What an old blackthorn Shillelagh really looks like - McCaffreyCrafts

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[@penguinnh]

I am 73, and when I was much younger my parents went to Ireland to see my mother's ancestral home. When they asked me what I wanted them to bring back I immediately answered "a shillelagh". They bought a blackthorn shillelagh much like the one you found, about the same length and weight, but black and polished from the handle down. They then left for the continent on a bus tour, and everywhere they went my parents were asked "Where did you get that?" My parents have been dead for two decades and I treasure that stick.

[@salavat294]

It actually makes sense. For unarmored civilian skirmishes speed and agility would most important.

[@Satanspeaks666]

brilliant, an old blackthorn looking like an elegant rural walking stick and not a caveman's club

[@markwybierala4936]

Its interesting to see what may have been the average shillelagh from a century ago. Not so much a weapon but enough to discourage a hoolagan from stealing a loaf of bread and more than adequate to be a handy walking stick.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I think it’s was used like a tool or accessory more than a walking aid back in the day. Guys would hold these all day so a light strong stick makes sense.

[@vinniesdayoff3968]

When I was a child every elderly and quite a few not so elderly people had a stick like that

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I think this is the most authentic type of style all the old pic look like this too.

[@kdseiwert7360]

Good day sir! How tick would this stick be? Cheers from germany!

[@darrenhall7454]

Fascinating. I wonder if there’s a market for an ‘old style’ stick. I can see it being of interest to people.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Once people know about this style I hope so. I’ve been looking at this stick all day and thinking about this. People where much thinner and lighter back then too. !

[@scottg5588]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 I'd probably buy one.

[@sherrattpemberton6089]

I would pick something light and agile over a heavy cudgel any day of the week

[@darrylmierl199]

Only a matter of time until I order one from YOU!! Just returned from a trip to Ireland. Resisted getting one at a tourist souvenir shop……

[@Poohze01]

What a wonderful find! So interesting to see a vintage Blackthorn, thank you for sharing it with us!

[@maggiefranks6849]

I make miniatures out of twigs. Mostly lil chairs and boats but have recently been making 'wee Shillelagh's' from ash and oak. Sadly, in Arizona there are no blackthorn fairy rings although there are many spiky woods here so, I might try those if the desert fae allow it!

[@madogmedic]

such a rare gem you found, rather, the stick found you. That's a remarkable piece of history you're holding.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I’m delighted I told my kids and they think it’s weird I like this old stick.

[@barrettfenwick8028]

Most of the faction fights were not meant to be mortal combat; until their later days. Never seen an Irishman add notches to a Shillelagh except in the movies. :P

[@Zulutime44]

I read somewhere in that in colonial days that the Brits banned carrying of heavy Shllelaghs. Lighter walking sticks like this were allowed. The difference between a lethal instrument and an old man's cane, from the master's POV.

[@MrRugercat45]

How much do you charge for an average blackthorn stick? I’ve wanted one since I was a young teenager, they were too expensive for me so I cut a nice dogwood tree with a good root ball and polished it, sanded the branches down and made the stick black by light torching the outtand wiping black shoe polish on it, then sealed it in a few coats of spar varnish. I put a piece of copper pipe on the end as a ferrule with a heavy forged nail in the end. I still have it and it’s hard to tell it’s not real blackthorn. I have some pieces of Bradford Pear that I am going to make some “shillelagh” type cudjels from. I’m not going to fool myself that mine are anywhere near as good as yours though! Just a poor man’s imitation!

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

It’s just stick making , use local woods is fine there are few authentic shillelagh makers like me who have access to Irish blackthorn wood.

