Figure 1.--Here we see Irish children going to school in dresses. The boy wears a flannel dress. Notice how his dress is different than the girl's dress, probably his sister. While we see the boys wearing these flannel dresses, they never wear shawls like the girls. It is not clear just when the photograph was taken. We believe this was common in the 19th century, althothough school was not so common in rural areas. Nor was outdoor photigraphy very common. We believe the photograph was probably taken in the early-20th century or just after World War I. The photograph was in a book about Irish customs published in London during 1936. It is not clear how common this was, but seems tio have been primarily restructed to isolated rural areas, at least by the 20th century. Source: Harold Wheeler.

We note Irish boys wearing a wide range of skirted garments. Younger Irish boys were commonly outfitted in dresses as was common throughout Btitain and other countries in the 19th century. This was especially prominent among the well-to-do Irish, a least for fashionable styles. Ireland was, however, different than the rest of Britain. Not only did well to-do-boys wore dresses to 4-6 years of age, but we see older boys in rural areas, including school-age boys wearing flannel dresses in rural areas. We see boys up to 13-13 years of age. And this was not the elite, but poor peasant boys. This practice was most common in rural areas, but it was not unknown in towns. This convention was less common among the urban working class, at least for the period for which we have a photographic record. We are less sure about the early-19th century. Folk lore warned mothers to hide their boys from the "faries," so they were dressed as girls, usually in long flannel dresses. HBC has no information about smocks in Ireland. HBC has little information about pinafores in Ireland. We believe that as in England they were very commonly worn by girls before World War I. We have less information about boys. We believe that some younger boys also wore them in the 19th century as shown by the image here (figure 1). The purpose was of course to protective clothing which was more expensive in rlative terms than is the case ofmodern clothing. HBC has little real historical information on Irish kilts, as oposed to Scottish kilts which appears to have been much, more extensively covered in the historical literature. I plan to pursue historical information, but if visitors to this site have some historical information, I would greatly appreciate any insights you could share. One source suggests considerable similarity between the kilts worn by the Galeic people of Ireland and Scotland until the 16th century. The kilts worn by Irish pipers and dancers appear to have little relationship to the actual kilts worn by the Gaelic people of Ireland. The current Irish kilt appears to be a copy of the short kilt fashioned by an Englishman in the 18th century and embraced by a generation of romantic poets and authors and even Queen Victoria herself. Unlike Scotland there appears to have been no real revival of kilt wearing in Ireland beyond ceremonial occasiins or ethnic events. The British Army did adopt a kilt uniform for some Irish units.

Dresses

Younger Irish boys were commonly outfitted in dresses as was common throughout Btitain and other countries in the 19th century. This was especially prominent among the well-to-do Irish, a least for fashionable styles. We believe that this was morecommon among middle-class and upper-class families than working=class families at least in the cities. Our Irish archive, however, is still limited abd we cn not yet demonstrate that. Ireland was, however, different than the rest of Britain. Not only did well to-do-boys wore dresses to 4-6 years of age, but we see older boys in rural areas, including school-age boys wearing flannel dresses in rural areas. We see boys up to 13-13 years of age. And this was not the elite, but poor peasant boys. This practice was most common in rural areas, but it was not unknown in towns. This convention was less common among the urban working class, at least for the period for which we have a photographic record. We are less sure about the early-19th century. Folk lore warned mothers to hide their boys from the "faries," so they were dressed as girls, usually in long flannel dresses. I have little information on these flannel dresses. Much of the nformation described below is derived solely from an examination of the available photographic images. Please let me know if you have any additional information or note anything in the photographs.

Smocks

HBC has no information about smocks in Ireland.

Pinafores

HBC has little information about pinafores in Ireland. We believe that as in England they were very commonly worn by girls before World War I. We have less information about boys. We believe that some younger boys also wore them in the 19th century as shown by the image here (figure 1).

Kilts

HBC has little real historical information on Irish kilts, as oposed to Scottish kilts which appears to have been much, more extensively covered in the historical literature. I plan to pursue historical information, but if visitors to this site have some historical information, I would greatly appreciate any insights you could share. One source suggests considerable similarity between the kilts worn by the Galeic people of Ireland and Scotland until the 16th century. The kilts worn by Irish pipers and dancers appear to have little relationship to the actual kilts worn by the Gaelic people of Ireland. The current Irish kilt appears to be a copy of the short kilt fashioned by an Englishman in the 18th century and embraced by a generation of romantic poets and authors and even Queen Victoria herself. Unlike Scotland there appears to have been no real revival of kilt wearing in Ireland beyond ceremonial occasions or ethnic events. The British Army did adopt a kilt uniform for some Irish units.