New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-30
THE KILT
Some Observations on Its Origin sud
Early Uses.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Knowing Mr. Norreys JephsOn 0'COru
tc be a very cultivated Celtic scholar, max,
no doubt he will reply satisfactorily to your
correspondent of this morning, himself, as 70
the origin of the kilt. Meantime | am tempted
TO send few comments on the point, IN reply
1t is perfectly true that the ancient Scots
very far back, are described as wearing gar
ments apparently of the kilt yars,Y. Bu!
your correspondent fails 70 state hat the
ancient Scots-the Gaels-were an identical
race in Ireland and IN Scotland. Coning
without doubt from the Far East in various
migrations, they first co.onized the island
now known as Ireland but which "" most
ancently called Scotia as commonly as II was
called Ierne. This name Is mythieaIy s'a'd
to have come from the supposed land not W.
likely origin of very early COLONY u
Scythia. and the name directly to have beer
given in honor Of woman leader Of 'n'
colony.
II was not until during the early een''r"
of the Christian era that colonists from '0'
Gaelic or Scotic race they were the a"''
light-haired or red-haired Celts) crossed 0'''
from Scotia or Ierne and began eolonHlne VIC
western shores of what was then, as we kh0''
called Alba, and the adjacent small western
islands. This colonized laid was tha' EVEN
ually known as Scotland. But the inhaoian'
f.4 az at NcOflc
Elements were a pre-Celtlc race, AKA I" w
early Britons, with undoubtedly some "
mixtures of races such as those named ~
BLACK Cells" a different branch ZOE ~
Gaels, who were properly called the se'A
As for the bagpipes, the ancient Gaeik" ~.
brought them from the Far East, s~''
doubt, in its mesnderings over t"r'
through Scythia. or around the shores"'r
of the Mediterranean. They may even 81 =.
come With a race more ancient tn's ss,,.
G2ols- eiAer an earlier and distinctly dln..
ent Celtic race, or a pre-Ccltc Eastern
for their origin, or their use az ies'H 4,
be traced 10 Babylonia. They we're TIVE !.
first with the Gaels in the earliest o'V'
we'll as when they co.onTed thef :. "a,
Scotia, in Alba. The fact remains tnA' go,
Ierne which was first settled by the liz III,
race, and Alba later; that the Two eSsh ..;,,
separate peoples have an identical race 100
and that the Gaelic inhabitants Of SeO .i.,v
are the descendants of an orignSl 49, ,s.,.
from the first named Scotia, which was v,.
wise named Ierne, Hibernia, and no" LII ~. En-,
One not uninteresting point about 'a' "a
itself: In old Irish writings garments .,v,
cloaks described so that they appear " =,
been of the kilt variety, are often go 80,
have been what was called "breac' som. -.
translated sDeckled or motted. ous T. d
has also been explained as plaid s,5
quite true that this costume and the sP. &c,
or notified, striped or "plaid' iaDrI0s' as,
Of dyed threads the ancient lr.sn hSD r,r,
beautiful color dyes. may be traced 70 .s.,,,,
ancient Eastern origin. In fact me -.
tunic of many peoples is not wholly a,", !. 4,
from the kilt At all events, the Ia''e' "
easy evolution in design from Do. .,,rc
Ann THROOP GRAZ"
New York. Sept. 20. 1916.