Identifier: muiredachabbotof00maca (find matches)
Title: Muiredach, abbot of Monasterboice, 890-923 A. D.; his life and surroundings
Year: 1914 (1910s)
Authors: Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart, 1870-1950
Subjects: Muiredach, abbot of Monasterboice, d. 923 Crosses
Publisher: Dublin : Hodges, Figgis
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
nscription which means Here go the War-men of Ireland beyond England. Behind are three wild-looking figuresinscribed, Here go the poor men of Ireland. These three are attiredin the leine and brat ; the third seems to have a cape attached at theback, while the foremost man has drawn it over his head. At an evenlater stage we see the same principle underlying the attire of the well-known representations of all sorts and conditions of Irish in Speeds map,published in 1611. Though in the Middle Ages the dress of poverty, this was evidently theattire of important people at the time of our Cross, and worn when theperson was not engaged in active pursuits. For rapid movement the long 40 MUIREDACH and apparently close-fitting hine would not be convenient, and would thenbe drawn up into the girdle, so as to resemble a kilt. We find illustrationsof this in several of the panels of the Cross. In that representing theadoration of the Wise Men (20), these, who have just come in from a journey, T?^
Text Appearing After Image:
Fin. 9.—Arms, Armour, and Dress in Ireland a.d. 1521. (From a Drawing by Alurecht Dlrer.)(By permission of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland^ have their garments drawn up to the knees. The same is true of the prin-cipal figure in the panel just below. But it is difiicult to distinguish inthe sculptures between the girt-up hine and a true kilt, such as is certainlyshown in some of the figures. Thus, in the picture of Cain and Abel (17),both figures are attired in kilts. Abel is bare from the waist upward, but IRELAND 41 Cain has a cape thrown over the upper part of his body : this is sht up atthe sides to allow free play to the arms, which are apparently bare. Verylikely we have here a picture of the costume of a person of inferior rank,which is naturally less likely to be described in the romantic tales. Anotherkind of cape, covering the upper part of the arm, but not slit up, is shownin the crowd of kneeling figures in (19). Yet a third variety of costume is represented b

Note About Images