Shillelagh (club) Shillelagh (club) A shillelagh ( or ; , "thonged willow") or blackthorn stick is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob at the top. It is associated with Ireland and Irish folklore. Shillelaghs are traditionally made from blackthorn (sloe) wood ("Prunus spinosa") or oak. Wood from the root was prized as it was less prone to crack or break during use. The wood would be smeared with butter or lard, and placed up a chimney to cure, giving the shillelagh its typical black shiny appearance. Another method was
Prunus napaulensis conspecific. Prunus napaulensis Prunus napaulensis is a species of bird cherry native to the eastern foothills of the Himalayas, including Nepal, Myanmar and China. A tree, it can reach 27m and prefers to grow between 1800 and 3000m above sea level. The fruit is edible, and it is cultivated for its fruit in Assam (and presumably elsewhere). Its wood is used locally for making furniture. It goes by many common names across its range, including jangali aru and arupate (Nepalese), arupaty (Bengali), sohiong (Khasi), sajong (Assamese) and 粗梗稠李 "crude stalk thick plum" (Chinese). "Prunus bracteopadus" is a very similar species,