Irish guns?

[tom in nc]

My 8th great grandfather came from Ireland to Queen Anne's Parish in Virginia in 1540. I'm wondering what guns would have looked like in his homeland. Anybody know of a information source on Irish guns prior to 1600? Thanks.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

These of course went by the wayside during the famine due to ammo shortages.

 

[tenngun]

I don’t know if there was an Irish gun making cadre at this time. 1540 guns were still auxiliary pieces and much of the fighting was pikemen. Gunners, arrqubus shooters tended to be mercenary companies. Armies tended to be small.
In 1519 Cortez marched to Mexico with six hundred men, only 200 had guns. Crossbows would still be the major arm in the Ango Spanish war of the 1580s to 1600. Henry the eighth had to outlaw bowling to encourage yoeman to practice with bow.
Most of Henry’s guns were of Dutch and German manufacture
Are you sure he came in 1540 as JamesTown would not be established till 1607 and not viable till years later.
1640, as a typo is possible but by then England had a firm tyrannical grip on Ireland. With the years of rebellion most Irish shot guns from France or Spain.
I would lean toward a Dutch musket, possibly matchlock or a long wheellock pistol.
A snaphaunce would be tops in firearm design. True French flintlocks were just then being invented

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Tenngun you are correct.....The new Jamestown settlement in 1607 was a mish-mosh of tents and whatever was available for cover....and wavering between starvation and a struggling for survival with the Indians and internal frustrations for a year or two. Captain John Smith after being jailed for dis-subordination didn't make his mark and begin to explore the area making an effort to communicate with the Indians for another year or two. Perhaps "Tom n nc" had a typo meaning 1640? And then, what a terrific and very rare family history Tom has!

 

[tom in nc]

Yes, of course the date was a typo.

John's info. I got the info about his coming to America elsewhere. The other source has the name of the man who brought him here as an indentured servant.

His father's info. I have tried for years to find someone that can tell me how the old name (O'Cobbthaigh) was pronounced. Any in Ireland on here?
A couple of generations after John came Reuben Coffey whom I have read was a gun maker.

 

[BillinOregon]

Love family history. Isn't it nice to know a few names and dates?

 

[JeffG]

The Britains were hard on the "Highlands" and the Irish had precious few firearms. The reference to a Dutch musket here is pretty accurate.

What was the Disarming Act 1695?


An Act for the better securing the government, by disarming papists 1695 directed Irish Catholics to deliver up “all their arms and ammunition, notwithstanding any licence for keeping the same heretofore granted”, and allowed for the search and seizure of the same.





What was the Disarming Act of 1745?

By an Act of the 1st of the late King, entitled an act for the more effectual security of the peace of the Highlands, the whole Highlanders without distinction are disarmed forever and forbid to use or bear arms under penaltys.

 

[TobJohn]

If you want a military gun with a historical connection to the 17th century Irish, the best place to look would be the Tercio of Ireland. It was a Spanish military unit (Tercio) originally made up of Catholic Irish deserters of the English army during the 80 years war/Anglo Spanish war.

 

[Sam squanch]

Rich landowners could own guns. That was it, ordinary people were banned from owning them.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

I had thought the Irish made only whiskey until I saw references to Irish longrifles several years ago. Since I don't drink the stuff, though, I do not know the variations between Scotch, Irish, Kentucky, etc., whiskey.

The British did not treat the Irish well; several hundred thousand were sold into slavery, at first to work on the plantations of the Windward Isles in the Caribbean, then slightly later in North America.

 

[Sam squanch]

I saw a leprechaun with a little blunderbuss one time……after a st pats day party….

 

[Sam squanch]

That’s him..

 

[tenngun]

That’s him..

Oh Jeez I know him. We used to camp together at the mid America voo, had a white tent.

 

[Juice Jaws]

View attachment 270355

Now that is funny

 

[Juice Jaws]

These of course went by the wayside during the famine due to ammo shortages.

Thats even funnier than the first picture

 

[tom in nc]

I know some Civil War era history.
My third great grandfather was William Clayton Coffey.

I don't know where the name "Kirk" came from. All other accounts that I have seen give Blalock's name as McKesson "Keith" Blalock.
Blalock and his wife are often mentioned in Civil War history because she was one of several women who joined the forces during the war. They, husband and wife, traveled from their home near Grandfather Mountain, to Lenoir NC and enlisted, intending to surrender and join Union forces at first opportunity. She was discovered fairly quickly.

 

[tenngun]

Rich landowners could own guns. That was it, ordinary people were banned from owning them.

Rich land owners in Ireland were English. They met have been born in Ireland and had a bit of an Irish accent, but by lineage and loyalty they were Brits, all most all English at that, through and through.

 

[Jay Templin]

My 8th great grandfather came from Ireland to Queen Anne's Parish in Virginia in 1540. I'm wondering what guns would have looked like in his homeland. Anybody know of an information source on Irish guns prior to 1600? Thanks.

That’s just not possible. There were no Europeans at all in Virginia in 1540, and no parishes were established here until the 1630s.
If he came from Ireland on his own in 1640, he’d likely have had an English gun. If he were sent over, he probably wouldn’t have had a gun at all.
Jay

 

[Terrier]

That’s just not possible. There were no Europeans at all in Virginia in 1540, and no parishes were established here until the 1630s.
If he came from Ireland on his own in 1640, he’d likely have had an English gun. If he were sent over, he probably wouldn’t have had a gun at all.
Jay

Ref post #7

 

[Malamute]

Ref post #7

As a sig line elsewhere Ive used "Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?"