The Shillelagh, the Irish National bashing stick. Used in Battle by Celtic Warriors to this day! We Welsh used them and called them a "Pastwn", well we couldn't afford metal to make swords.

I know they don't have the finesse of a rapier or a katana, but a good bash on the head with a lump of blackthorn sent many a Saxon pirate home to think again. Here is a short interview that celebrates this natural invention.

Why wouldnt it be a "valid" weapon? How are you defining "Valid"? I mean, i'd define a towel or a bicycle lock as valid.

I wanted one but the price for a proper one is a bit high. Plus it isnt long enough to use as a walking stick so i guess as a carry with me weapon, it wouldnt work.

So i bought this one...

http://www.fashionablecanes.com/1072.html?gdftrk=gdfV2384_a_7c453_a_7c8175_a_7c1072&catargetid=1905406334&gclid=CLL0rqPr0rcCFY-e4AodNiEA1g

To answer the question....hell yeah the shillelagh is a valid weapon!

There a family in newfoundland that immigrated from ireland in the mid 1800's. They preserved a form of stickfighting that used a shillelagh or a whiskey stick and passed it down in their family for several generations. In 1998 the current grandmaster was given permission by his father to teach it to the public.

They call it bataireacht, and the current grandmaster teaches it for free. Its quite unique in that its forms are influenced by more influenced by boxing, as opposed to knifefighting or fencing.

There a family in newfoundland that immigrated from ireland in the mid 1800's. They preserved a form of stickfighting that used a shillelagh or a whiskey stick and passed it down in their family for several generations. In 1998 the current grandmaster was given permission by his father to teach it to the public.

They call it bataireacht, and the current grandmaster teaches it for free. Its quite unique in that its forms are influenced by more influenced by boxing, as opposed to knifefighting or fencing.

That looks like some great weapons training right there. Great use of protective gear to promote realistic striking at various targets. I love the penetration, too. Thanks for sharing that. Wish that was around here.

Stick fighting has been around for a long, long time, and I think fighting with sticks has always been a very valid form of fighting.

That's a great video, thanks for sharing

What is interesting is that there are apparently several of these family styles of irish stick fighting, but they have been kept very very private and secret. One gentleman in northern ireland began to teach others his families style and received death threats, so stopped doing it. Its a legacy of irelands long history of factional in fighting, where the shillelagh was used, sometimes in pitched battles that numbered scores on each side.

In Ireland the art is largely forgotten and very disreputable, but folks like Glen Doyle are reviving it on this side of the pond.

What is interesting is that there are apparently several of these family styles of irish stick fighting, but they have been kept very very private and secret. One gentleman in northern ireland began to teach others his families style and received death threats, so stopped doing it. Its a legacy of irelands long history of factional in fighting, where the shillelagh was used, sometimes in pitched battles that numbered scores on each side.

In Ireland the art is largely forgotten and very disreputable, but folks like Glen Doyle are reviving it on this side of the pond.

Can you point me towards some primary sources on the death threats?

No primary sources, just the words of a gentleman in montreal who teaches a form of Bata.