Irish martial arts
Encyclopedia
There are a number of traditional martial arts
styles native to Ireland
.
The Irish language
term for "martial arts" is .
Traditional styles include Dornálíocht (boxing
), Coraíocht (wrestling
), Speachóireacht (kicking), and Batadóireacht
(stick fighting
).
word for boxing, dorn meaning fist.
The Irish are well known for their bare-knuckle boxing
style. Dornálaíocht’s stance is often reflected in Irish caricatures such as that of the Notre Dame Leprechaun
. The lead hand stays at a greater distance from the body than done in modern boxing
. The lead arm’s shoulder stays tight against the jaw while the other arm is tucked tightly to the body, using its fist to guard the jaw. This is due to the bare-knuckle nature of the style. Without large boxing gloves
, it is not recommended to tuck and cover up from an assault. Instead, the lead hand is used to block the incoming attack while side stepping and back stepping to create an angle or swaying the torso away from or towards the opponent. The more distantly placed lead hand is also used to more easily obtain a single collar clinch, so that another valued aspect of Dornálaíocht can then be employed: dirty boxing. In Irish martial arts, dirty boxing is very effective for striking but is also used to set up many grappling-based attacks from collar-and-elbow
. In Irish-American schools, Dornálaíocht is sometimes referred to as “Irish Boxing”, “Irish Scrapping”, or “Scrapping”.
Radio Telefís Éireann
's Prime Time
, which discusses Irish related social and political problems, had an hour long documentary on the Irish Travellers and also their bare knuckle boxing heritage.
s, slams, pin
s, advancements, submissions, grapevines, and escapes. The most quoted “modern” way of describing the philosophy behind Coraíocht is “use balance and speed to obtain position so that strength can then be applied to the leverage created”. In Irish-American based systems, Coraíocht is sometimes referred to as “Irish Wrestling”, “Celtic Wrestling”, “Irish Scuffling”, “Scuffling”, and “Collar-and-Elbow”.
Famous Irish wrestlers include Danno O'Mahony
of Cork
(former world champion), Steve Casey
of Kerry
(former world champion), and Con O'Kelly, who competed for Britain in the 1908 Summer Olympics
. Famous Irish-American wrestlers include Henry Moses Dufur and John McMahon
.
and Irish dancing, but specifically for martial arts
as well. Shin kicking would have been the main type used in fighting bouts, both kicking the shin and kicking with the shin, like a shin kick seen used in Mixed Martial Arts
today. Most techniques attack the opponent's shins, knees, and thigh areas.
, which is still identified with popular Irish culture to this day, although the arts of Bataireacht are much less so. The sticks used for Bataireacht are not of a standardized size, as there are various styles of Bataireacht, using various kinds of sticks.
By the 18th century, Bataireacht became increasingly associated with Irish gangs called "factions". Irish faction fights involved large groups of Irish men (and sometimes women) who would engage in melees at county fairs, weddings, funerals, or any other convenient gathering. One social historian, Conley, believed that this reflected a culture of recreational violence. However, most historians (best summarized by James S. Donnelly, Jr. (1983) in "Irish Peasants: Violence & Political Unrest, 1780") agree that faction fighting had class and political overtones, as depicted for example in the works of William Carleton
.
By the early 19th century, these gangs had organized into larger regional federations, which coalesced from the old Whiteboys
into the Caravat and Shanavest factions. Beginning first in Munster
, the Caravat and Shanavest "war" erupted sporadically throughout the 19th century and caused some serious disturbances. Over time, traditional rules and methods of Bataireacht and Shillelagh Law degenerated into more murderous fighting involving farm implements and guns.
As the push for Irish independence from Great Britain
gained steam toward the end of the 18th century (see Irish Rebellion of 1798
), leaders of the Irish community believed it was necessary to distance themselves from customs associated with factionism and division, to present a united military front to the British, hence the United Irishmen of the Republican movement. Foremost of these customs were the arts of Bataireacht, and the shillelagh was soon replaced with the gun of the new unified faction of the Fenian Movement.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
styles native to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
The Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
term for "martial arts" is .
