About Celtic Shoes
I offer these hand made leather shoes as modern versions of the shoes our ancestors wore. These shoes are available as standard sizes and as a custom made bespoke version to precisely fit your feet.
Each pair of shoes are crafted from the same shoulder of leather and each shoe has the upper made in a single piece that is cleverly cut and folded as sewn into its design shape. These shoes are based on and include the geometry from a shoe found in the west of Ireland dating to the late bronze age, but updated for modern Celts to wear. Elegance displaying Celtic cultural pride! |
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About Gaelic Boots
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I offer these hand made leather boots as modern versions of the boots our ancestors wore. These boots are available as standard sizes and as a custom made bespoke version to precisely fit your feet.
Each pair of boots are crafted from the same shoulder of leather and each boot has the upper made in a single piece that is cleverly cut and folded as sewn into its design shape. These boots are based on and include the geometry from a boot found in Dublin dating to the Brian Boru era, but updated for modern Celts to wear. Elegance displaying Celtic cultural pride! |
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Customer Testimonials
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pic of Lis's new Celtic Shoes
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"The Brian Boru Boots look good and fitted from the first moment. As suggested I used them "step by step" till last Saturday, when I wore them during ceremony for about three hours, not thinking a second about feet or shoes - the best you can say about good footwear!"
Karl Ard Druí from Austria |
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Meet the Maker - Passionate about Irish history
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The 'Lough Gara' Gaelic Shoes and 'Brian Boru' Gaelic Boots are hand made by Con Connor, a Celtic Druid who lives with Niamh in the West of Ireland. I provide quality leather shoes and boots inspired by our culture and tradition. The Irish have often been depicted in the history books as barefoot savages. I've found evidence that this is not the case. Ireland's wealth was in it's cattle, and with a lot of cattle you have a lot of leather. I started to ask questions and travel to museums in search of the Irish shoe. As it turns out Ireland has a unique style of footwear that is is full of style and unnecessary embellishment.
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Gaining exposure for these noble Irish Celtic Shoes is just one step in the re-emergence of our Celtic identity. With my shoes and boots you can now wear customized footwear as an expression of this cultural ancestral treasure. You can wear a unique piece of Irish History.
Celtic History and Heritage
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In an ongoing recovery of our forgotten Celtic heritage and culture I have visited several museums that hold artifacts of our ancestor’s footwear. These include the National Museum of Ireland in Kildare St Dublin, Armagh and Belfast Museums and the London Museum of Archaeology. This ‘hands-on’ research informs the design and making of all my footwear. See my essay "In the footsteps of the noble Gael" on the Gaelic Slipper published in the book of essays for the Irish Chiefs' and Clans' Prize in History. The book is an anthology under the heading of - "Politics, Kingship and Culture in Gaelic Ireland c1100 - c1690. The editors even included a mention of my path as a Celtic Druid. Read the essay here.
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Gaelic Slipper, Shoe and Boot - some lecture images with notes
This is the most recent version (Samhain 2019 for NUIG) of my presentation on this unique style of Irish footwear. I have made this lecture available here to inform as many people as possible that the "Irish did wear shoes". The core style concept can be traced from the late bronze age up to the Brian Boru era. Brief notes are given, please note - this is a one hour+ presentation usually followed by Q+A.
In the Louth shoe above we see the original hidden stitching and the surface 'repair' visible sewing that was done to try to keep this exquisite example of our ancestors footwear in one piece.
The multiple shoes image above is a composite of the best of or the most recognizable shoe artifacts in Ireland at this time. There is also a very beautiful example on display in Dublin - pics later. The research got myself and my wife Niamh into the crypt under the National Museum in Dublin for an entire day. We also got a day of full access to the shoe in the Armagh museum and in the Belfast Museum. Then we heard of the London Gaelic Shoes... we got a full day examining these in the Museum of London Archaeology - pics later in this lecture.
The first pair of Gaelic Slippers that I made are the Ballinderry type. The sword (a gift from my re-enactment group) is a replica of the famous sword on display in the NMI called the Ballinderry Sword and was found in the area where the shoe was found. It was forged from crucible steel making it the cleanest / strongest steel sword of its era - my sword sings when it makes contact with anything solid! The geometry on the vamp of the shoe in my version is central. Many, many years later in the crypt of the NMI I got to see, handle and photograph the actual artifact. It was listed as 'location outstanding' so I did not know I'd seen it! At home looking at the pictures Niamh took I recognised the symmetric geometry on the vamp. It was not central. The central 3 lines up the vamp to the tongue were incised - cut into the leather but the opposing triangles / dicky bow geometry had faded out of the leather because it was presumably impressed into the leather with a stylus. The line sketch was professionally done after the excavation and is a precise representation showing the offset dicky bow.
