Gallowglasses and Irish Mercenaries
"The Irish forces were composed of kerns, galloglasses, and cavalry; the word "kearn" (in Irish "ceatharnach"), signifying a battler, being derived from "cath," a battle; and the word "galloglass"...
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"Irish Banners, Warriors, Weapons, Battle-Cries," from Irish Pedigrees by John O'Hart, 1887.
The Irish forces were composed of kerns, galloglasses, and cavalry; the word "kearn" (in Irish "ceatharnach"), signifying a battler, being derived from "cath," a battle; and the word "galloglass" (in Irish, "Gall-og-laoch," a foreign warrior, or) a foreign young champion. The Scots had likewise, at an early period, their kerns and galloglasses; and in Shakespeare's Macbeth is mentioned--(the merciless MacDonald from the Western Isles (or Hebrides), with his kerns and galloglasss. The kerns were the light foot of the Irish, armed with long spears or pikes, javelins, darts, skians, or daggers, bows, and arrows, and (in the early ages) also with slings.
These active soldiers made rapid and irregular onsets into the ranks of the enemy; not fighting in exact order, but rushing and attacking on all sides, then rapidly retreating and coming on again at an advantageous opportunity. The javelins or short spears and darts of the kerns were favourite weapons; the handles were generally of ash, to which was fitted a long sharp-pointed iron or steel head. This javelin was tied to the arms or shoulder by a thong or cord of great length, so that they could hurl it at the enemy at several yards distance, and recover the weapon again. These darts and javelins were whirled rapidly around the head, and then cast with such force, that they penetrated the bodies of men, even through their armor; and killed their horses at a great distance.
In the account of the expedition of King Richard the Second in Ireland, Froissart in his "Chronicle" says: "the Irish soldiers were so remarkably strong and active, that on foot they could overtake an English horseman at full speed, leap up behind the rider and pull him off his horse." The kerns were divided into bodies of spear-men, dart-men, slingers, and archers, and (in aftertimes) musketeers; the archers were very expert, and their bows were made chiefly of ash and yew.
The galloglasses were the heavy infantry of the Irish, a sort of grenadiers; being select men of great strength and stature, armed with swords and battleaxes; and also generally wore armour, as helmets and breast-plates of iron, coats of mail composed of a network of small iron rings, and sometimes armor made of strong leather; and their shields or bucklers were made of wood, sometimes, sometimes covered with skins of animals. The Irish commanders all wore armour, helmets, coats of mail, shields etc.
The cavalry of the Irish might be considered as mounted kerns, being chiefly a kind of light horse. The term "Marcach" was applied to a horseman or cavalry soldier; and "Marc-shluagh" signified a host, army, or troop of cavalry. "Ridire" signified a knight, and was the name applied to an English chief in armour. The predatory troops of the Irish are mentioned under the name of Creach-sluagh (from "creach," plunder, and "sluagh," a host); and their hired troops were called Buanaighe (from "Buan," bound); and these mercenaries are mentioned by English writers as Bonnoghs or Bonnoghts.
John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees (Dublin: J. Duffy and Sons, 1887).
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