The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-05-12
NOT IN USE FOR THREE CENTURIES
The Facts Of History Regarding
the National Costume.
On AUTHORITY OF WILLIAM GIBSON
The Hibernian Garb Unlikely to
Promote Enlistments.

That there is to be regiment or
regiments of Royal Irish guards, by way
Of compliment to the fighting qualities
of cher majesty's Irish troops" in South
Africa, is taken for granted in England,
and the newspapers and rampant impe-
rialists OF that hysterical country are
now suggesting and discussing what
kind of uniform they should wear, says
"Owen Roe" the Dublin correspondent
of the Chicago Chronicle. The kilt OF
color once popular among Irish clans
men in ancient days seems, just now, to
appeal most strongly to their fancy, and
William Gibson, son of Lord Ash
bourne, the Lord Chancellor Of Ireland,
strongly advocates it in the London
Chronicle, and in the midst of much
bosh has some plausible arguments in
its favor, all of which he delivered, the
Chronicle interviewer tells us, while
clad Gin this exceedingly picturesqu cos
tune"
Mr.. Gibson becomes eloqucntly his
toric over his idea and declares it was
the barbaric races surrounding the
Roman and Greek peoples that wore
trouserlike garments, while these domi-
nant races wore the kilt. "Thc Greeks
were thus clothed when they won the
famous victory of Marathon over the
Persians, who were clad in the dcgene-
rate breeches." The kilt which he would
revive would be devoid of the "strifc OF
color" indicative OF the tartan, its hue
being that of saffron, approaching in
tint to cinnamon. This would make the
costume of the new royal regiments re-
semble very closely in color the thing
called khaki, the most prosaic and dir
ticst looking of all colors.
"The average Irisl1man," says Mr..
Gibson, "will often almost starve before
he consents to put on an English uni
form, which, perhaps, is not unnatural
when the past history OF the two coun-
tries is considered. I feel sure that ii
the newly formed Irish regiments adopt
ed a uniform resembling the dress Of
their ancestors the Irish would be proud
to don it,
Doubtful, Mr.. Gibson. Clothes will
not induce even your average Irish
man. to take the Saxon shilling"
though the racial spirit that delights in
adventure and stirring conflict and the
dire poverty that cruslcs hope and love
Of home with hunger's fingers may and
often has.
In answer to the question as to when
the Irish lost their ancient national
dress and adopted the hideous dress OF
England, the erudite son of the lord
chancellor replied:
"Thc kilt in all its glory certainly
lasted in ireland till the end OF the six
teenth century. Derrick, in his Image
Of Ireland illustrated with woodcuts
caricaturing the Irish kilt and its brew
ty, wrote:
Z" "'Tlcir skirts be vcric strange,
Not reaching paste the thigh,
With pleates on plcatcs they plcatcd are,
AS thick as pleatcs may lye.'
Cup to that time Irish dress, save in
the matter of color, was identical with
the Scottish. The saffron color was for
hidden by law in the middle OF that CEN
tury and the mantle or plaid came with
in the sumptuary laws of Henry WILL,
who forbade the poor the use OF more
than seven yards in its construction,
twenty yards being allowed to the rich"
Probably, continues Mr.. Gibson, be-
cause OF the various sumptuary laws i'm
posed by England the kilt became
sign OF poverty and inieriority, and it
may also be said that the Irish were so
busly engaged in political and religious
controversy as to have neglected the
outward and visible sign of their essen
tial unity.
Mr.. Gibson concludes his learned dis
QUESTION on the picturesque but some
what scanty costume which he would
have Paddy Atkins wear when specially
guarding the sacred person of Her Maj
esty Victoria and duly installed as a
bare-legged prop OF the throne as fol-
lows:
"The Irish have so intensely strong
national idea that they would welcome
any expression of it, and that idea could
have no more complete expression than
in the uniform OF an exclusively Irish
reuinaent The Irish rants,. ,uo.,ld sa