The Gallowglass | MacCarthy Reagh Clan

The Gallowglass
An Gallóglaigh

In former times, the Gallowglass of The MacCarthy Reagh bore arms in defence of the Chief and of Carbery’s people. In our modern age, when the gravest danger for many is not the sword but the loss of home and dignity, the Gallowglass fulfill that ancient duty in a new form: by serving those who are dispossessed and who lack the shelter that every human being deserves. Thus the ancient martial vocation of protection is continued through works of charity.

The Mission of the MacCarthy Reagh Gallowglass is threefold:

Charity, Community, Tradition

Charity and defence of the dignity of the vulnerable.

The Gallowglass enter the places where need is felt most sharply, bringing the charity into the heart of local communities rather than expecting the vulnerable to come to them. In practical terms, this means partnering with parish churches, community centres, shelters, and civic groups to help those at risk of homelessness and those already on the street.

Strengthen and uphold the traditions, honour, and dignity of Clan MacCarthy Reagh by turning heritage into community.

Guarding the memory and identity of the clan: knowing and telling its history faithfully, preserving its symbols and customs, and resisting any attempt to reduce that heritage to mere romantic decoration. After centuries of neglect and persecution, many ancient Irish chiefly families and dynasties have been marginalized, and the dignity of the ancient Gaelic-Irish royal and chiefly families lost to history. The Gallowglass safeguard the customs that give the ancient Gaelic-Irish clans their meaning, and actively carry them forward through gatherings, education, service, and mutual support—so that clan members and the wider Irish diaspora can belong, participate, and take pride in living Gaelic tradition rather than simply admiring it at a distance.

Maintain the Gaelic-Irish martial traditions.

Finally, the Gallowglass continue the martial and athletic traditions of medieval Ireland in forms that strengthen people, communities and Irish pride. Bataireacht, a native Irish martial art, is part of Ireland’s cultural heritage; while not everyone will be able to train, the Gallowglass are empowered and encouraged to study, preserve, and responsibly pass on this art as living tradition. That same custodianship extends naturally to hurling, the oldest and most iconic of Gaelic games, and to practical support for GAA clubs as the heartbeat of local life. By backing youth teams, equipment and travel costs, coaching development, club facilities, and community events, the Gallowglass help keep GAA activities accessible — especially for families facing hardship. In this way, the martial traditions of Ireland are used to knit stronger local communities, give young people a path to excellence and fitness, and ensure that the cultural life of Carbery endures in everyday in tangible ways.

The insignia incorporates two crossed Sparth axes, resembling St. Andrew's Cross, to represent the Scottish origins of the medieval Irish Gallowglass. Then, on the red cross there are three fleurs-de-lis denoting the three fleurs-de-lis of The MacCarthy Reagh's heraldry, and a lymphad (a primarily Scottish heraldic charge) to signify that members belong to many different clans from all around the world. At its center is the Róisín Dubh - a long standing symbol of Gaelic Ireland - the heart of what the Gallowglass work to preserve, defend, and represent.

And the centerpiece of the whole design is the eight pointed cross as a symbol of the eight beatitudes and Christ's call to charity which the modern Gallowglass are charged to fulfill.

Gallowglass members are awarded the insignia as a lapel pin.
A Ceannasaí (Commander) is awarded the insignia suspended from a crimson neck ribbon.
The Caomhnóir na nGallóglach (Constable of the Gallowglass) is awarded the insignia suspended from a red neck ribbon and a silk crimson sash.

The banner of the MacCarthy Reagh Gallowglass features the personal heraldry of the Chief further embellished with scrolls bearing the names and dates of major military engagements in which the historical MacCarthy Reagh Gallowglass are known to have fought.