Traditional styles include Dornálíocht (boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
), Coraíocht (wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
), Speachóireacht (kicking), and Batadóireacht
Bataireacht
Bataireacht is the term used in Irish martial arts traditionally applied to various forms of stick fighting. Today the word bataireacht is used amongst Irish and English language speakers to distinguish between traditional and non-traditional stick-fighting styles.-Definition:Bataireacht is a term...
(stick fighting
Stick fighting
Stick fighting is a generic term for martial arts which use simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'sticks' for fighting such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or similar....
).
Boxing
Dornálaíocht, pronounced "durn-awly-okt" is the IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
word for boxing, dorn meaning fist.
The Irish are well known for their bare-knuckle boxing
Bare-knuckle boxing
Bare-knuckle boxing is the original form of boxing, closely related to ancient combat sports...
style. Dornálaíocht’s stance is often reflected in Irish caricatures such as that of the Notre Dame Leprechaun
Notre Dame Leprechaun
The Notre Dame leprechaun is the mascot of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He appears at athletic events, most notably at football games. It was designed by noted sports artist Theodore W...
. The lead hand stays at a greater distance from the body than done in modern boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. The lead arm’s shoulder stays tight against the jaw while the other arm is tucked tightly to the body, using its fist to guard the jaw. This is due to the bare-knuckle nature of the style. Without large boxing gloves
Boxing gloves
Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches. The term also refers to gloves used in training, though these often differ from competition gloves...
, it is not recommended to tuck and cover up from an assault. Instead, the lead hand is used to block the incoming attack while side stepping and back stepping to create an angle or swaying the torso away from or towards the opponent. The more distantly placed lead hand is also used to more easily obtain a single collar clinch, so that another valued aspect of Dornálaíocht can then be employed: dirty boxing. In Irish martial arts, dirty boxing is very effective for striking but is also used to set up many grappling-based attacks from collar-and-elbow
Collar-and-elbow
Collar-and-elbow wrestling is a style of folk wrestling native to Ireland that can be traced back to the 17th century but it has ties to the Games of Tailtinn between 632 BC and 1169 AD. Though originating in Ireland, the style flourished in America. The style is often compared to Catch wrestling,...
. In Irish-American schools, Dornálaíocht is sometimes referred to as “Irish Boxing”, “Irish Scrapping”, or “Scrapping”.
Radio Telefís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
's Prime Time
Prime Time
Prime Time is an Irish news analysis, current affairs and politics programme. It is broadcast on RTÉ One on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 21:30 and 22:10. It is currently presented by Miriam O'Callaghan, who has presented the programme since its commencement in 1996...
, which discusses Irish related social and political problems, had an hour long documentary on the Irish Travellers and also their bare knuckle boxing heritage.
Wrestling
Coraíocht, pronounced "curry-okt", is the Irish word for wrestling. Ireland has its own form of wrestling, notably collar and elbow wrestling. Coraíocht is also the name of a back hold style of wrestling practiced in Ireland. Coraíocht can be practiced with or without a jacket and features a wide array of trips, mares, takedownTakedown (grappling)
A takedown is a martial arts and combat sports term for a technique that involves off-balancing an opponent and bringing him or her to the ground, typically with the combatant performing the takedown landing on top. The process of quickly advancing on an opponent and attempting a takedown is known...
s, slams, pin
Pin (amateur wrestling)
A pin, or fall, is a victory condition in various forms of wrestling that is met by holding an opponent's shoulders or scapulae on the wrestling mat for a prescribed period of time. This article deals with the pin as it is defined in amateur wrestling.In amateur wrestling, a pin ends the match...
s, advancements, submissions, grapevines, and escapes. The most quoted “modern” way of describing the philosophy behind Coraíocht is “use balance and speed to obtain position so that strength can then be applied to the leverage created”. In Irish-American based systems, Coraíocht is sometimes referred to as “Irish Wrestling”, “Celtic Wrestling”, “Irish Scuffling”, “Scuffling”, and “Collar-and-Elbow”.
