Clothes and nationality.

I wrote this recently, what are peoples thoughts?

Men, women, and children, have been known to wear the féileadh and Féileadh Mór, with "féileadh" meaning wrap, fold, or gathering in Gaeilge. While the exact origin of this practice remains uncertain, it is believed to have ancient roots dating back to the Celtic people. There is speculation that the tradition of wearing these féileadh might have evolved from or been influenced by the historical Celtic garment called "leine," commonly worn by men during the medieval era.

Regrettably, there is a scarcity of descriptions or depictions of ordinary Irishmen between 1690 and 1760, leading to the assumption that men abandoned traditional costumes around 1750, coinciding with the initial breakdown of Gaelic society and culture.
However, women and children continued to preserve their traditional attire well into the 19th century. The clothing worn by boys in regions like Connemara in 1920 likely resembled what most men wore in 1720, although precise details remain elusive. Notably, West Connacht served as the last stronghold of traditional costume in Ireland, and around the 1750s, men there began adopting local variations of British fashion, similar to the trend in the Highlands of Scotland. Meanwhile, women and children maintained their traditional clothing for a more extended period, possibly due to less interaction with outside markets and fairs.

The custom of boys wearing féileadh can be partly attributed to a folk belief that the fairies were more likely to take boys than girls. However, this belief can be countered by the observation that the boys, as seen in images, often wear garments considered masculine, while girls wear female garments such as scarfs. The ages at which these garments were worn, often up to 12 or 14, could represent the transitional phase between boyhood and manhood, possibly influencing the choice of clothing.

In conclusion, the tradition of boys wearing féileadh and Féileadh Mór in Ireland offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural history of the region, though the exact origins and reasons for its demise remain subjects of speculation and historical inference.