They were a significant part of Irish infantry before the advent of gunpowder and depended upon seasonal service with Irish chieftains. A military leader would often choose a gallowglass to serve as his personal aide and bodyguard.
The ‘Gallowglass’ as they were called, were elite mercenary warriors and members of the Gaelic clans of Scotland. They came to prominence between the mid-13th century and late 16th century. As Gaels, they shared a common background and language with the Irish, but as they had intermarried with the Vikings, the Irish Gaels nicknamed them ‘Gall Gaeil’ meaning ‘foreign Gaels.’ The gallowglass came from the western coast of Scotland, principally Argyll and the Western Isles although some could be found in the Norse settlements in Ulster as well.
Large numbers of gallowglass settled in Ireland after losing their land and property during the Scottish Independence wars. Many of the Irish Chieftains gave them shelter and land in exchange for their promise of future military service.
They were a well-trained, well-armed, and disciplined infantry and had always proven themselves to be strong defenders of their positions, and utterly fearless. In battle, they used the two-handed sparth axe, a claymore, several throwing spears, and at least one dagger. Each warrior had two young squires in attendance to carry provisions and maintain weapons.
They wore iron helmets and body armor that consisted of chain mail on top of heavy, padded jackets. They formed in groups of one hundred men called ‘Corrughadh’, similar to the system employed by the Roman legions.
Tiia Lintilä
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