Simon wrote:

"...I'd start with weapons and armour, which are easiest to sort out, although we already can see that there may be controversies, eg were the Gallowglasses naked? (Personally, I doubt it)...."

I agree they weren't 'naked'. The article you linked to makes it clear that the Gallowglass' were well armored. It also makes it clear that the Kerns were not and that is what gave them their relative speed.

The caption I quoted was from 1188 so it isn't relevant to the Gallowglass' because they didn't appear in Ireland until 1259.

Elmo