[@MrRugercat45]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 I checked out your website and it’s well worth the cost, those shillelagh and walking sticks are beautiful and worth every penny. Now is blackthorn getting more difficult to find? It seems like everything has become more difficult and expensive. In the past I thought each and every blackthorn stick had to be made from the root ball, which would be wasteful and expensive. I’m glad to see an authentic maker using the same method that I used because it’s just extremely difficult to find rootballs that are the proper dimensions for these things. You are a fantastic artist and craftsman, thank you for your work and dedication, not to mention your videos! Extremely informative and inspiring. Best regards, Frank

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

@@MrRugercat45 I just did a rootball video for you hope you like my latest one

[@Woodstock271]

This is more like the size and shape of our old family shillelagh. I’m sure someone in the family had worked on it more than this one was, since it didn’t have any thorns left but bumps remained and were sanded fairly smooth. It was also very dark in color as if stained or painted almost black, except for the thorn bumps and handle which were natural. I knew our stick was over a hundred years old but it didn’t look it at all. The finish was too perfect as I remember. Maybe a couple generations took turn working the old shillelagh. Wouldn’t put it passed my arts and crafty ancestors though. Thanks for showing us this nice old rough-looking stick.

[@robbybobby64]

I have an antique black thorn cane. It is natural with the bark and no black coloring.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Mostly darker shafts can be both

[@TomLivingston-zy8cc]

Francis, what you say is true about the old blackthorns, at least as far as my own blackthorn testifies. I am 75 and have my great-great-great grandfather's blackthorn stick from County Armagh. It is shorter than some at about 34 inches. It is indeed not very thick - tapering from less than 3/4" down to about 1/2". It has a crude brass ferrule. Its thorns, however are still pronounced, sticking out about 3/8", and were sliced (once) with the maker's knife so they come to a point. The knob is squarish, smoothed from wear, but still showing clearly the marks of the craftsman's knife. It is in great shape, remaining quite lithe and strong, dark brown, and the original finish remains shiny along the shaft. My father told me that his father (born around 1870) told him that in the old days they would use it as a weapon, either to poke, cudgel, or, worse, to rake it across an opponent's face, drawing much blood. I will hand our blackthorn down to my own son when I am gone, and it will continue to connect each of us to our ancestors.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Thanks for sharing this and all the old sticks I have seen are as you described thin snd light

[@1stinlastout165]

That is fantastic! The one i have is a breast fitted with a brass ring on the base with a rubber end cap it belonged to my great grandfather and as been handed down to the next eldest that me and it will go to my son ' even though we are British i appreciate the quality of the fine Irish stick and i take one on my walks thats a fare bit slimmer as round here in the uk the old one get unwanted attention from the police? Ie why are you carry that sir? " Because it's a walking stick officer!

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Can’t touch a waking aid !

[@1stinlastout165]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 and it's documented at my Doctor's practice up until they checked it out they wanted to take it from me? I take a slimmer one out now of which still as the thorn stems on 😂 you sir make some fantastic sticks and one day I would love to own one of yours!

[@user-wc2un3xd1d]

Francis! At 2:22 you caught something strange, play it back and you’ll see something that isn’t a bug, and isn’t dust, move right below the blackthorn. I think you may have a stowaway😬

[@micjshss62]

@user-wc2un3xd1d Interesting....

[@tonynapoli5549]

Interesting looks nice probably been hanging on a wall for years ! Nice stick

[@richmoran7916]

Aloha Frances, the stick I ordered from you a few months back is quite similar with exception of the handle. The handle is that of a thin 1" or so pistol grip shape that has finger and palm correct imprint where knuckles were formed at the right space so my fingers fit perfectly into the epressed spacs. You have a great eye for seeing that in the raw & then helping nature to make it work. If you recall, you left the thorns less their tips about the same height as your discovered sick. When I saw it on your web site it spoke loudly to me with the early days charecteristics of blackthorn walking sticks. Light and comfortable to use. Thanks for showing the stick you found, it confirms in my mind my gut feeling was spot on!

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Yes I have tried to do sticks like the old photos before and you have one of my attempts that I liked. Having this one should give me more information on this style.

[@pipeviking2807]

I have one exactly like yours; however, the shellac is still black and is in very good shape. Almost like it was never used. How old do you think it is? is it worth anything? thanks for the video

[@stevenkennedy4130]

That is a thirsty piece of wood, if I've ever seen. Thanks for the share!!

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

It sure is!

