livinghistory.ie

Looking for a supplier to do an Irish 1916 kit. Any ideas where to get clothing for this?

Thanks.

Hello Red Neck Jedi
My name is Padraig O Ruairc and Im in charge of a group called Kakhi and Green who portray both sides of the Irish war of Independence. We have been doing this for about six years now. Id be happy to give you information on kit for the 1916 - 1921 period I presume its for the republican side. My first piece of advice is avoid the fancy green Irish Volunteer uniforms. While its easy enough to doctor modern military dress uniforms to look like the Irish Volunteer ones, The uniform itself was rare enough at the time. Most historians agree that duriung easter week 1916 only 25% to 30% of the rebels actually wore any sort of uniform. In the 1917 - 1921 period Irish Volunteer / IRA uniforms were even rarer (and a lot less fancy that the approved 1914 version!) The Volunteer uniform came back into vogue after the truce in July 1921 and was actually most widespread at the outbreak of the civil war.
What im trying to get across here is that you should wear 1920's civilian clothes if you want to be accurate. Try your local charity / thrift store for three piece suits and long civilian trench style coats in black, brown, or navy. Cordruoy was also very popular, look for cordruoy waistcoats and trousers preferably the same colour. Grandfather (ie collarless) shirts are easy enough to get hold of. Plain white is best but stripes in simple colours are also accurate. If you are doing city ASU then a collared shirt and tie are fine. For boots try the internet for WW1 British Army issue. For hats try to get a "Cheltanem" wide brimmed hat or "baker boy" hat in tweed or cordouroy try a hatters and formal menswear shop for these as you proably wont get them second hand - again go for plain colours. If you need I can give you the addresses of hat suppliers or shops that sell irish tweed jackets.
You can supliment the civilian dress with British ww1 and Boer War Bandoliers, Sam browne belts and leather lrggings or wrap around cloth putees. If you would like replica Irish Volunteer Belt Buckles or badges I know people here who are making them.
Id like to write more but im just back home after a three hour drive from doing a 1916 -1921 reenactment and its pretty late. This should have given you some ideas. If you would like more information or have any specific kit / history questions please e-mail me at padraigoruairc@gmail.com

Bye for now Ill checek this post again tomorrow.
Slan
Padraig

I thought you were killed at least twice today

Seriously though Annie, Padraig is your man on this one

Thanks for the replies. I'm not quite sure about fashion in the 1920's I have a general idea but will need some assistance pinning down the decade. Had a friend of the family who was a WW1 veteran but he died recently so I can't rely on him (he was also quite senile but very friendly in that grouchy old man sort of way...) I will probably hit the books at the library hoping that there wasn't much difference in style between Ireland and the US in those days.

I have a bowler style hat but I'm assuming it is too early for the period (I'm not telling why I have it ) . It shouldn't be a problem as it wasn't even a century ago. Plenty of resource materials.

Thanks again for the help... now I have three periods I am trying to assemble...

Hi,

Saw your post. Get in contact with me. I am in Frederick MD and am a member of a 1916-1921 group. You're welcome to fall in with us or we can help with any information you need. I have photos, sources, whatever.

Paul Smith
3rd Cork Brigade.

n36973@hotmail.com

the great thing about doing the 1916 -1921 period is that we have photographs to go on. Id strongly recommend buying Tim Pat Coogan and George Morrisons book "The Irish Civil War" it should be available on amazon and is packed with contemporary photographs.
The bolar hat is contemporary for the period but a definative no - no if you want to do an I.R.A. Volunteer / Irish Volunteer. Firstly bolar hats are associated here with Orange regelia - Ive seen plenty of pictures of U.V.F. Volunteers wearing them but i dont recall seeing any Irish Volunteers with them. (But thats the great thing about this period do some research on period photos and prove me wrong.) Bolar hats would have been worn by the upperclass at the time and the majority of Volunteers would have been middleclass and unable to afford one. Perhaps in the early days of the movement 1913 - 1915 some of the wealthier volunteers like Thomas J. Kettle would have worn them, and I have seen Straw Bolar hats worn on Volunteer Parade, but most of those who were respectable enough to purchase a bolar hat would have followed Redmond into the National Volunteers during the split in 1914.
O.K. Technically its period but if you are trying to accurately portray the adverage rebel at the time it looks very wrong. But if you ever want to do D.M.P. G-man (British secret police force in dublin wear it with an accompanying suit as mufti. Are you in Contact with Bob Mc Donough and Mark Rangan of the Third West Cork A.S.U. or Irish Volunteer Historical society? They are on your side of the Atlantic and very knowledgeable and nice fellas. As I said if any of you want any more help of just want to discuss / debate the period please contact me by e-mail or better still post a specific topic / query and we can discuss it here.
Slan tamaill
Padraig Og

Apart from the south is their any living history groups that reenact 1916 - 1922 republican forces in Belfast or Derry? I've seen them on parade in west Belfast come Easter but with the band I'm in never got round to getting to speak to any. Do all 1913-1916 Irish volunteers style uniforms have to be custom made, if so, what price are we looking at?

Go raibh maith agat

Eimhin

The people you saw in the uniforms are members of the Cumann Uaigeann Lochra nGael , membership is by invitation solely ,so unless you are invited to join this association most likely you will not be able to participate in their events but will are welcome to watch or attend . The uniforms are purchased from a dealer that has the particular specifications of the uniforms and they are of a reasonable price but you must make sure to speak to a particular member on this forum, who if he replies will help you out with the information , The deactivated guns are purchased from Ryton Arms and the C96 Mausers if you want a replicia are cheaply purchased from Fritz a friend , however if you are in the UK ie this also includes Northern Ireland you must belong to a Bona Fide re-enactment group or grouping and have insurance .The Sam Browne belts can be obtained from a reasonable supplier who provides good quality equipment and the cap badges are available from people on this forum . The buttons I have plenty of and will help you out whenever I get the opportunity to meet up with you .

Thanks for the information and advice everyone.

Hello lads,
Again as to uniforms in 1916 they were very rarely worn. Its much cheeper and usually more accurate to dress most of your group in civvies and get uniform belts and caps only. The Irish Civil War by Tim Pat Coogan and George Morrison is your best pictorial guide to dress. I can put ye in contact with Cyril Wall and / or Gary o Brien who replicate the cap badges, belt buckles and insignia.
I think Shergar is Belfast based and might be your best bet for contacts in the north. There was a worrying trend about 2002 of political parties dressing their parade colour parties in 1916 era uniforms and using it to make speeches about post 1998 politics which I think is something rather unplesent but thankfully I havent seen anyone doing that lately.

Any more kit questions please get in contact.
Padraig