The gallowglasses were Celtic mercenaries from Ireland and Western Scotland who were employed as heavy elite infantry in Ireland from the mid XIII century to the late XVI century. Their name means in Gaelic “foreign warrior”, as they shared some ancestry with the Irish but also were descendants of earlier Norse settlers who had established in the Hebrides and Western Scotland.
They were very present during this period in all sorts of feuds and conflicts between the different Irish clans, and their presence was highly valued on the battlefield, as they were considered more reliable than the local fighters.
Most gallowglasses were well-equipped with bows, longswords and axes, and also would carry some armour. Fighting alongside them were the kerns, whose role was of light infantry and were typically raised from the local Irish population.
The relevance of these peculiar warriors waned after the increasing presence of firearms on the battlefields and the defeat of the Irish by the English at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.
Note: This is a resin miniature kit that requires assembly and painting.
