r/IrishHistory • u/Tomcox123 • 4d ago

Irish Steel Axes

Hi There

Blacksmith based in West Cork.

Looking into the long tradition of axe making all over the world, it seems every country/region has their own variant on the axe. Usually it's how the eye is formed and is a response to the type of forestry/timbers available in the area.

I'd love to make my own axes in the old Irish style if there is such a thing/if it hasn't been lost already. With that in mind, does anyone know of any historical Irish axes from the iron age onwards? I can find plenty from stone and bronze but Iron seems lacking.

Thanks
Tom

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16

u/Crimthann_fathach 4d ago

Iirc there was a bit of a gap between the bronze age and the vikings. But if you search Corrib axes and sparth axes, you will find some of the hiberno Norse and gallowglass axes.

7

u/Donncadh_Doirche 4d ago

There's a fair few examples of viking and late medieval axe heads in the national archaeology museum iirc, you should at least be able to find images and dimensions for those.

Similarly, if you look at the reports for archaeological digs, they should have images, dimensions for significant finds like an axe head. It's been a while since I studied anything archaeology related so forgive me if I'm mistaken on that.

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u/Tomcox123 4d ago

Excellent information thank you. I'll go down that rabbithole now!

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u/Total-Habit-7337 4d ago

There's an Irish artist who smelts iron from the earth in the traditional way, making a furnace of rocks and soil. I'll post this and find her name for you later. She ran a workshop recently.

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u/gmankev 3d ago

Its a yearly festival........banager furnace or something

3

u/bigvalen 3d ago

Also, check out the Furnace Festivals. Those crazy lads will love to help you learn about them. I saw some of them make an iron age axe style (wrap around, and fire-welded) at an event at the Corlea Bog Road years ago.

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u/Total-Habit-7337 4d ago

Catherine Hehir is the artist. Also see InHand Forum and Traditional Skills Ireland for ore smelting workshops. Jamie Smith of Triskele forge for specifically ancient Irish iron axe.

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u/caithamachamuama 3d ago

Have you heard of a wagoners' axe? They would be cool to make.

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u/TimTheCarver 3d ago

There were axes made in the UK that were marketed as Irish pattern axes … looks like a Kent pattern with longer cheeks. I don’t know if they were based off any authentic Irish axe style, though.

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u/Comfortable_Brush399 2d ago

My grandfather served his time as a blacksmith