forearm are held across the body protecting vital areas such as the solar plexus while ready to be used to ward off blow, strike or seize if necessary. This position, combined with footwork, allows for good mobility and excellent use of the reach of the bata. This position is a very strong position for dueling and faction fighting.
The “Hooves of the Horse” position. This one refers to the appearance of some of the movements from this position that resemble the hooves of a horse raising up and smashing down. This position is often used for self defense and when one’s range is collapsed to very close quarters. It allows for use of the mid shaft as well as ends of the bata. The weapon can be used in deflections, uppercuts, pins, violent shoving, downward smashing blows, thrusts with the ends as well as tight slashing attacks as if using ones elbows.
The Two Handed Position. This resembles one holding a sword with two hands. This position allows for use of the bata for powerful thrusts and swinging attacks, creating distance and work against multiple attackers. It also allows for the effective use of longer and heavier bata.
Basic footwork is introduced next. Footwork tends to be simple but effective with an emphasis of moving in and out of range and stepping to positions that take advantage of openings in the opponent’s guard. Typical of all work with weaponry , it is emphasized that one needs to avoid being stationary and should, instead, be able to move quickly to avoid an opponent’s blows as well as to optimize ones position during counter attacks.
Next, striking and deflections are introduced. Strikes are executed with a snapping motion that makes use of the pendulum- like effect created by the root knob at the end of the bata. The strikes shoot out and then quickly return back ready to strike again. The basic angles follow vertical as well as oblique and horizontal lines both on the inside and outside lines of the opponent’s guards along with the linear thrust. The corresponding defenses are quickly taught as well. These are drilled in various combinations and sequences to develop reflexes and appropriate mechanics. This initially gives the impression that the Antrim method is a long range fighting system. While this method capitalizes on mobility and the delivery of multiple blows from a distance, it also is well equipped for close quarters work when the range between two opponents collapses. Initial drills tend to be somewhat symmetrical in that both participants are armed with similar weapons, giving neither an advantage over the other. This forces the student to develop effective footwork, reflexes, tactics and other attributes before moving on to materials where the student faces asymmetrical weapon situations or multiple opponents.
As the primary weapon in Antrim Bataireacht is the Bata, the student is quickly introduced to the concept of defending the stick. It is understood that if possible an opponent may attempt to seize one’s stick and quickly snatch it away, either to remove the weapon as a threat or to turn it against its owner. The student is introduced to drills involving developing reflexive response to the attempted grab as well as the use of footwork, striking and manipulations that counter the seizure of one’s stick. The emphasis generally is to get the stick free and get it into action delivering traumatic blows to the opponent rather than attempting to lock, grapple and submit with the bata.
In Irish Stick Fighting, a primary goal of the various styles was to deliver an incapacitating blow to the head. This could result in simply stunning the opponent or rendering him unconscious, but it could also fracture the skull and create deadly intracranial bleeding. So, the use of the bata in Antrim Bataireacht has very lethal capability. However, the student is taught the appropriate targeting of various points of anatomy that respond in a desirable manner to blunt force trauma. While strikes and thrusts to many areas of the cranium, face and neck can have serious consequences, the Antrim Bataireacht practitioner may choose to target other less dangerous areas that are still quite effective at disabling or dissuading an attacker. He or she may choose to target boney prominences of the body such as fingers, wrists, knee caps, elbows, shins and the clavicles or may apply thrusts to softer targets like the solar plexus, abdomen and groin. The student learns to use footwork and the varied positions to stay out of the reach of an opponent’s weapons be they knives, hands, other stick or polearms while delivering blows to various targets. The practitioner can use these developed skills to either move in to incapacitate an attacker or to create a condition where he or she can escape or, for that matter, the attacker can choose to break off the attack.
Antrim Bataireacht is an excellent choice for one to develop self defense skills. The Bata is a reliable weapon that offers a reasonable response to many unsolicited attacks. It is also fairly cost effective and offers a weapon in hand that one may carry about the community without inspiring anxiety and agitation. The training method is straightforward and easily learned while offering exciting opportunities for development as one works toward “mastery” of the art. The student may achieve effective use of the art for self defense in a relatively short period of time.
