Glossary

Terminology that comes up across the journal — Irish, English, and the cross-section of botanical, historical, and craft language used in stick-making.

B

Bata /BAH-tuh/: Irish word for stick or staff. Used in compound words like bataireacht (stick fighting) and as a generic term in Gaelic-speaking communities.
Bataireacht /BAH-ter-ahkt/: Irish stick-fighting, a martial art that flourished in 18th- and 19th-century Ireland in conjunction with faction-fighting, was suppressed for over a century, and has been revived since the late 20th century by a small number of teachers and clans.; See also: Faction-fighting, Shillelagh
Blackthorn /BLAK-thorn/: A spiny deciduous shrub or small tree (Prunus spinosa) native to Europe. Its hard, dense, dark wood is the traditional material for shillelaghs and Irish walking sticks. Produces sloes, the small dark fruits used in sloe gin.; See also: Sloe, Prunus spinosa

C

Cailleach /KOL-yokh/: The hag or crone figure in Gaelic mythology. Often associated with the blackthorn staff, the colder seasons, and the wild landscape of Ireland and Scotland.

F

Faction-fighting: Organised group fighting between rival clans, families, or parishes, common in 18th- and 19th-century rural Ireland. Sticks — particularly blackthorn — were the principal weapon, and the practice gave rise to refined stick-fighting traditions.; See also: Bataireacht

K

Knob: The thickened end at the top of a shillelagh, formed from the root burl of the blackthorn. Provides weight for striking and a natural grip when the stick is gripped low.

S

Sail éille /SOIL AY-luh/: Irish phrase meaning 'thonged willow' or 'willow with a strap'. One of two competing etymologies for the word 'shillelagh', the other being a derivation from the village name in County Wicklow.; See also: Shillelagh
Seasoning: The process of slowly drying a freshly-cut stick so that the wood loses moisture without cracking. Blackthorn is traditionally seasoned for one to several years before being shaped, often by burying in chimneys or storing in cool, dry sheds.
Shillelagh /shil-AY-lee/: A short Irish cudgel or club, traditionally made from blackthorn or oak, with a knob at one end. Used historically as a weapon and walking aid; today more commonly carried as a ceremonial or heritage object.; See also: Blackthorn, Knob, Sail éille
Sloe: The small, dark, plum-like fruit of the blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), too tart to eat raw but used in sloe gin and other preserves. The presence of sloes is one way to identify a blackthorn in autumn.
Swagger stick: A short, slender stick traditionally carried by military officers, drill sergeants, and some teachers as a symbol of authority. Distinct from the shillelagh in form and function, though sometimes made from similar woods.

T

Thumb stick: A walking stick — common in Scotland and Wales — with a Y-shaped fork at the top, designed so the thumb rests in the cleft. Often made from hazel or holly.