Captain Cogle,

I was updating the Clann of the Wolf website (www.clannofthewolf.org) over the past few weeks while on break from graduate school studies, and while checking the URLs on the "Related Links" page, I too found the URL for the Irish Picquets website inoperable.  I deleted the link, but if anyone has information on an active website for this group, I would be happy to list that one.  The webmaster must be spending too much time at the pub!

Vicar Wm. "Gray Beard" Abernethy

I know some people of lacewars in the UK do Irish Piquets.

My suggestion is, go to the lacewars forum and ask there... I know they are a big and helpfull bunch of people, with a lot of knowledge and research.

Greenthings,

Wim-Jaap

This what I know if its any help. There "was" a group of IP's but we only ever saw the officer at our events. He turned up a couple of times and we never heard of him again. I was told his uniform went back to the seamstress as he hadn't paid for it. (hence why I don't mention the name in case its not the same group). As far as any of us know the group doesn't exist any more.

In Lace Wars we now have Dillon's and Lalley's, the latter being part of Rose and Thistle (RaT).
There has been lot of debate about the uniforms for the IP's and RE and I think all reserces have been checked.

Check our forum for more info.

Maybe I heard that he told people they were world wide, as in either side of the Atlantic. If the site had lots of Osprey book pics on it the same one.

The IP's in Lace Wars did a huge amount of research and still debate what is right and wrong, mostly over the leatherwork- cartridge bags, black, oxblood or tan?
We try to represent all of the different types of Jacobites. It's not easy! One issue is that many people think the skirmish is the most important part of the day, so every one should be the same as we don't have the numbers to truely represent the numbers of each type of soldier.
However IMO accurate living hsitory is far more important, this is what the visitor and client want. They want to be given knowledge.

Hunter and Tod,

I agree that if our purpose is to provide high quality and interesting living history educational experiences for those of the general public who attend our events as spectators, the more groups we are able to represent accurately and about which we are able to speak knowledgeably, the better that educational experience will be for them.  If, on the other hand, our purpose is to get our own personal ya ya's out engaging in battle re-enactments, it is more likely that the emphasis would be on larger ranks of fewer groups.  I prefer the former, as most of the time my fellow re-enactors and I have been under the watchful eye of spectators during the events in which I have participated over the past ten years has been spent in non-combat activities.

We have found that period cultural portrayals such as social events (e.g., a ladies' tea for HRH Prince Charles, ceilidhs, etc.), period music, period courtship (e.g., handfastings), children's games, meal preparations, period Highland games, surgeon's explanations and demonstrations of period medical practices, and even the 18th century Scottish Presbyterian Covenanter worship service I lead on Lord's Day mornings (some photos of these elements of our events are available on the various event write-ups on the Clann of the Wolf website "Past Events" page http://www.clannofthewolf.org/pasteventspage.html and more may be found on the Clann of the Wolf Photobucket site http://s456.photobucket.com/albums/qq288/wolfwebmaster/), are every bit as interesting to the general public as the drilling of troops and battle engagements.  We also try to provide lectures/narrations prior to battles we re-enact so spectators have a better understanding of what they are about to see and its historical significance.  

Most of us are lovers of history and, through personal research and discussions amongst our community of historical re-enactors/living history enthusiasts at events or on forums such as this, we have been able to refine our knowledge and understanding of the period and events we portray so that we are able to answer questions and explain what we do and how we do it for the many spectators who attend our events.

And any re-enactors showing up with anachronisms such as modern shoes or squaw boots or modern glasses are privately and politely referred to sources for period-correct accessories and encouraged to make such improvements in their kit.  We all had to start somewhere.  I have even gone to the extent of finding a much more suitable wheelchair that appears to have been made in the 18th century (http://s456.photobucket.com/albums/qq288/wolfwebmaster/I%20Am%20Come%20Home%2020...) to avoid the obvious anachronism of being dressed in 18th century attire while mounted in a 21st century wheelchair.  Its a little harder to get around in, but gets some very favorable and interesting comments, as well as willing volunteers to "push me around"!

This is a great avocation in which we are involved!