About The Author: K.R. “Doc” Dority DO leads an Irish Stick Fighting group in Dallas- Ft.Worth, Texas, USA focused on Antrim Bataireacht. He continues his training under Maxime Chouinard and Danny Hoskins, both of whom he has been training under for several years. He is a practicing physician and a former member of USAF Special Operations. He has trained in Combat Science, Martial Arts and Combative Sports since 1974 , instructs in four forms of Silat/Pencak Silat and holds teaching credentials in a number of other martial arts.
William Steuart Trench is a familiar – and often infamous – name for those who study 19th century Irish history, and more precisely the period following the Great Famine. Born in 1808 in Ballybritas, Trench went on to study and become a land agent. Members of this profession were in good part responsible for enforcing the policies which, among many other things, inflamed the social fabric of Ireland after the misery of an Gorta Mór. Trench was no stranger to this, and though he managed some positive things in his career, his practice drew the ire of many ribbonmen who tried to assassinate him on multiple occasions.
Regardless of Trench’s track record, the man is most famous for his writings on the Irish working class. In this article, I will examine a scene from one of his later stories, « The killin of Timmy O’Brien » which was the fifth story in his uncompleted series « Sketches of life and character in Ireland ». This was published in « Evening Hours Volume II », in 1872, the year Trench passed away.
As with any such story, one must keep a very critical eye as it is never made clear where the author’s creative license begins or ends, or even if the story ever took place at all. We must also keep in mind the viewpoint and intention of Trench in writing such a story, as well as the time that separates this possible memory from the actual writing. Also, please do keep in mind that this is first and foremost a work of fiction. The events are likely inspired by what Trench saw, but this is not an account of an actual encounter, and the characters involved should be understood as imaginary. Any attempt to link this story to real individuals should be looked at with a high degree of skepticism.
That said, it is entirely possible to compare the elements of this tale to what we know of bataireacht in order to judge its value as a source on the practice of this martial art. I have highlighted the elements I found most interesting and will talk about them below.
But he was scarcely outside when a shrill whistle was heard, so loud, long, and piercing, that in a moment the shouts of laughter were hushed, and a dead silence ensued. In less than half a minute, and before the guests could recover their surprise at the strange piercing whistle which, “wild as the screams of the curlew”, rang through the hall, the festive scene of revelry and rout was changed to one of violence and blood. MacEgan, followed by four stalwart young men, all of them with formidable shillelaghs in their grasp, sprang into the room. For a moment he stood still, looking rapidly round him amongst the guests, when his eye suddenly lighting upon the bridegroom, three strides brought them face to face, and immediately within reach of each other.
But the bridegroom was not wholly unprepared. He had risen from his seat as soon as MacEgan entered, and drawing a pistol from his pocket, which he held lowered in his hand; the two young men stood still for a moment glaring at each other.
“Will ye give her up?” shouted MacEgan, in a voice of thunder.
“Never! replied Murphy. “Never: to the likes of you!”
“Then take that!” cried MacEgan; and suddenly raising his knotted stick, he aimed a desperate blow at his rival’s head.
But Murphy was not taken unawares. Though unarmed with a like weapon, he knew how to handle his shillelagh quite as well as MacEgan; and raising his left arm in a slanting position he parried the blow, so that it came down harmless on his shoulder.
“Stand back!” cried Murphy, whose temper was now roused, and who was by no means deficient in pluck; “Stand back, MacEgan; if you advance another inch, or again raise your stick, you are a dead man!” And so saying he cocked and raised the pistol to level with MacEgan’s breast.
“We will see that!” replied MacEgan between his teeth; and again grasping his stick, and whirling it round for another onslaught, Murphy suddenly brought the pistol to a level with MacEgan’s head, and pulled the trigger! A sharp snap was the result. The pistol had missed fire! MacEgan’s eye glistened with triumph; and whirling his shillelagh round his head once more, with a sound like the flight of a bird in the air, he brought it down with such force right over the bridegroom’s forehead as to break through all his defences, and Murphy in a moment lay bleeding an prostrate upon the floor.
“Hah! Shillelagh will never miss fire!” cried MacEgan.
The astonished guests were so taken by surprise, that they stood staring at the combatants in mut wonder at the scene which had so unexpectedly come before them. The priest was first to speak.