This slide shows the locations for the terminology I use in describing each artifact in this series. The beautiful shoe on the lower right is the one on display in NMI - above it is my replica. AT Lucas in his report mentions the Galway shoe only briefly for some as yet undefined reason. It has a separate leather addition for the heel and toe taking it from a slipper into a shoe. Close examination shows other 'extra sewing holes' suggesting that at one time this shoe probably had a one piece 'sole unit' to use modern shoe terminology. The full outsole version required the sewing of the outsole to the one piece upper before the sewing of the vamp to the toe, this requires very precise assembly of prefabricated components. Bear in mind that the vamp to the toe stitching is done inside the shoe as invisible stitching - when done - no thread is visible. When I make replicas of these slippers/shoes /I do not make them as a 'turnshoe'. Pics coming up in the next slide...
The miniature / child size shoe getting sewn above was done many years ago to create proving photographs for my assertion that these shoes could be sewn with an internal hidden whip stitch. Notes- less than 4" long but sewn with a 2" needle, vege tan 3mm leather and linen thread. This was one of my early lectures and was printed in the Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society Journal Vol 13, pgs 19-22. Lectures were also given at Sligo IT and to the Ballintobar Castle excavations team of archaeologists and anthropologists under guidance from Irish medieval archaeologist, Dr Niall Brady A later version of this lecture is also published in the book - Politics, Kinship and Culture in Gaelic Ireland, C.1100-C.1690, Essays for the Irish Chiefs' and Clans' Prize in History (isbn in the essay here ) Priced at €35, available online, no revenue to essay contributors. My 'shoes' date from the late bronze age so I am very happy to be included in this prestigious book. My recent lecture to NUIG students forms the basis of this slide show.
The 4" miniature / child size shoe from the previous image is shown on the left in the above image. On the far right is the Dublin Boot from the Brian Boru era that I now make modern versions of. None of the artifacts - slippers, shoes or boot would fit a 6 foot tall man, say a size 10. Most were approx size 6 to 9.
Our ancestors wore their footwear differently to most Irish people today. Felt inner shoes must have been worn in Ireland - no artifacts - but common sense. Footwraps are the most simple protection for the feet and perhaps when we think of the cold wet season = the wool footwrap covered with the linen footwrap double insulating layers system must have been worn in Ireland - no artifacts - but common sense prevails again. A shoe last forms the shape of the newly sewn wet shoe (the shape is defined by the cut) and although I did not use a last for the miniature shoe they are needed for all the bigger sizes. Pattens are also a must if you are 'out and about' anywhere not just because the elevate you over the muck and wet but because they also protect the leather from abrasive contact with the damp grass and gravel.
A down view on four shoes, all have internally hidden stitching. LT1(e) has the longest tongue of all the shoes. The incised center line although straight is confusingly off center. LT1(b) shows exquisite geometry but has two short linear sections cut out of the vamp to expand the width for the hinge point of the foot, probably to accommodate a growth spurt in the size 5/6 user or an adaptation to fit a second user. LT1(f) has incised opposing 'P's around a center line and a half Celtic Knot - the 'P's are off center and the knot is broken open... The LT1 from Belfast is 100% complete. A pointy shoe with a vamp end that joins the heel wrap - visible around the heel is the possible wear from a leather strap from a patten.
Some modern versions of the LT1(f) that //I have made and sold. Available to order - order now. Showing size 8 top left, size 9 top right, size 10 lower left and the currently produced standard version in the lower right size 10 (mine...)
An image from the upcoming book... 9 and 10 are from London with 9 being original artifact and 10 is a modern replica. 13, 14 and 15 are my replicas. 16-20 are shoe images from various manuscripts. 17 is the only image showing lacing crossover. 16-20 could also be Maelassa or Lucas Type 2 but the long tongue and round cutouts each side of the tongue strongly suggest Type 1 - the Gaelic Slipper.
The two shoes in the top left were found in Craigywarren. The fragment in the very top left is maybe from a size 4 ladies today. The very top left fragment displays double spirals - culture expressed with pride. The top 1mm skin has separated from the 2mm fleshcrumb (delamination) but the vamp and tongue with opposing spirals survived the harsh conditions from the time it was lost. The Craigywarren shoe with the geometry and two cutouts to fit a bigger foot is shown side view - note incised curvilinear line. The other three images are of the Louth Shoe - It has rectangular slots for a leather thong lace. Interestingly these rectangular lace slots come right up to the vamp. It is a wide shoe for its length and maybe it is a size 8 that was worn with winter double wraps or high sided felt inner shoe. It has holes for a sole unit and is worn through at the heel and ball of the foot.
