An Gael – The story behind the logo – The Warrior's Helmet

Our whiskey logo is a representation of a rare historically significant medieval artifact known as the Lough Henney Helmet. It was discovered on an ancient battlefield in County Down in the North of Ireland and dates from the late 14th century.

The helmet is associated with mercenary warriors called the gallowglasses who served as elite bodyguards for Irish chieftains from the 13th to the 16th centuries. The original is today on display in the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

The Gaels were a warrior people and their society was fundamentally centred around a warrior culture. Military prowess was a highly esteemed trait and the Gaelic Scottish clans fought against the heavily armoured Norman knights who came to Ireland to subdue the Celtic tribes. The helmet is a remembering of their resistance.

Artist impression of the helmet in its prime