Knight fever! Irish village transformed into medieval battlefield
Helena Stackpoole playing Lady Eleanor Fitzgerald teaches her ward how to embroider
Once the chief fortress of a powerful 15th century family descended from an English knight, the west of Ireland castle of Claregalway went back to its roots on Saturday.
The grounds of the fully restored Anglo-Norman era tower house were transformed into a medieval battlefield as hundreds of enthusiastic visitors, many from around the world, re-enacted full contact combat and games from centuries ago.
A man dressed as an alchemist demonstrates chemical tricks with bottles of liquids
"It's a nice weekend away and it's something different," said Denise Fitzgerald from County Kerry, who as the tavern owner for the weekend prepared food for the competitors by frying vegetables off in lard on a campfire.
Hand dyed wool is laid out to dry
"Anyone can get dressed up but staying in character is an art form, I think," said Helena Stackpoole, who as 'Lady Eleanor Fitzgerald' was putting her fashion design background to unique use.
A man dressed as an Ottoman warrior skewers an aubergine onto posts for riders to demonstrate sword skills
"For me it's like getting back to basics. I've been trying to do everything properly," said the theatre worker, who was taking part in her first armoured combat festival.
Knights duel with swords
On the field, fighters dressed head to toe in authentic chain-mail armour battled it out and while their swords may have been blunt, some left with dented helmets and one, a cut lip.
Gokmen Altinkulp dressed as an Ottoman warrior rides horse Bento to demonstrate horseback archery skills
Others on horseback showed off their skills by slicing cabbages and aubergines in half while on the move. Nearby, metal smelters hammered weapons into shape, spice merchants prepared remedies and tradeswomen spun and dyed wool.
Denise Fitzgerald playing a tavern owner gets a fire ready to cook pottage
Deadly serious and exquisitely dressed, few dared to break character.
"Anyone can get dressed up but staying in character is an art form, I think," said Helena Stackpoole, who as 'Lady Eleanor Fitzgerald' was putting her fashion design background to unique use.
A woman dressed in medieval costume walks with a book
"All the costumes are hand stitched. I have a belt here that I'm embroidering and it's taken two years so far and the dress that I'm working on at the moment, the sleeves alone have 800 pearls hand sewn into them. I'm a bit serious about this," she said.
)
)
)
)
)