The kilt is a ceremonious garb in both Irish and Scottish histories and traditions. One question that we get quite often is “what are the differences between an Irish Kilt and a Scottish Kilt?”
The founding fathers of kilts are the Scottish, but kilts have nestled their way deep into Irish tradition as well. Both nations wear kilts for a variety of special occasions from weddings, parties and birthdays to funerals.
That being said, what are some of the key differences between Irish and Scottish kilts? Let’s take a look at the history of each and then go from there.
History of the Scottish Kilt
How did the Scottish Kilt come to be? Back in the 16th century, the Scottish developed and adorned the Felieadh Mor as the first kilt in history. They needed to wear something that would not only be comfortable to wear on a daily basis, but something heavy that would keep them warm and protect them from the frigid, harsh, and inclement weather conditions of the country.
You could say that this was the more functional or classic version of the kilt. This is the one that we imagine when we think of William Wallace and his men riding into battle in the cold wind and rain as it sweeps across the plains and the Scottish countryside.
The English actually feared the kilt, and banned it back in the mid-1700s. They believed that this shared garb amongst the Scottish was reason for Jacobite Risings, and may lead to further revolts and uprisings in the future. It wasn’t until the 1900s that Scottish developed what we know as the modern-day kilt, and the common design that we see for special and traditional occasions today.
History of the Irish Kilt
There are many people that believe that the famed Lein-croich was the first iteration of the first Irish kilt in history, and were worn during the middle ages in Ireland. Unlike the multiple colors and the patchwork that we often think of when envisioning kilts, these garbs resembled more of a tunic than they do a historical or modern-day kilt design.
The historical Irish kilt that we often think of is the Irish Tartan which was worn by the Irish during the era of the rise of nationalism in Ireland. It was worn during a time when the Irish were being conquered by both the English and the Anglo-Saxons. The Tartan was a derivative and unifying symbol of Gaelic pride that the Irish wore during one of the most challenging times in their history.
Though, the kilt that is most commonly and popularly associated with Ireland is The Saffron Kilt, which is traditionally solid in colour with a pure mustard yellow.
What are Tartans?
Tartans are something that isn’t exclusive to either Ireland or Scotland but was worn by the Scottish to represent the clan that one was associated with. To this day there are over 25,000 different designated clan tartans in the country today.
Tartans in Ireland are a bit different. Instead of being representative of s specific clan, tartans are worn for the area or county that you are from. So at a special event, you would wear a Tartan that represented the area that you and your family are from, as opposed to the clan that you took membership in, as the Scottish would.
Accessories
Much like the differences in the meanings that each of these kilts has in their respective countries, there are similar accessories that are worn for both Irish and Scottish kilts. The way in which these accessories are worn convey different meanings and serve each culture in different ways.
Crests
Crests are something that is very important in the Scottish kilt tradition. Different crests are worn to represent different families and clans. Traditionally, the groom would wear the crests of both families to show the unification of the two families, at a wedding. Other than formal events like weddings, crests aren’t typically worn by the Scottish in more casual settings. They often wear these on the front of their kilts.
Since the Irish use their kilts more to represent their local or regional family heritage than they do their family or clan, the Irish normally keep the front of their kilts blank. They may pin a shamrock to the front of it, depending on the occasion.
Jackets
For the Scottish, their jacket is the accessory that is dictated by how formal or casual the event is. For formal events like weddings, the Scottish will dawn their formal jackets, known as the Prince Charlie style. Key features of Prince Charlie is that it has silk tails on the back of the coat and more buttons on the front. You may have seen these in photos of modern Scottish weddings.
The Argyle is the more casual kilt jacket that can be worn to either daytime or nighttime events. Think of the difference between Prince Charlie and the Argyle as similar to the differences in tuxedos versus suits.
For the Irish, their formal Jacket is the Brian Baru and the jacket they wear for more casual events is the Kilkenny. The only real key difference is that the Kilkenny typically comes in dark green to represent the entire country of Ireland.
Sporrans
Unlike jackets and crests, sporrans don’t have any specific designations and are based more on the preference of the wearer. There is little to no connection in terms of family heritage or tradition that comes with the sporran.
Hats
Though hats are not an essential piece of the kilt repertoire, there are a lot of people in the Irish and Scottish tradition alike that enjoy wearing a Glengarry - a hat that is worn similarly in both Ireland and Scotland. The Scottish are known for having the toorie on top of their hats, which is like a big pom pom, whereas the Irish don’t have anything on the top of their hats. The Scottish also have Tam Berets which can be commonly worn with kilts as well.
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