“MacEgan,” he said, “ye shall answer this before God and man. Seize him boys; why don’t ye! Down with him, arrest him, – take him in any way ye can! Dead or alive, let him never leave the room that way.” Andadvancing upon MacEgan with the thronged whip in his hand, he called on the guests to help him. A wild tumult now arose; the young men leaped across the tables to arrest and seize MacEgan, while the women shrieked, and clapping thir hand, shouted, “Murder! Murder! Robbers!”
MacEgan never moved: he stood perfectly still, glaring on the thickening crowd, and waiting, shillelagh in hand, for the first men to approach or touch him. All hesitated; when his voie was heard clear and form amidst the tumult.
“Carry her off, two of ye! Let two more clear the course, and spare no man who lays a hand on either ye or her. Away with her I tell ye! I can fight my own battle myself.”
In a moment the bride was lifted in the arms of two able young men, who had entered the room along with him, whilst the two others, making vigorous use of their blackthorns, struck right and left at all who impeded their course; and before the people outside coul in the least comprehend the transactions which had so rapidly passed within the hall, the bride was seated on a pillion behind one of her rescuers, whilst the other sprang upon a horse ready prepared beside her, and away they galloped before the crowd who had collected could in the least comprehend what it as all about!
“They’ll’s have fleet steeds that follow, quoth young Lockinvar.”
But MacEgan was now hard pressed inside the banqueting hall. The Murphys and their friends and faction soon rcovered from their surprise, and though none dare approach MacEgan within the stroke of his shillelagh, yet they seized knives and forks, and hurled them, with bottles and tumblers, at his head. MacEgan received many severe cuts and blows, but he still kept his enemies at bay, so that none dare lay a hand on him, and wheeling, with the dexterity of a hawk upon the wind, and striking down now one and now another of his opponents, as they came within reach of his formidable weapon, he kept retreating all the time towards the door. Just as he came close to it, it was pushed violently open,and Jim the Gaffer, at the head of a dozen able stickmen, bounded into the room.
The guests stood aghast before this wild and sudden reinforcement.
“Who dar’ lay a hand on the MacEgan?” exclaimed the Gaffer, in a voice of thunder, as he stood glaring on the startled guests. “Who dar’ lay a hand on him, I say? Let him come forward now, and we’ll see if he’ll e’en stretch it out again!”
Having cast a look of contemptuous defiance upon the startled crowd of the Murphys, he retreated with his folowers to the door, having hurried MacEgan into their centre, well knowing that his friend would need his help still more outside. He was not there a moment too soon. The outside followers of the Murphys were by no means a contemptible faction and the bridegroom’s younger brother, a fine spirited young man, suspecting that mischief was in the wind, though he was hardly prepared for it breaking out so suddenly, had now collected his people together, and when MacEgan appeared outside, bleeding from the cuts of the missiles, and panting with his exertions in keeping so many enemies at bay, he was at once set upon by the Murphys’ faction, and though surrounded by the few followers who had accompanied the Gaffer into the dining hall, he was sore beset with the vigorous assault made upon him. But the Gaffer again came forward, and whirling his shillelagh till it whistled over his head, “Whoop! he cried; “MacEgan aboo! To the rescue!” and striking right and left, he soon cleared a space for himself and followers around MacEgan, and the two factions, now tolerably equally matched, as many of the O’Connors had joined the Gaffer, stood sticks in hand, opposite to each other, ready to fight to the death.
There was a momentary pause; when young Murphy, the bridegroom’s brother, was observed pressing through the crowd into the open space between the contending parties.
“MacEgan,” he said, “ye are a villain, and a coward! Ye struck down my brother when he was unarmed, and he lies still senseless in his blood. Come out and fight me now, if ye are a man. Ye have your weapon, and so have I. Come on, I say, and fight me now, if ye dar’.”
The Gaffer then beckoned to the gossoon, who still kept his eyes fixed upon his leader. “Away with you, like the wind,” he whispered, “and get out MacEgan’s horse, and have him saddled and bridled outside the orchard wall. If MacEgan kills him, as he surely will, it will take all we can do to get Machome and alive. Away with you now, don’t lose a minnit, for its not long before MacEgan will have him down; and mind you have Mr. O’Connor’s own mare beside him.”