[@mattmorrison9379]

Very cool. I like the color and the thorns

[@jonathangauthier3549]

I could imagine a person waving that cane around almost like a sword, using the handle as a sort pommel. If you were stuck by one of those blunted spikes, you certainly notice. Perhaps some shillelagh canes were more refined, with whittled down sections for the user to grip them like like club, and others still were made to have a completely smoothed shaft? However, when I think of the quintessential shillelagh, it's this that comes to mind. Simplicity at its best! Simply round off the node of the branch and trim back the thorns even for convenience sake. A wonderful specimen indeed!

[@randywoodworth5990]

One thing's for certain, the Irish immigrants had a huge impact on American history, literally dozens of families can trace their ancestry back to Ireland. And the famous feud between the Hatfields and McCoys, which lasted many years. Many of the men definitely brought shillelaghs with them to America.

[@mattiaskaeg9064]

I really love how much charakter the thorns give to the sticks. But when I saw you grin when you pulled out that awesome big cudgel I had to get it! Already got a Walking Stick and a nice shilleilagh from you but theres allways a Place for one more. Great Work

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Thanks for the support

[@dawsoncanfield5386]

Neat article. I ordered a walking stick from you, lighter than an ash cane here in the States. Very nice work on your part, shipping was not as costly as I thought it would be.

[@NCCorruption]

Fighting sticks are usually a lot lighter, speed is preferable and the thorns would makes up for the loss of weight, a very nice piece. Could I ask you what you finished that cudgel with?

[@Matt-uj6jm]

Excellent video Francis keep them coming 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@donsmith4044]

Not unlike an old black thorn that came down to my mother from a farm on the Portadown Brakagh. Age? But authentic. Don

[@garengatorlope1004]

It would be interesting to see it after a bit of restoration like applying grease or oil or something like that to it

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I’m thinking what to do it’s more of a display thing as not sure it Would support Someone’s weight.

[@stevedenney2110]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 Keep it as original. That’s a great piece of history.

[@garengatorlope1004]

@@stevedenney2110 I was thinking more along the line of just preservation as well as appearance to see how it looked in it's heyday

[@FriedPi-mc5yt]

That’s pretty cool! I would clean it up a bit with some Murphy’s Wood Soap or some other such product and just leave it be as a historical artifact.

[@stevedenney2110]

When did makers start to paint the shaft black, rather than the finish just being whatever “treatment” was done to it as it was aging? I guess the black paint is supposed to simulate the old treatments, but it seems to my eye to be artificial vs. how that stick looks.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I think guys did both black and natural sticks it’s hard to tell in the old black and white pictures. I’d love to know also

[@laurence1643]

Absolutely beautiful. That's the ultimate look I like, that type knob and prominent thorns .

[@marymiles9922]

What a treasure you found! Nice you got to keep it! I like the thorns! The one I bought from you has the thorns. Thanks for sharing!

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

The really old pics all have thorns on them

[@artawhirler]

What an interesting video! Thanks! Just one question - how long is this stick?

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

About 36 inch I think

[@leeroy8936]

That stick is way longer than i would have expected.

[@tx.tactical3165]

Howdy from TEXAS, great find...

[@slowturtle6745]

What a great find. Looks like a good template for future projects.

[@abluecanoe]

That’s similar to mine. 🌻

[@abluecanoe]

The thorns are shorter, it’s darker.

[@jakeanderson8156]

Wow!! What an amazing find! That's a real treasure!

[@jeremybryant5778]

as well

[@Zulutime44]

How old do you believe it is? Perhaps the landowner might have some clues.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

My best guess is 1920’s

[@jkoeberlein1]

I'm surprised that the craftsman left so much length to the Thorns?

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Plenty of old picture online show this

[@peterfitzgerald53]

Where these also made of petrified bog oak ?

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Not to my knowledge

[@briankeniry219]

We had, and I think still have, an old walking stick that looks very much like that. It is polished ad smoothed and it does have a metal protective end piece that that one lack. However, the handle is very similar. I think it was probably used by my Great great grandfather Patrick Reynolds. He was born in the early 1850's at a place called Rathowen in Westmeath towards Co Longford and I think he and my gt,gt, grandmother came here to England in the 1870's (just a guess). So the stick must be pretty old. I always wondered if it was a shillelagh as it was so unusual, but the pictures I seen online shown shillelaghs to be more club like whereas this can certainly be used as a walking stick.

