Claíomh

Claíomh Museum-quality Irish historical interpretations & mobile museum: 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th & early 20th centuries Sligo) and Dungiven (Co. Derry).

Claíomh, meaning 'sword' in Irish, is a professional 'living history' group portraying late medieval and early modern military life in Ireland to a museum-quality standard. Composed of like-minded individuals, the group is continually working on a wide range of reconstructive projects. The group was founded in the late 1990's by Dave Swift and Marcus Seóighe and was officially registered as 'Claío

mh' in Ireland in 2001 and currently has members from Dublin, Cork and Galway. Of foremost interest to the group are impressions of military personnel of Irish Gaelic lineage c.1480-1660 - from Irish participation in the Battle of Stoke Field in England in 1487 and up to and including the Irish Confederate & Cromwellian Wars fought from the 1640’s to the early 1650's. Within the late medieval period, particular interest is focused on the heavy infantry galloglasses or gallóglaigh who were originally of Norse-Highland descent, although whose ranks were by sixteenth-century times largely filled by native Irishmen. Other regular interpretations include seasonal 'Redshank' mercenaries from the Scots Highlands/Western Isles, those of Anglo-Irish - or 'Old English' - extraction in Ireland and Anglo-Scots Borderers of the Elizabethan era. Claíomh uses only the highest quality re-constructed artefacts available and many of our reproduced weapons are based upon the unique originals kept in the national collections of both jurisdictions - north and south - on the island of Ireland. In the interest of maintaining high standards of authenticity it is necessary that all plate armours are specially commissioned as individual pieces. All mail is rivetted according to the styles in use in Late Medieval Ireland and contemporary Europe. Where possible all period clothing is faithfully based upon surviving remnants of original woollen and linen garments which have been preserved at various Irish bog sites such as Killery (Co. Similarly shoes and the other various leather trappings are painstakingly remade with the same level of attention to detail. Where archaeological data is not available, contemporary artwork in unison with relevant source documentation is drawn upon - albeit, with an appropriate quantity of caution. Claíomh serves a diverse client-base in various capacities. Events frequently taken on by the membership include corporate events, press releases, private functions, on-site heritage interpretions, parades, clan-rallies, ceremonial guard, in-school/college education and television/film work. Claíomh provides demonstrations as historical/archaeological interpreters and as dramatic stunt-fighters.

12 years ago I worked on 'Chancing Your Arm' for Noho Dublin and Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Dan Scanlon appeared...
20/08/2026

12 years ago I worked on 'Chancing Your Arm' for Noho Dublin and Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Dan Scanlon appeared as the Earl of Ormond.

This video is part of the Cathedral's "Tales from our Timeline" ser...

Visit Cashel Walled Towns Day Heritage Week 2012
18/08/2026

Visit Cashel Walled Towns Day Heritage Week 2012

At Cork Public Museum today tiil 4pm 🫡
15/08/2026

At Cork Public Museum today tiil 4pm 🫡

OTD 14th August 1598 was fought the Battle of the Yellow Ford. The pic above shows detail from a contemporary illustrati...
14/08/2026

OTD 14th August 1598 was fought the Battle of the Yellow Ford. The pic above shows detail from a contemporary illustration of the action where an English 'saker' got stuck in the mud during the battle. Irish skirmishers can be seen bearing light matchlock fi****ms, or 'calivers', taking advantage of this calamity facing the Crown Forces - some of O'Neill's sword and targe men can also be seen in the bottom left of the picture.
A saker was a type of medium sized cannon which at this time in history fired a 5.25 lb ball with a bore diameter of c.3.5 inches. The gun was typically nine foot long and weighed 2000 lbs.
When the smoke cleared at the end of the day the English had lost 1200 dead, 300 deserters, 13-23 captains including the Queen's Marshall Sir Henry Bagenal and between 11-34 flags. The Irish under Hugh O'Neill, Hugh Maguire and 'Red' Hugh O'Donnell lost some 200 dead with 600 wounded. To the contemporary English the battle was better known as 'The Defeat Of The Blackwater'...

OTD 14th August 1598 was fought the Battle of the Yellow Ford. The pic above shows detail from a contemporary illustration of the action where an English 'saker' got stuck in the mud during the battle. Irish skirmishers can be seen bearing light matchlock fi****ms, or 'calivers', taking advantage of this calamity facing the Crown Forces - some of O'Neill's sword and targe men can also be seen in the bottom left of the picture.

A saker was a type of medium sized cannon which at this time in history fired a 5.25 lb ball with a bore diameter of c.3.5 inches. The gun was typically nine foot long and weighed 2000 lbs.

When the smoke cleared at the end of the day the English had lost 1200 dead, 300 deserters, 13-23 captains including the Queen's Marshall Sir Henry Bagenal and between 11-34 flags. The Irish under Hugh O'Neill, Hugh Maguire and 'Red' Hugh O'Donnell lost some 200 dead with 600 wounded. To the contemporary English the battle was better known as 'The Defeat Of The Blackwater'...

Ireland AM Deric Virgin Media Ireland National Heritage Week King John's Castle Limerick City and County Council Today ...
13/08/2026

Ireland AM Deric Virgin Media Ireland National Heritage Week King John's Castle Limerick City and County Council
Today 🎥🎥🎥✌️✌️✌️

10/08/2026
Recumbent sword and the first of the season’s fallen apples 🍃⚔️🍃
05/08/2026

Recumbent sword and the first of the season’s fallen apples 🍃⚔️🍃

On another hot day in 2025 with 3 Swords at International Medieval Congress - University of Leeds
16/07/2026

On another hot day in 2025 with 3 Swords at International Medieval Congress - University of Leeds

Thank you Portumna Castle OPW for hosting me at the fantastic event on Sunday Visit Galway
14/07/2026

Thank you Portumna Castle OPW for hosting me at the fantastic event on Sunday Visit Galway

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Dublin
16

Telephone

Dave's cell/mobile +353876803432

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