What an Irish Shillelagh Is Used For

The shillelagh has a deep history rooted in sports, and parents even gave it to children as a sign of adulthood. The most popular use of shillelagh comes from the 1800s, where teams came together to fight each other in stick fights as a sport. Eventually, this became so popular that fathers would teach their children how to fight with shillelaghs as a rite of passage. This is an older example of what an Irish shillelagh is used for, but there are others.

What’s a Shillelagh?

A shillelagh is a type of stick that is usually shorter an not intended for walking, useful for both walking and defending oneself. Blackthorn wood typically makes the shillelagh. The shillelagh fighting stick is usually 18" -22". The shaft of the walking stick is mostly smooth, but they often keep a few knots in it to give it a different form. The top of the shillelagh is a large bulb of wood and striking surface of the shillelagh. Most will have a strap to hang when not in use or wrap around the hand to prevent it from dropping.

What is a Blackthorn Walking Stick

Authentic Blackthorn Walking Stick come straight Ireland. The handle is the root base which grows as a root ball that forms a unique beautiful and natural handle. The blackthorn bush is known for its thorny branches which make an unique walking stick. The Blackthorn Walking Stick stands tall enough to help support you as you walk, making it a great tool for many people. The Blackthorn Walking Stick is the authentic Irish blackthorn walking stick that does it all.

Defensive Fighting Stick or Tool

The shillelagh known as the old stick-fighting sport once served as a great defensive tool, useful for beating off any potential attackers and protecting yourself from wild animals.

The shillelagh has some use as a tool outside of being used as a fighting stick, though not a proper one. The weight and large handle make it good for hitting things like a hammer or moving things outside of your reach. However, it is never the best tool for these things nowadays, and using it as such risks breaking or damaging the shillelagh.

Carrying one around is best used as holding a piece of history and culture in your hands.