The boy cast a longing look toward the combatants as if he were sorely disappointed at not seeing the fight; but he did not hesitate, and away he went to prepare the horse for MacEgan’s flght, if he should come off victorious.
Meanwhile the two combatant striped to their work. Both of them were able powerfulf young men; but MacEgan appeared to have the advantage in size. Each threw aside his coat and his waistcoat, tied a handkerchief round his waist, loosened his shirt collar at the neck, and advanced towards is opponent with the caution and guardedness of an experienced swordsman who knew that he was about to engage with a foeman worthy of his steel.
It was evident to the numerous and experienced stick-men around, who now looked upon this duel with the most intense interest and excitement, that though MacEgan was the stronger man, Murphy was the most accomplished fencer; and in the feints, parrys, and strokes, which took place, so dextrous and rapid were his hits, that he more than once drew blood from the head of his antagonist. The clatter and rattle made by those two single-stick-men was marvellous; and no one who was not an actual spectator of the scene could have believed, judging from the noise alone, that only two men were engaged in the combat. MacEgan at length, stung by the pain of the wounds he had received, and still more by the cheers and taunts of Murphy’s backers, who claimed the credit of first drawing blood, and finding all his efforts fruitless to break down his opponent’s guard, lowered his weapon and stood still for a moment to regain his breath and take better measure than he had yet time to do of his antagonist’s strength, as well as wonderful skill in the handling of his shillelagh: his example was instantly followed by young Murphy, and the two young men stood opposite to each other, both of them with their sticks lowered, both of them panting and almost quite out of breath, but both of them as determined as ever to continue their desperate conflict.
“Ye are a good stick-man,” said McEgan at last, half-laughing, and half-grinning, through his teeth, as the blood trickled down his face. “ I honour ye for it; but faix I thought I’d have ye down before now.”
“I have met my match an way this time,” replied young Murphy, smiling good humouredly, as he wiped the sweat off his brow with his shirt sleeve.
“Where did ye larn it?” said MacEgan, “ I did not think there was such a man between Shannon and the ‘Devil’s-bit.’”
“Troth then ye’ll hardly believe me when I tell ye that what little I know I learned in London,” returned Murphy, “ there’s a chap there would poke your eye out with his stick in one minute, and put it in again with the self-same stick in the next, so that ye would hardly feel it, or know it was out at all!”
Whilst this strange colloquy was going on the two combatants had partially regained their breath. But just as they were about to raise their sticks to begin the fight once more, a shout was heard from a distant voice behind the immediate crowd of spectators.
“Hah! MacEgan’s bet, I say: he was the first to lower the stik, and cry mercy, and now he’s beggin’ his life. Down with him, I say, and all his bloody brood: let not one of them leave the ground alive! How dar’ he come here to put a stop to a peaceful weddin’!”
“Ye are a liar!” shouted the gaffer at the top of his voice: “the MacEgan never yet cried mercy to livin’ man. Come round here yourself, if ye are not satisfied with what fightin’ is goin’ on already, and I’ll warrant I’ll give ye enough to do.”
So saying, the cunning Gaffer, under pretence of seeking for a distant adversary, passed across the combatants, close beside MacEgan, and whispered as he went by, “ Shorten your stick, and close on him: he can’t stand that. I know his fence of old.”
The hint thus rapidly given was not lost upon MacEgan; and the lookers on being evidently impatient for more fighting, and the young men themselves nothing loth, both raised their sticks and entered again upon the struggle.
After a few scientific feints and parries matters again seemed to become serious. Once more blood was drawn by Murphy, and the knuckles of MacEgan’s hand suffered severely. In a moment MacEgan was seen to run down his right hand to the centre of his shillelagh, and grasping it firmly in the middle, he rushed in upon Murphy. He received a severe blow on the head as he did so; but having got inside his guard, he struck rapidly with both ends, – now one and now the other, so as completely to upset and break down all attempts at ordinary scientific fencing. Murphy saw his danger, and being young and active, made several attempts to escape by springing backwards; but in doing so he came against the crowd outside the ring, and his powers of defence were thus completely checked. MacEgan perceived his advantage, and leaping like a tiger upon him, he seized his adversary’s now almost useless weapon, and wrenching it violently out of his grasp, he flung it over his shoulder into the midst of his followers behind him; then springing back a step he once more resumed the full swing of his weapon, and struck his astonished adversary such a blow on the side of his head as sent him reeling on the ground amongst his followers, bleeding profusely at nose, mouth and ears.
