Flying the flag(s)

Live from the five star luxury of the Irish Pavillion we have a photo of the two Knights of Munster who are representing Ireland at the IMCF world championships in the Valle di Silencio, Mexico.

There are three established clubs in Ireland. The Knights of Munster are obviously in Munster, which is based in Cork but with members from as far afield as Waterford and Laois. Connacht is represented by the 1316 Medieval Fight Club who are based in Athenry, County Galway. The Leinster contingent are Fragarach Armoured Combat and the three clubs are aligned under the National club Medieval Armoured Combat Ireland. Tentative moves are afoot to establish an Ulster club and let’s hope we can revive the Knights of the Red Branch. Long ago that was Cúchulainn’s club.

Fragarach take their name from a famous Irish sword, the blade of Nuada the legendary first high king of Ireland. It had magical qualities and on top of smashing through shield walls and inflcting mortal wounds if held to a man’s throat he could neither move nor tell a lie. The word fragarach translates as whisperer or answerer.

The Athenry team take their name from the second bloodiest battle fought on Irish soil.

There are no friends you make that compare to those friendships forged in combat. I joined Knight’s of Munster after the Claregalway Shield and the last eight months have been a blast. I am less fat and more fit, have a motivation to train and a hunger to fight. Wherever you live in the world I guarantee there is an armoured fighting club training not too far from you. Reach out and we will embrace you with our metal arms.

Sonnet 8; by John Milton

Captain or Colonel, or Knight in Arms,
whose chance on these defenceless doors may sieze,
if ever deed of honour did thee please,
guard them, and him within protect from harms,
he can requite thee, for he knows the charms
that call Fame on such gentle acts as these,
and he can spread thy Name o’re Lands and Seas,
whatever clime the Suns bright circle warms.

Lift not thy spear against the Muses’ Bower,
the great Emathian Conqueror bid spare
the house of Pindarus, when Temple and Tower
went to the ground: and the repeated air
of sad Electra’s Poet had the power
to save th’ Athenian Walls from ruin bare.

-=o0o=-

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Knight Clancy

This is how the Clancy arms surcoat looks over a full suit of armour. I think it comes together pretty well. I didn’t have access to a mirror so I wasn’t able to adjust the folds properly but even so, it looks pretty good.

Also, much easier to make all the adjustments before you put on the helmet and gauntlets. I don”t intend this one for fighting and in serious competition they might rule the cloth out as not authentically medieval. But it should cut a dash about the list when I am not fighting. I have the lions on the back also.

For heraldry purists the Clancy arms are two lions gules passant guardant on a white field. I prefer these long skinny lions to the broader ones some people use. They look less friendly and more dangerous.

-=o0o=-

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Up in arms.

Do I look fat in this? I can promise you it rapidly becomes hot. The quilted gambeson under the armour is like wearing a duvet.

The first time you don a full suit of armour is a landmark day in the world of Armoured Martial Arts. To mark the occasion I was battered about firstly by Brendan, the club captain, with a small axe and then with by Brian with a longsword. Not much point wearing armour if you can’t take the hits :). It all went well. I could genuinely see stars a couple of times with the belts in the head, but that’s about as bad a hit as I’m ever likely to experience. The highlight was Daryl belting me with the pommel of the longsword.

The kilt, gauntlets and shoulders are all borrowed, but I should own the rest once the payments are made. Then I can order my own pieces to finish the kit. The next step is to fight in the armour. Beir Bua!

Knights of Munster are a Cork based club. In Ireland at the moment we also have 1316 in Athenry, Galway, and Fragarach in Dublin. All three are looking for members and if you would like to find out more send me a message in the comments section.

MACI (Medieval Armoured Combat Ireland) is the National body overseeing the sport in Ireland, making sure we all adhere to the international rules, and delivering insurance, training and marshalling. With clubs in Connacht, Munster and Leinster I have to ask what the Ulster lads are doing. There is definitely an opening for a Northern club.

-=o0o=-

This site is available for free and I make no money from any ads you see here. If you would like to show your appreciation feel free to leave a comment or you can buy me a coffee! http://buymeacoffee.com/DonalClancy

The Claregalway Shield

The village of Claregalway lies just to the east of Galway City in Ireland. Each year it is the site of the Claregalway Castle Shield, the premier Armed Combat event in Ireland and an International platform for armed combat teams. It is organized by Medieval Combat Ireland.

For those of you who, like me one week ago, never neard of armed combat, allow me to explain. On the surface this event looks like a renfaire but the key difference is that this is a sporting event. The struggles are real. Contestants armour themselves with as much plate steel armour and chain mail as they can afford over thick gambesons. I also saw some very snazzy brigandines. There are multiple categories including pole-axe, longsword, sword and shield and meleé.

Outside of combat the referees, scorers and supporters flaunt a variety of medieval outfits to enhance the atmosphere around the lists. What you experience is a medieval jousting tournament absent the equestrian events.

Here in Cork the Knights of Munster welcome newcomers who feel up to the challenge of wielding large blades and having them wielded at you. It seems like a great way to bond with a band of brothers, and sisters, while getting a solid aerobic workout. It is great to see a sport where the women stand toe to toe with the men, if they feel up to it.

The bouts give you a very good sense of what life was like for a medieval man at arms. Just as was true in real life some of the knights are better resourced than others. They have customized suits of plate armour covering them head to toe. Others have begged, borrowed and bought second-hand part assemblages of a suit to protect the most vunerable areas. Fighters and their squires were engaging in a wide variey of DIY blacksmithing to make running repairs on their kit between bouts.

The complex task of dressing a knight in armour limits the ability of contestants to step out of the suit between bouts. As a result they adopt a variety of postures, sitting and lying about in ways that take the weight of the steel off the body. The helmet is always the first thing to come off. This dynamic also has implications for using the bathroom. Combatants ration their water intake to meet what they lose in sweat. Too little and you dehydrate, too much and you need to pee.

My favourite photo of the day is this one taken just at the end of a three round bout. This knight is so exhausted he can’t take off his helmet until he gets his breath back. So he puts his head on the list to take the weight of the helmet off his neck.

When The Assault Was Intended To The City
Sonnet 8; by John Milton

Captain or Colonel, or Knight in Arms,
whose chance on these defenceless doors may seize,
if ever deed of honour did thee please,
guard them, and him within protect from harms,
he can requite thee, for he knows the charms
that call Fame on such gentle acts as these,
and he can spread thy name over lands and seas,
what ever clime the suns bright circle warms.
Lift not thy spear against the Muses’ bower,
the great Emathian conqueror bid spare
the house of Pindarus, when temple and tower
went to the ground: and the repeated air
of sad Electra’s poet had the power
to save the Athenian walls from ruin bare.

-=o0o=-

This site is available for free and I make no money from any ads you see here. If you would like to show your appreciation feel free to leave a comment or you can buy me a coffee! http://buymeacoffee.com/DonalClancy