Famous Irish wrestlers include Danno O'Mahony
Danno O'Mahony
Danno O'Mahony was an Irish professional wrestler. His surname was usually spelled "O'Mahoney" during his wrestling career...
of Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
(former world champion), Steve Casey
Steve Casey
Stephen "Steve" Casey was an Irish sport rower and world champion professional wrestler. He was the second Irish wrestler, after Danno O'Mahoney, to become a world champion.- Rowing :...
of Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
(former world champion), and Con O'Kelly, who competed for Britain in the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
. Famous Irish-American wrestlers include Henry Moses Dufur and John McMahon
John McMahon (wrestler)
John McMahon was an American professional wrestler who specialized in collar-and-elbow wrestling. He competed from 1861 to 1891, traveling throughout the United States and Canada to face the top wrestlers of the day. He competed in several styles of wrestling, and his biggest rivalry was with...
.
Kicking
Speachóireacht, pronounced "Spacker-okt", is the term used for kicking techniques. Kicking techniques were practiced in sports such as Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and Irish dancing, but specifically for martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
as well. Shin kicking would have been the main type used in fighting bouts, both kicking the shin and kicking with the shin, like a shin kick seen used in Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
today. Most techniques attack the opponent's shins, knees, and thigh areas.
Stick fighting
Pronounced "Bata-rokt", it is the traditional art of the Irish shillelaghShillelagh (club)
A shillelagh is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob at the top, that is associated with Ireland and Irish folklore.- Construction :...
, which is still identified with popular Irish culture to this day, although the arts of Bataireacht are much less so. The sticks used for Bataireacht are not of a standardized size, as there are various styles of Bataireacht, using various kinds of sticks.
By the 18th century, Bataireacht became increasingly associated with Irish gangs called "factions". Irish faction fights involved large groups of Irish men (and sometimes women) who would engage in melees at county fairs, weddings, funerals, or any other convenient gathering. One social historian, Conley, believed that this reflected a culture of recreational violence. However, most historians (best summarized by James S. Donnelly, Jr. (1983) in "Irish Peasants: Violence & Political Unrest, 1780") agree that faction fighting had class and political overtones, as depicted for example in the works of William Carleton
William Carleton
William Carleton was an Irish novelist.Carleton's father was a Roman Catholic tenant farmer, who supported fourteen children on as many acres, and young Carleton passed his early life among scenes similar to those he later described in his books...
.
By the early 19th century, these gangs had organized into larger regional federations, which coalesced from the old Whiteboys
Whiteboys
The Whiteboys were a secret Irish agrarian organization in 18th-century Ireland which used violent tactics to defend tenant farmer land rights for subsistence farming...
into the Caravat and Shanavest factions. Beginning first in Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, the Caravat and Shanavest "war" erupted sporadically throughout the 19th century and caused some serious disturbances. Over time, traditional rules and methods of Bataireacht and Shillelagh Law degenerated into more murderous fighting involving farm implements and guns.
As the push for Irish independence from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
gained steam toward the end of the 18th century (see Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
), leaders of the Irish community believed it was necessary to distance themselves from customs associated with factionism and division, to present a united military front to the British, hence the United Irishmen of the Republican movement. Foremost of these customs were the arts of Bataireacht, and the shillelagh was soon replaced with the gun of the new unified faction of the Fenian Movement.
Further reading
- Shillelagh: The Irish Fighting Stick - John W.Hurley ISBN 978-1-4303-2570-3
- Self-Defense; Or, The Art Of Boxing - Ned Donnelly/John W.Hurley ISBN 978-1-4116-0189-5
- Defensive Exercises - Donald Walker/John W.Hurley
- Gaelic Martial Arts - Eoin O'Ceallacháin ISBN 978-1-4092-4203-1 :)