A shout now arose from both the contending parties, such as one hears only in Ireland: a wild, half-frantic shout, – a strange mixture or combination between a British cheer and a savage yell. I have heard it very often, but never out of Ireland; and I never herd it yet but what it foretold dangerous mischief from an angry people. No one who heard that shout could tell whether it was one of triumph or of vengeance; but all could tell that it was the forerunner of wild work.
The Gaffer knew this as well or better than any one “Whoop! Hurrah! MacEgan aboo!” he shouted, leaping wildly in the air, wheeling his shillelagh, and making his voice be heard above the din. “ If it’s for fighting it out ye are among ourselves, now that young Murphy is down, we are not the men to baulk ye’er fancy. Draw off your people there, and let us meet man to man on each side; and if we don’t lay ever mother’s son of ye as low as ever macEgan laid young Murphy to-day, ye may say my name is not the Gaffer.
He had scarcely uttered this high-sounding challenge, when he sprang to MacEgan’s side, who stood alone, still panting with his recent exertions, and apparently scarcely conscious that he was the victor in the duel.
1- « raising his left arm in a slanting position he parried the blow, so that it came down harmless on his shoulder. »
This is a rather simple maneuver, but part of Antrim Bata. If you are surprised or caught unarmed, you can use your arm to parry a blow. The key is knowing how to do it, as you cannot quite parry a stick like you would a punch without getting injured.
2- « though none dare approach MacEgan within the stroke of his shillelagh, yet they seized knives and forks, and hurled them, with bottles and tumblers, at his head. MacEgan received many severe cuts and blows, »
Believe it or not, throwing anything you have on hand at your opponent is a part of Antrim Bata, and a very important part of faction fighting in Ireland. During the famous faction fight of Ballyveigh Strand in 1834, witnesses reported how the battlefield appeared as if covered by a dark cloud from all the rocks being thrown.
3- « wheeling, with the dexterity of a hawk upon the wind, and striking down now one and now another of his opponents, as they came within reach of his formidable weapon, »
It is interesting how the description of « wheeling » changes from author to author, and it is important to note that like many facets of bataireacht (and Irish vocabulary as a whole) an action could be described very differently by different people, and regions could have their own take on a common word. This is why I do not ascribe to rigid typologies. In many descriptions of faction fights, wheeling is taken as the whole preparatory actions before the fight; throwing insults, stomping or dancing and flourishing the stick. In this case, it seems to be mostly referring to the latter. What the Gaffer is doing here, seems to be a tactic that we use in Antrim Bata to defend against multiple opponents, that is to use wide circular motions (in our case two-handed) to create a defensive space. This is, of course, one interpretation, the excerpt is not precise enough to really make a fair judgment.
4- « Whoop! he cried; “MacEgan aboo! To the rescue! »
« A shout now arose from both the contending parties, such as one hears only in Ireland: a wild, half-frantic shout, – a strange mixture or combination between a British cheer and a savage yell. I have heard it very often, but never out of Ireland; and I never herd it yet but what it foretold dangerous mischief from an angry people. No one who heard that shout could tell whether it was one of triumph or of vengeance; but all could tell that it was the forerunner of wild work. »
« Whoop! Hurrah! MacEgan aboo!” he shouted, leaping wildly in the air, wheeling his shillelagh, and making his voice be heard above the din. »
This is a very fun and unique part of Irish stick fighting among the martial arts of Europe. While most European fighters preferred to keep fairly silent, the Irish had a propensity for shouting during fights. What our protagonist is shouting here is very classic. « Whoop » or « Whiroo » are very well documented in faction fights, as is the battle cry of « abú » meaning « for ever », or « to victory ». In Antrim Bata, shouts are used a bit like a kiai in kendo. As a way to surprise an opponent and give intent to a strike, but also as a way to disturb an opponent during a fight which we call « bluffing ».