Battle of Carrigdourteach (1232) --  An early contest in west Cork between the rising MacCarthy (Carbery) line and local holders in the Corcu Loígde/O’Mahony sphere, probably fought to secure control of coastal territory and access to sea-routes. Later tradition treats it as one of the first clear moves toward a distinct Carbery lordship. Battle of Callan (1261) --  A major victory of the MacCarthys of Desmond over the Anglo-Normans in Kerry/Cork, killing key invaders and halting further encroachment into south Munster. Though not a specifically Carbery action, it preserved MacCarthy strength in the region and enabled branch lines — including the future MacCarthy Reagh of Carbery — to develop. Siege of Ringrone / Rincorran (1261) --  Taking advantage of weakened Norman positions after Callan, MacCarthy forces moved on the strongpoint guarding the Bandon-Kinsale approach. The siege signaled an intention to control the estuarine and maritime access points of south Cork, a cornerstone of later MacCarthy Reagh power. Battle of Inchydoney (1295) --  A coastal engagement off the Clonakilty area in which the MacCarthy Reagh are said to have defeated rival local/Norman-aligned forces, thereby securing their hold on Carbery. In historical memory it becomes the moment when Carbery passes decisively under MacCarthy Reagh control. The Wars of the Succession (c. 1430–1510) --  A long series of internal conflicts within the MacCarthy Reagh line — complicated by interventions from neighbouring lords — over the right to possess Kilbrittain and lead Carbery. These struggles defined the legitimate branch of the dynasty and fixed the political geography of Carbery for the 16th century. Battle of Gleann na Mhuilinn (1449) --  A mid-15th-century clash arising from those succession disputes, in which the victorious Carbery faction proved it could defend its claim by force. The fight stands as evidence that the MacCarthy Reagh were not only heirs by pedigree but lords by conquest. Battle of Mourne Abbey (1521) --  A 16th-century engagement in north/central Cork involving MacCarthy power projecting beyond its coastal base, most likely tied to wider Munster rivalries (Desmond, Barry, Muskerry). It shows the MacCarthy Reagh still fielded effective forces in the Tudor opening phase. First Desmond Rebellion (1569–1573) --  A large Munster rising against Tudor rule led by the Desmond Geraldines, pulling in or pressing neighbouring Gaelic lords to take sides. For the MacCarthy Reagh this brought Crown attention to Carbery’s military potential and began the era in which service, neutrality, or rebellion all had long-term land consequences. Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) --  The more intense follow-up rising, marked by foreign (papal/Spanish) involvement and harsh Crown responses. Carbery’s coastline and passes became strategically important, and MacCarthy Reagh forces are found in Crown operations — a sign of adaptation to the new Tudor order. Siege of Carrigafoyle (1580) --  During the Crown’s spring offensive in Munster, Carrigafoyle Castle in Kerry was reduced by land and sea. Contemporary/report tradition sometimes credits the MacCarthy Reagh with supplying a substantial body of troops to the Crown force, illustrating their ability to field numbers and their usefulness to royal commanders. Raid on Flower’s Column (1600) --  A localized strike by MacCarthy Reagh elements against an English/Crown outpost during the Nine Years’ War phase in Munster. Though small in scale, it shows Carbery was still capable of offensive action and that Crown control in west Cork was not yet uncontested. Siege of Kinsale (1601–1602) --  The decisive campaign of the Nine Years’ War, when a Spanish army landed and was besieged by Mountjoy, with Irish forces marching south to relieve it. For the MacCarthy Reagh, the siege transformed the military and political landscape of south-west Munster and ushered in conditions where Gaelic seigneurial warfare was no longer sustainable. The Chief of the MacCarthy Reagh aligned with the Crown and its commanders, even though this stance set him against kinsmen and fellow MacCarthys who favoured the Irish-Spanish cause. His choice showed that Carbery’s survival now lay in royal service, not in a pan-Gaelic rising — and it marked a public rupture within the wider MacCarthy kindred. Siege of Cork (1642) --  Early in the Confederate Wars, Irish/Catholic forces in Munster sought to curb or capture key English/Protestant strongholds, Cork foremost among them. In the opening phase of the Confederate Wars, Cork remained the principal English/Protestant stronghold in Munster. By this point the Chief of MacCarthy — like several Munster Catholic magnates — had been repeatedly disappointed, deceived, and effectively alienated by the Crown’s earlier policies (broken assurances, encroachments, and the diminishing of Gaelic seigneurial rights). His alignment with the Irish Confederate cause during the siege was therefore not a sudden rebellion but a natural return to the Catholic/Gaelic interest once it became clear that loyalty to the Crown no longer secured the House of MacCarthy’s position in Carbery. Participation at Cork thus signaled both political estrangement from Dublin/London and active commitment to the Confederate program in Munster. Battle of Liscarroll (1642) --  A major Munster field battle of the same war, pitting Confederate-Irish against a well-led Protestant/Crown force. Inclusion of MacCarthy Reagh contingents here ties Carbery directly into the large-scale operations of 1642 and shows their fortunes rising or falling with the Confederate army. Battle of Aughrim (1691) --  The climactic defeat of the Jacobite army in Ireland during the Williamite War. For Gaelic-descended and Catholic magnates, including any MacCarthy Reagh participants, Aughrim marked the effective end of hopes for restoring the old landholding and political order, closing a centuries-long military story that began on the shores of Carbery.