Our research visit to MOLA gave us an entire day with the entire shoe collection from a single excavation. This research expedition was financed by the Celtic Druid Temple, a religious charity in Ireland see https://www.celticdruidtemple.com/ The MOLA Book is available at www.mola.org.uk, title 'The development of early medieval and later Poultry and Cheapside: excavations at 1 Poultry and vicinity, City of London'. The religious Irish in London during the later Viking era wore a very distinctive version of the classic one piece Gaelic Slipper as shown here. One piece, tab up the vamp or heel, heel peak, sole turned up to meet the vamp, long tongue tradition with extra design refinements or unnecessary embellishments. They were all dumped in the septic tank of the church creating almost prefect re-tanning / preservation. Most had repairs and most were made for children, this may point to the role / function of that Irish church community within London. The red miniature shoe above with real silver ivy leaf is my 'show off' piece - this always impresses...
A recreation of the London Gaelic Slipper by Dr Markita Volken. Her book - Archaeological Footwear: Development of Shoe Patterns and Styles from Prehistory til the 1600's ISBN10 9089321179 and ISBN13 9789089321176 is a must for all researchers and modern leathercrafters. Markita also runs an ancient shoe museum - Musée de la Chaussure, Rue du Rôtillon 10, 1002 Lausanne, Switzerland.
I'm self trained as a Celtic Shoemaker. I have brought the bronze age style of the Lough Gara Shoe into the modern age so we can wear them in comfort with cultural style. A hard wearing studded rubber sole unit with a studded heel attaches to a mid sole of hardened 3mm vege tan leather onto the single piece upper. A soft leather insole gives a comfortable foot bed. Our ancestors walked leaning forward and we walk leaning back - I generalize here - I've brought the original design forward for use today.
Found in the 70's during the Wood Quay excavations and labeled a Type 3 (a multi-part high shoe / boot) probably because the finder had no awareness of the defining characteristics of the Gaelic Slipper and Shoe. One piece, tab up the heel, wrap around heel with peak, sole turned up to meet the vamp with the extra design refinement / unnecessary embellishment of a center line on the vamp. Maybe a size 7 or 8. No stitch holes underneath but some indication of a pattern strap is visible. My modern versions got a midsole and an studded rubber outsole with heel, a soft veg tan insole and two Celtic Knot straps with ornate brass buckles. Current version being tested is a lace up dress boot. Currently not available for sale at Samhain 2019 but I'm very pleased with the test use so far... If you want to know when its available please get on our mail list below.
Me posing in the 'lab' in the crypt of the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. Note the white gloves. Not only could I see and touch all the slippers and shoes but I could also see and hold a boot from the 'Brian Boru' era. Pics by Niamh.
Four museum grade replicas all approx size 6. These are brought to all lectures giving attendees a chance to see, touch and smell a reproduction of the footwear of our ancestors.
A part of the inauguration rite for a Gaelic king was throwing a shoe over his head. Many gifts were given and a ritual observed, a new pair of shoes was one of the gifts and perhaps the throwing away of an old shoe meant leaving the past behind as a new path as king is to be walked. This is the O'Neale clan tradition see http://ancientclanoneill.com/tullaghoge-project
I made and fitted a pair of shoes to a mannequin on the 26th of June 2019. High status shoes for the noble Gael to replace his low status pompooties that were out of character with his status as declared by his gold jewellery, leine and trews with sword and shield! Based on the shoes found in excavations of a crannóg in Lough Gara on the Sligo / Roscommon border = he is now properly dressed as a noble Gael. I handmake each of these shoes in a single piece of leather. This single piece leather slipper with a leather midsole and studded rubber sole unit with heel is the Gaelic Shoe currently being made - if you are interested please use the inquiry form below.
My research undoes the often repeated fake history of the 'Irish did not wear shoes'... Of course we did - the country was producing vast quantities of tanned leather as a product made from raw hide. Even today there are 2.5million cows processed every year and over 800 thousand cows shipped live from Ireland. There is no tannery in Ireland and I must buy my leather from offshore - I choose the best quality leather from Italy to craft my modern Gaelic Slipper, Shoe and Boot.
The above notes share some of the story and in my book 'Gaelic Slipper, Shoe and Boot' I include a Gazetteer for all currently known artifacts. A work in progress...
The above notes share some of the story and in my book 'Gaelic Slipper, Shoe and Boot' I include a Gazetteer for all currently known artifacts. A work in progress...