5- « Each threw aside his coat and his waistcoat, tied a handkerchief round his waist, loosened his shirt collar at the neck, and advanced towards his opponent with the caution and guardedness of an experienced swordsman who knew that he was about to engage with a foeman worthy of his steel. »
This part is most interesting as it is often portrayed in illustrations but rarely described. This is an action that is common in weapon duels around Europe, quite possibly to assure the opponent and the onlookers that none of the duelists are wearing any sort of protection or hidden weapons. Which, if you remember one of my previous entries to this blog, could happen and with deadly consequences.
This is something which was also described to me by my máistir. People stuffed their hats and the sleeves of their shirts with cotton, which I believe was also possibly done as a way to train, and sowed implements like fish hooks and blades in their clothes to deter people from grabbing them.
The handkerchief around the waist was probably there mostly to help keep the pants and shirts in place, but it is illustrated in a few paintings and engravings, namely this beautiful piece by Daniel MacDonald from 1844 named « The Fighter ».
Next is the coming on guard, and from there we start to see the profound admiration that Trench seems to give to bataireacht, comparing it to expert fencing. An apt observation from a man who was apparently on the receiving end of a shillelagh more than once in his career.
6- « though MacEgan was the stronger man, Murphy was the most accomplished fencer; and in the feints, parrys, and strokes, which took place, so dextrous and rapid were his hits, that he more than once drew blood from the head of his antagonist. »
It surprises many people, but bataireacht is very often described as « fencing » or « boiscin ». Fencing today is exclusively associated with sword fighting, but the expression at the time covered a wide range of melee fighting from boxing to quarterstaff. The practice of bataireacht and broadsword fencing share many similarities and were probably at some point in time taught conjointly, but they also exhibit fundamental differences. I will develop more on this in a future article.
7- « who claimed the credit of first drawing blood »
This is something I must say I never encountered before, but it is not entirely surprising to see it here as fighting to the first blood was a very widely recognized form of dueling in Europe, though here it is not considered the end goal, but rather more of an honorific achievement. I would like to see it mentioned somewhere else though before considering it an Irish thing.
8- “Ye are a good stick-man,”
According to Niall Ó Dónaill’s dictionary, we could translate this as baitín or bataire.
9- “Where did ye larn it?” said MacEgan, “ I did not think there was such a man between Shannon and the ‘Devil’s-bit.’”
“Troth then ye’ll hardly believe me when I tell ye that what little I know I learned in London,” returned Murphy, “ there’s a chap there would poke your eye out with his stick in one minute, and put it in again with the self-same stick in the next, so that ye would hardly feel it, or know it was out at all!”
This is a very interesting part of this story. It is a documented fact that schools of bataireacht existed across Ireland, and that individuals taught these skills to one another, but it is the first time I see the mention of a fighter saying that he learned his art in another country… and in England of all places! I am sure this will be a contentious claim, and one which could very well be ascribed to the author’s imagination, but it is interesting to examine it.
Did Murphy meet an Irish expatriate in London? Or perhaps did he learn some sort of fencing with a cudgel or with the sword and applied it to his handling of the shillelagh? Based on his description, it could even have been a lesson of foil, as few stick styles that we know of included thrusts.
« Men stick fighting outside a tavern » This sketch from Charles MacKenzie in 1805 possibly shows a class of bataireacht. Source: National Library if Ireland
10- “Hah! MacEgan’s bet, I say: he was the first to lower the stik, and cry mercy, and now he’s beggin’ his life. »
Another interesting tidbit here, as lowering the stick is seen as surrendering. Again, I have not seen this elsewhere and would like to see another mention.
11- « Shorten your stick, and close on him: he can’t stand that. I know his fence of old.”
Now, we get to the most interesting part of the text. It is unfortunately not very well described, and we can only try and interpret it from what we know of bataireacht.
