Open Hand Traditions
Open hand traditions means unarmed martial arts like boxing, wrestling and so on. There is little strong evidence for surviving unarmed styles of Gaelic martial arts, since for most of history up until the early modern period everyone was armed with short swords at a minimum (also why there are no medieval European unarmed styles).
However we do know that the Gaels were expert wrestlers from time immemorial, with wrestling competitions at every festival, funeral and gathering, so they probably used something similar to Greek-style wrestling. Wrestling is one of the first combat techniques that should be mastered, if possible, since it influences body mechanics and can be the last resort in any conflict.
The only surviving Irish wrestling style is called collar and elbow wrestling, practised until the early 20th century and only recently enjoying a restoration. It was not strictly a martial art, being more of a sport—although it may have been derived from a more combative style—but is thoroughly enjoyable.
However that doesn’t mean that we, as a living culture, can’t adapt and improve upon existing martial traditions and make them our own.
After all, the majority of Japanese martial arts methods were brought to Japan primarily by the Chinese, and the Romans adopted unarmed or minimally armed Greek combat sports, spelled pancratium in Latin, into their Games. More recently, Israeli Krav Maga has its roots in European boxing and wrestling, and Russian Sambo originated with folk wrestling and Japanese Judo.
Conor McGregor is a good example of a successful Irish martial artist who has merged several styles of martial art into one very effective core system—based largely on boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and Taekwondo. He also borrows liberally from other styles to round out and improve particular attack combinations.
As interest in these arts develops, it is reasonable to expect that a distinctive Irish martial art will emerge and stand on the world stage. For now we can recommend a few types of martial art to become at least passingly familiar with. A little of each goes a long way.
Boxing
Otherwise known as the sweet science, boxing forms a good foundation for unarmed martial arts. It teaches striking, evasion, footwork, and many more useful skills. It also has a huge following in Ireland so there are a multitude of gyms where you can go to get some training and practise in.
Here’s a good introduction video to get you started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKDHdsVN0b8 Nineteenth century pugilism can add a certain authenticity too.
Kickboxing
Although it teaches a wide variety of strikes, kickboxing is most effective at kicking. It, like boxing, is quite popular in Ireland, so it should be fairly simple to find a coach to get started. Particular attention should also be paid to its use of elbows: https://www.instagram.com/niinacarita/reel/C5hVdZhvBee/
Wrestling
Besides collar and elbow, Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu provide fundamentally important skills in unarmed martial arts.
Chapter List (click to read):
1. Foreword
2 The Irish Language
3. Reading
4. Making and Shaping
5. The Physical Gael
6. The Warrior Gael
- The Crios Belt
- Open Hand Traditions
- Collar and Elbow Wrestling
- Gaelic Weapons
- Seanbhata
- Seanbhata Basics
- Seanbhata Guards
- Seanbhata Strikes and Blocks
- Seanbhata Close Fighting
- The Heroic Feats
7. Tradition and Culture
8. Organisation
The project will follow in their footsteps along the path laid down by Hyde, O'Conaire, MacNeill, Cusack and many others through sharing news, ideas, articles of Irish cultural interest and more, as well as helping to support Irish language and cultural initiatives. You can find out more about An Claíomh Solais by clicking on the buttons below, or join our team as we begin the great Gaelic restoration!
The Flame Still Burns: The Unbroken Spirit of Gaelic Ireland
There is a fire that has never gone out.
Though winds have blown across our hills and empires have cast their shadows upon our land, the spirit of Gaelic Ireland remains—a living ember in the hearts of her sons and daughters. It is not a myth or memory. It is blood. It is breath. It is the pulse beneath the skin of the nation, ancient and eternal.
Ireland was never just a place. It was, and is, an idea—a sacred trust handed down through generations of warriors, poets, craftsmen, mothers, fathers, and the noble dead. The Gael did not simply inhabit this land&m
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PH Pearse Letters Awaiting Execution 2
Kilmainham Prison
Dublin
3rd May 1916
My Dearest Mother,
I have been hoping up to now that it would be possible for me to see you again, but it does not seem possible. Goodbye, dear, dear mother. Through you I say goodbye to Wow-Wow, M.B., Willie, Miss Byrne, Miceal, Cousin Maggie and everyone at St Enda’s. I hope and believe that Willie and the St Enda's boys will be safe.
I have written two papers about financial affairs and one about my books, which I want you to get. With them are a few poems which I want added to the poems of mine i
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PH Pearse Letters Awaiting Execution I
Arbour Hill Barracks,
Dublin,
1st May 1916.
Dearest Mother,
You will, I know, have been longing to hear from me. I don't know how much you have heard since the last note I sent you from the G.P.O.
On Friday evening the post office was set on fire, and we had to abandon it. We dashed into Moore Street, and remained in the houses in Moore Street until Saturday afternoon. We then found that we were surrounded by troops, and that we had practically no food. We decided, in order to avoid further slaughter of the civil population and in the hope of
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A marvellous description by Liam Bulfin
A marvellous description by Liam Bulfin in United Irishman ar 21 Aibreán 1906. Give us ten such men and English will be a second language in a generation!
“This is Pádraig Ó Dálaigh, General Secretary, a southerner. He can work 12 and 15 hours a day. He has a perfect constitution. With care he may live to eat square meals in the 21st century. He seems to have lived a long time already although his face is under the 30 limit. It is his brain that is old. His heart and all the rest of him are young ...
Under my personal observation he has
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Mionn
I n-ainm Dé,
Dar Críost a Aon-Ṁac,
Dar Muire a Ċaoṁ-Ṁáṫair,
Dar Pádraic Apstal Gaeḋeal,
Dar dílseaċt Ċuilm Ċille,
Dar clú ar gciniḋ,
Dar crú ar sinnsear,
Dar dúnṁarḃaḋ Aoḋa Ruaiḋ,
Dar bás truaiġṁéileaċ Aoḋa Uí Néill,
Dar oiḋeaḋ Eoġan Ruaiḋ,
Dar mian an tSáirséalaiġ le huċt a ḃáis,
Dar osna éagcoṁlainn an Ġearaltaiġ,
Dar créaċtaiḃ cróil
Read more...
Collapse of the Terror
British Rule's Last Stages
What the Elections Meant
We have seen how in ancient Ireland the people were themselves the guardians of their land, doing all for themselves according to their own laws and customs, as interpreted by the Brehons, which gave them security, prosperity, and national greatness, and how this was upset by the English determination to blot out Irish ways, when came poverty, demoralisation and a false respect for English standards and habits.
The English power to do this rested on military occupation and on econ
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