I found an article in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Vol 6, pg 316-327, dated 1858 entitled 'The Highland Kilt and the Old Irish Dress' by William Pinkerton. In this article he quotes from individuals, which I will transcribe verbatim for those thirsting for more information on Irish clothing. These may or may not enlighten anyone further...
Leslie, Bishop of Ross, in his work, "De Origine, Moribus, et Rebus Gestis Scotorum," published in 1578, thus describes the Highland costume of the period:--
[Next paragraph in Latin, if you prefer the original Latin I uploaded the article to my Box.net account.]
The above quotation may be freely rendered as follows:--
"Their clothing, being chiefly suited for war, was made for use, and not for ornament. All--both the nobles and common people--wore mantles of the same kind (except that those of the nobles were variegated at pleasure), long, ample, and gathered into becoming folds: wrapped in these, without any other covering, they slept comfortably. They had also frieze rugs, such as are use by the Irish, which they not only wore on a journey, but also spread upon their beds. The rest of their garments were a most simple trowser; a woollen jerkin, with sleeves open below, for the facility of casting darts; and a very large linen tunic, gathered into numerous plaits, and having wide hanging sleeves descending to their knees. These the rich coloured with saffron, and others smeared with a certain grease, to preserve them longer amidst the toils and exercises of the camp, which they considered it of the utmost importance to practise continually."
The first garment here mentioned by Leslie is clearly the breacan or belted plaid, hereafter to be described. The second is the Irish mantle. The third the trùis, or breeches and stockings in one piece, worn both by Highland and Irish chieftains; the epithet siplicissima denoting its closely-fitting character, in contra-distinction to the puffed and padded out trunk-hose worn by the English and Lowland Scotch of the period. The last--the tunic--is merely the long shirt, leni-croich of the Irish, under probably a more correct denomination.
The accurate and pains-taking Camden describes the Irish dress in almost the very same words as Leslie did the Highland costume. He says:--
[Next paragraph in Latin.]
Which may thus be rendered:--"They wear large linen tunics, with wide sleeves hanging down to their knees, which they generally dye with saffraon; short woollen jerkins; a most simple and closely-fitting trùis; and over these they cast their mantles or shaggy rugs (which Isidore seems to call Heteromallae) finged and elegantly variegated, in which they wrap themselves at night, and sleep soundly on the bare ground."
The word "variegated," in both of the preceding quotations, can apply only to a chequered cloth, worn by all the Celtic tribes, and such as we now term tartan; though the word "tartan" was originally applied to the material of the cloth, and had no reference whatever to its colour.
The above descriptions are only a part of the article. I encourage people to read Mr. Pinkerton's article, but be warned that some of the information is a bit far-fetched, but that does not negate the possible usefulness of the rest.