12- « MacEgan was seen to run down his right hand to the centre of his shillelagh, and grasping it firmly in the middle, he rushed in upon Murphy. He received a severe blow on the head as he did so; but having got inside his guard, he struck rapidly with both ends, – now one and now the other, so as completely to upset and break down all attempts at ordinary scientific fencing. Murphy saw his danger, and being young and active, made several attempts to escape by springing backwards; but in doing so he came against the crowd outside the ring, and his powers of defence were thus completely checked. MacEgan perceived his advantage, and leaping like a tiger upon him, he seized his adversary’s now almost useless weapon, and wrenching it violently out of his grasp, he flung it over his shoulder into the midst of his followers behind him; then springing back a step he once more resumed the full swing of his weapon, and struck his astonished adversary such a blow on the side of his head as sent him reeling on the ground amongst his followers, bleeding profusely at nose, mouth and ears. »
There is a lot to unpack here. Now let’s address the short grip first. Most who are familiar with bataireacht will know that one defining aspect of the practice is the grip at the lower third, held this way as to act as a guard for the arm and the head. My first thought that the Gaffer was suggesting to go for a two-handed grip, such as we would do when closing in Antrim Bata or in Rince an Bhata Uisce Bhata, but it really seems that MacEgan only slightly shortens his grip. Like this, he can effectively fight from a closer distance than Murphy. If he manages to break the distance- which he does while receiving a severe blow that luckily for him does not end the fight- and keep Murphy close he can then negate a lot of his opponent’s strikes.
Now, this works because Murphy seems to be specialized at fighting from a distance, which is fine as long as you can maintain it. The size of the fighting area does not allow Murphy to regain control of the distance and so he is overwhelmed. This illustrates the importance of having a well-rounded set of techniques that will allow you to fight in different situations and in different ranges. This is what Antrim Bata teaches. While we try to use our weapon’s reach to its full potential, we also have quite an array of mid and close-range techniques allowing us to adapt our style to the situation at hand.
Next comes the disarm, also an integral part of Antrim Bata and a reason why we keep the stick high and out of reach as much as possible.
Gruesome fact: bleeding from the nose, ears and mouth all at the same time is a sign of a severely fractured skull. The chances of young Murphy’s survival are slim, even more so considering the surgical options of the time.
13- « still panting with his recent exertions, and apparently scarcely conscious that he was the victor in the duel. »
This is a fairly realistic rendition of the end of a fight, especially such a violent and long one which is no doubt taxing.
This image was included as part of the story, and probably represents the Gaffer telling MacEgan to shorten his grip. Engravings published in serials such as these are often the least reliable elements as it is unlikely that authors had much control over them.
To conclude, I would say that the description of this fight fits quite well with what we know of bataireacht and the culture around it. The tactics and particularities of the style seem to match what we know, and even go a bit further than what is usually written about them. Whether this whole event sprang from the author’s imagination or was duly recorded is impossible to say, but the depiction of the fight itself is quite realistic and I would dare to say that the author knew what he was talking about for the most part.
If you would like to learn to learn the martial art behind this story, be sure to check the rest of our website to see where you can learn Antrim Bata.
It has recently come to my attention that some people started to promote their own classes and workshops on Irish stick fighting after taking a few classes with an instructor, in person or by distance, or even by watching a few videos. The result is invariably technically poor, but as our art is not well disseminated and understood many people cannot see the difference. The persons teaching this way are missing the point of what we are trying to achieve and what traditional bataireacht truly represents.
This is not a new phenomenon, nor is it exclusive to bataireacht, but this is something to which I thought I should speak. What I am writing here is unlikely to make those people change their minds about what they are doing, and if so I wish to thank you in advance, but it will at least explain why the process of passing on this intangible cultural heritage is just as important as the art itself.
The notion of intangible cultural heritage might be new to you, and I think it is important to present it before going further into this discussion. Intangible cultural heritage refers to « the practices, representations, expressions, as well as the knowledge and skills (including instruments, objects, artifacts, cultural spaces), that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. » ( LOMITKO (1 October 2005). « Definition of Intangible Heritage »)
To survive, a cultural heritage needs to be passed on through human vessels. When it ceases to be transmitted, it simply ceases to be. In that regard, it is not only a collection of movement or techniques, but the whole art and what goes around it, including the way it is passed on, is equally important and sets it apart from mere reconstructions and recordings. Equally important is the notion that an intangible cultural heritage is not an open source to be pillaged. It is the property of the knowledge bearers and they are free to share or restrict the knowledge that they hold.
Antrim Bata is in the same situation. For quite a long time, it was preserved through the Ramsey family and was not communicated outside of it. It was only recently opened to the world by my máistir who, in turn, gave me permission to teach. Continuing this tradition, we are very selective on who is given the right to teach what they know. This helps to safeguard the quality of instruction, the authenticity of our style, and its representation to the outside world. If this does not interest you, there are a few historical documents showing techniques here and there. A reconstruction approach is quite interesting in its own right, but it is not what we are doing here.