[@BUZZKILLJRJR]

Wow thease are so cool i made one out of birch years ago, iv always wanted one. My cousin has gone and met our family in Ireland our family has been in the USA 220+ years now still have the original homested in a trust. We lost touch with the family in Ireland, im glad he went back to reconnect to them. I definitely want one of thease.

[@Chops_1980]

That is what I think of, when I think of a blackthorn walking stick. I have a similar one I found at a thrift store years ago. You’ll have one sold if you make one. Then I’ll have 3 of yours, and the one I found at the thrift store.

[@Fuxjaga]

Lightweight and easy to carry. And fast as it is so lightweight. Beautifully made with a lot of attention to details. The thorn studs make both, good decoration - and effective defense. Good inspiration for some project!

[@cwstreeper]

Fascinating! I would love to get a hold of some of my ancestral shillelaghs. What a treasure!

[@roweng.4245]

I have a vintage blackthorn walking stick, acquired from an estate sale here in Colorado. The people running the sale said that it had come from Ireland with an uncle (or great-uncle) in the 1940s; it's similar in size and shape to the old one you show here, though most of the thorns have been smoothed a little bit.

[@jefferykubitz4510]

Reminds me of the one I have from my Great Great Grandparents.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

All the older sticks are like this light and thorny

[@jefferykubitz4510]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 I'm saving up to buy one of your beautiful creations. It will be a hard choice. You make so many really pretty ones.

[@davidaustin4910]

Very neat fine. Appreciated you sharing your insights about as well.

[@seangere9698]

I would say it is definitely a turn of the century (1900's) piece. Best way to date it is exactly how you did. It at least gives you a time frame of when it was last used.

[@Mshannon75]

Love the old blackthorn! Ok, I’m sold on the extra thorny. Next time I see one, I’ll have to try to get one.

[@eileencregg6754]

That is beautiful ❤💚🍀💯

[@badger1296]

I like the knobby look. 👍

[@josephsmiley3rd]

What a find !!!

[@imbradtaylor]

Absolutely gorgeous! So wonderful that you get to own someone's history.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Thank you so much!

[@darrylmierl199]

Awesome!!!

[@eploy2004]

Very insightful just like the rest of your videos.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

Thank you for supporting my business

[@davidwhiren817]

WOW ! isn't it amazing the things God places in our path as we walk our road in life !!! Francis you know me & my tastes in Blackthorn walking sticks !!! I don't reach for the poleaxe/ brick bat style of cane , it is this style with the more slender graceful lines & proportions that suit my wants & needs , & this style is still plenty strong & able to legitimately take the weight of the user in the practical sense !!! The handle grip size makes me think it's a ladies stick , but then again I do not know it's length ??? If I were you , I'd damp wipe it off & maybe clean up the fraying on the ferrule end & display at the retail shop only !!! 100 yrs old !!! WOW !!!

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I want restore it but only as a display piece as I’m not sure it’s strong enough to support modern needs

[@davidwhiren817]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 yes it probably is brittle !!!

[@Trav_Can]

So cool to see an original. It would great to see a video of you cleaning it up and giving it some oil. Not a major restoration or anything, just a little clean up to bring it back to life.

[@FrancisMcCaffrey5]

I resorted it already and sold didn’t make a video of it

[@Trav_Can]

@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 Dang. I'm surprised you sold it. I would think hold on to it for it's history. I regret selling off certain cool old pieces for the money. Maybe you won't, but I have a collector's tendency.

[@landoncube769]

I'm not even Irish but your work is insane and I've been thinking of buying a walking stick. Just can't decide which ones right for me they're all so awesome

[@tomcatt998]

Once you start useing em there's NO turning back, it becomes a obsession..

[@warjunkie8242]

I really like how thorny that is! That is really cool. Sure wouldn't want to get whacked with that

[@michaelshuss9374]

Nice find Francis, Congrats!!