Finlay's Shillelagh

Fozzy

I was just wondering a while ago, how many people here actually know what a shillelagh is? Before Finlay started using it, I'd never heard of it. And seeing as he's supposed to be an Irish stereotype, I thought it was kinda strange. And I was reading some guy's review of SD last week, and he was saying it was a musical instrument. Someone else thought it was a pipe

So how many of you had actually heard of a shillelagh before Finlay had one? Maybe I'm the only one, I dunno!

Ruu_Old

Yes I knew what it was before Finlay had it, remember its probably Americans who done those reviews you read.

Cactus Col

I would've much preferred to see him with a hurley, but shillelagh is working out well. Knew what it was before, but had only seen them in places like Carrolls.

A hurley would've been great ... imagine it breaking in two as finlay hits someone over the head.

Fozzy

Ruu wrote:

Yes I knew what it was before Finlay had it, remember its probably Americans who done those reviews you read.

The guy who thought it was a musical instrument was Irish..looks like he's the only other person around who didn't know so far!

Poker & Pints

Ruu wrote:

Yes I knew what it was before Finlay had it, remember its probably Americans who done those reviews you read.

For your info, more americans know what it is than irish. None(and this is about 10-20 educated irish) i polled knew what it was.

The term is common place in many american text, literature(fiction and nonfiction).

Mr.Nice Guy

It's one of those things that is prominent among Irish-Americans but not actually Irish people.

It reminds me of the Summer Bash tour in 2005 when a message from Vince appeared on the screen (remember this?) and Vince finished with 'Erin Go Bragh' which I knew meant 'Ireland forever' but it's not a phrase that's well known over here so people like my mate were going 'Wha'?

bombidol

Shillelagh is a place in wicklow, they make walking sticks from the trees in Collaten forest. they are famous.

Ruu_Old

Cactus Col wrote:

I would've much preferred to see him with a hurley, but shillelagh is working out well. Knew what it was before, but had only seen them in places like Carrolls.

A hurley would've been great ... imagine it breaking in two as finlay hits someone over the head.

Driving a sliotar down the aisle and *crack* someone on the head standing in the ring.

Mossy Monk

my grandmother had one in the house when i was growing up. dont know where it is now though

bombidol

are they calling it a Shil - aye - lee or shill - aye - la ?

Mossy Monk

Shill - ay - lee

godtabh

I hadnt a clue what it was untill I looked up this.

Appearantly its some sort of UNIX code word he is bashing people with

bombidol

so they are pronouncing it wrong too. Any way isnt Finlay a big unionist head? so i doubt he would want to be associated with Actual Irish culture

dub_skav

I always thought (could very well be wrong) it was a type of weapon made popular during penal times. The English did not allow the Irish to carry weapons of any sort so they carried these "walking sticks" which they used for smacking the heads off eachother and the English.

Admittedly I do not remember where this impression comes from, it could be a piece of misinformation picked up years ago which I've never questioned properly.

elvis2002

I hate the way Michael Cole pronounces it. Its a Shilleagh, not a shillalee.

It was in the movie gangs of new york alot. Brendan Gleeson used to be the guy who used the shilleagh to beat guys up in that movie.

I've been unfortunate to be in the place in Wicklow many times too. Its just a driveway tbh. I think they have one pub, petrol station and a shop. Thats it.

bombidol

if i remember correct that was just a club in the movie. a shilleagh is a black walking stick with a kinda cylinder type crock on the top for a handle

Fozzy

Wikipedia says that it's pronounced the way Cole says it. One of yous should get correcting!

RealJohn

I knew what it was and I've never heard it pronounced any way other than the way Cole pronounces it (except without the American accent, obviously). I did think they were just gimmicks for tourists though.

However I'm slightly embarassed to admit my father now owns one as he likes to have a walking stick with him when he goes for a walk "just in case" and to be fair, you could give someone a fair belt with one.

I imagine that they didn't use the hurl because it wouldn't be as well known to your average yank and also, they're probably harder to come across stateside.

elvis2002

bombidol wrote:

if i remember correct that was just a club in the movie. a shilleagh is a black walking stick with a kinda cylinder type crock on the top for a handle

Obviously you remember incorrectly then ! From http://www.thewildgeese.com/pages/facfight.html

Brendan Gleeson's character is armed with one kind of the Irish club known as a Sail Eille or "Shillelagh" -- a "thonged cudgel."

Its pronounced shillelagh. The people who are saying shillelee just cannot pronounce Irish thats all.

Fozzy

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/Shillelagh.html

The plot thickens..that site says that Finlay's thing isn't a shillelagh at all!

J.R.HARTLEY

where does it say that, i can't find any mention of finlay on that page?

Fozzy

It doesn't mention Finlay specifically, it says the short stick he has isn't a real shillelagh, a real one is a long cane

J.R.HARTLEY

yeah my granda used to have one, they're about 3-3.5 feet in length, finlays looks like a prop.

Terry

fu(k the shillelagh. he has the u.s. title. now that is something worth talking about.
they actually gave a title to someone who can wrestle.
about time his talents were rewarded.

triple h

yes i had seen and touched those pipes (its what i called it when i was a kid) i am sure i have one in the house somewhere.