To steal this knowledge is not only disrespectful to past máistirs and their culture but shows blatant ignorance of the values they transmitted to us. The term « cultural appropriation » gets waved around excessively these days, but I would say that in this context it is quite fitting. Some people will feel frustrated at this idea, feeling that all knowledge should be freely accessible and that no one can rightfully own it. My response would be, again, that they are missing the point and should probably find another hobby.
Now, of course, that does not mean that you cannot take what you learned and apply it elsewhere. If you are not interested in teaching Antrim Bata but appreciate the techniques, do include them in your own style, but give credit to where they come from and do not call what you do Antrim Bata or traditional Irish stick fighting. This cross pollination is, in my humble opinion, not only quite acceptable, but positive.
Nor are we asking people to teach Antrim Bata and nothing else. Many of our instructors teach a variety of different martial arts (myself included), and sometimes combine their skills when sparring. There is nothing wrong there as long as our art is correctly being passed on.
I hope that this small text helped to make my point clear. When you start to learn Antrim Bata, you are not only paying for lessons or for the right to memorize techniques that you can rebrand at will. You are welcomed into a living tradition that belongs to those who are willing to teach you. Until you are deemed capable of passing on the torch you are a guest and are expected to respect the rules of the group that is housing you and taking the time to show you the way.
Maxime Chouinard will be coming back to teach in Troy, Missouri, this December to one of the oldest groups currently practicing Antrim Bata. Do not miss this opportunity to learn the art in the US. If you are interested in opening up a study group, this is a perfect venue to discuss it.
Regular classes will be starting tomorrow in Ottawa, Canada, under Máistir Maxime Chouinard. Classes will be held every Wednesdays, from 6 to 7:30PM, with plans to set up more classes in the near future.
Here is a video that was taken of an open workshop given at the Warriors of the Light Warrior Academy where the classes will be held.
Two very interesting seminars will be taking place in France this year.
The first one is at the HEMAC Dijon from May 2nd to May 6th (more details to come). This event is the largest workshop centered event focused on Historical European Martial Arts. It takes place every year bringing participants from all over the planet. Máistir Maxime Chouinard will be teaching an introductory workshop there. The workshop will be given in English.
Following this one, we will be once again attending the yearly Paris seminar on May 11th and 12th. This seminar will be open to all levels, with a portion reserved for advanced levels and instructors. Thank you to Bâton Irlandais Paris for hosting Maxime Chouinard once more. More details to come as well!
One thing that strikes me when discussing bataireacht with students, is how much we lack a vocabulary to talk about the stick. Most martial arts will have a typology to discuss the different parts of their weapons, but the shillelagh has none. In this article, I propose a short list of different terms to be used when discussing the Irish stick.
Note that this terminology is not part of the tradition that I learned from Antrim Bata. It is taken from Niall Ó Dónaill’s Irish dictionary Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla published in 1977 which mentions many shillelagh specific terms. It is not meant as an official bataireacht typology, and others might use different terms depending on the region and style, though everyone is welcome to use it.
Murlán: The knob. Interestingly, Ó Dónaill mentions that this word not only designates the knob of a stick, but also the button of a foil (murlán ar phionsa) or the knuckles of the hand (ag imirt murlán). Pronunciation: Murr-lonn – rhymes with English words purr-gone.
Ramhar: This is referred to as the « thick part » (anceann ramhar denbhata). This would be the part of the stick above the grip, which is used mostly to block with. Pronunciation: Row-urr. The first syllable rhymes with English « now » or « cow ».
Dorn: This is the grip, the area which is gripped by the hand to wield the shillelagh. Pronunciation: Just as it would be in English.
Buta: This is the butt, the lower part of the stick used to defend the arm and to strike with. Pronunciation: Butt-ah. The first syllable rhymes with English « butt ». Final vowel is neutral. The « T » is pronounced very sharply.
Barr: The point or ferrule. This is the small point of the stick used to stab and thrust with. Pronunciation: Just like English « bar. »
Thank you to Ben Miller for his help with pronunciation and review.
Irish Stick Fighting 