Item Description
Original Item: One of a Kind. The traditional weapon of the Irish for many centuries has been the solid wood club we all know as a "SHILLELAGH". This example measures 16 1/2 inches in overall length and is a real handful to wield, weighting about 0.5lbs.
The top is carved with an "Irish Harp" on the bottom, and IRISH / SPRIG, the wood overall is as hard as iron. There is also a Shamrock carved into the bottom of the handle. These were typically made from Blackthorn or Oak wood, and this example definitely looks to be the former, with lots of knots visible. The bark was left on, and then lacquered, as typical of other examples we have seen. A man carrying one of these was a man to reckoned with, even compared to the heavier trench clubs used by some.
The shillelagh has a hole drilled about 4 inches from the bottom, where a wrist strap has been attached, which looks to be correct WWI Period. We were told when purchasing this that it was WWI Era, which also happens to be the exact same time as the Irish "Eastern Uprising" in 1916. However, only about 1,250 took part in the real fighting during the civil unrest, while 200,000 or so Irish fought in the Great War, so this is definitely much more likely to have been used in the trenches on the European mainland.
Recently acquired from a private collector, this is about as Irish as one can get! In great matured condition with much of the original bark present and ready to display!
A Shillelagh (/ʃɪˈleɪli, -lə/ shil-AY-lee, -lə; Irish: sail éille or saill éalaigh[1] [ˌsˠal̠ʲ ˈeːlʲə], "thonged willow") is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty blackthorn stick with a large knob at the top. It is associated with Ireland and Irish folklore. Other spelling variants include shillelah, shillalah, and shillaly
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