ChatGPT Image Feb 15, 2026, 08_41_16 AM.png

The gallowglass (Irish gallóglaigh, “foreign warriors”) were professional, heavily armed infantry who played a major role in Gaelic Irish warfare from the later Middle Ages into the early modern period. They served as elite troops retained by Gaelic lords to strengthen household security, hold key positions, and provide a dependable “hard core” in battle. Most gallowglass were Norse-Gaelic warriors from the western seaboard of Scotland and the Hebrides. They shared language and culture with Gaelic Ireland, which helped them integrate quickly into Irish lordships and be retained through contracts, kin networks, and land-for-service arrangement. In this sense the gallowglass were the closest thing to a native Gaelic-Irish 'knighthood.'

However, by the late 1500s and early 1600s, warfare in Ireland changed rapidly with the growth of firearms and new military methods, and the classic gallowglass model gradually declined. Even so, the gallowglass left a lasting legacy as a symbol of service, protection, and disciplined obligation.

Today, while not an unbroken continuation from the medieval gallowglass, the Gallowglass of The MacCarthy Reagh has been reconstituted by the Chief of the Name to revive their service to Carbery through charity and social works. While the modern gallowglass is primarily constituted as a private dynastic distinction conferred to those who support the charitable and cultural missions of The MacCarthy Reagh, the Gallowglass is also an incorporated non-profit entity.

Headed by The MacCarthy Reagh, the Gallowglass is organized into regional commanderies, each directed by a Commander responsible for coordinating local activities and engagement. These commanders convene as a Commanders' Council to report to the Constable, who ensures that all regions work in harmony and that outreach efforts across the Irish diaspora remain unified and effective.

Donation Notice

Thank you for your interest in supporting the work of the Gallowglass.

We are presently in the final stages of establishing our process for accepting financial donations and are awaiting confirmation from the United States' Internal Revenue Service to approve our tax exempt status. Until this process is complete we are not yet able to accept tax deductible donations.

We appreciate your patience and your generosity of spirit. If you would like more information on how potentially taxed contributions may be made to support our charitable, cultural, and community initiatives in the interim, please contact us: info@maccarthyreagh.org

Who Can Join

The Gallowglass of The MacCarthy Reagh is a fellowship of service, heritage, and loyalty, inspired by the warrior companies who once stood in defence of the chiefs and people of Ireland. Though the age of clan warfare has passed, the spirit of the gallóglaigh endures through works of charity, cultural guardianship, and community support.

Membership is open to anyone who desires to support this mission.

What Members Do

Gallowglass can take part in a range of activities, depending on their interests and availability:

Supporting charitable initiatives and fundraising efforts
Helping preserve and promote Gaelic-Irish heritage and traditions
Taking part in cultural, educational, and community events
Connecting with others who share similar interests around the world

Some Gallowglass are hands-on volunteers; others contribute through organisation, outreach, or support. Every role matters.

Distinction and Service

While commandership in the Gallowglass exists as a dynastic honour conferred by The MacCarthy Reagh in recognition of notable support and service, alongside this there is a broader body of Gallowglass volunteers and supporters who assist in its charitable and cultural work. In practice, this means anyone can get involved, while formal promotion is reserved for exceptional contribution over time.

Getting Involved

If you’d like to join The MacCarthy Reagh Gallowglass, or simply learn more about what we do, please contact the Chancery at info@maccarthyreagh.org

An Chlann Mhic Cárthaigh Riabhaigh
~
The MacCarthy Reagh Clan

Fortis, Ferox et Celer ~ Tréan, Misniúil, agus Mear

The Gallowglass
An Gallóglaigh

Who Can Join

What Members Do

Distinction and Service

Getting Involved

The Gallowglass An Gallóglaigh

The Gallowglass
An Gallóglaigh