Hugh Halligan's Masterpiece Revisited November 28 2012, 9 Comments
When we created Hook & Irons Co. we came up with the Signature Line as way to pay homage to the parts of the fire service that are historically significant-- the parts of the fire service that so many of us feel passionately about. We brainstormed over so many things during those first days, but always, and without question, we were certain that we wanted to create a shirt honoring every fireman's favorite tool, the Halligan bar.
Hugh Halligan on right
Hugh Halligan is an icon of the fire service. With FDNY, he rose to the rank of Deputy Chief and is remembered as a 'fireman's fireman' working on many of the busiest companies in the city. But, he is known best for the tool he invented that is still carried on nearly every fire truck in America. While today's versions may have been refined a bit, and are now built by different manufacturers, they are very nearly the same exact tool that Halligan invented in the 1940's.
The original Halligan tool was made of cross-drop forged from one piece of No. 4140 (high carbon content) steel, and weighed 8 ½ lbs. This was a great improvement in strength and weight over its predecessors, The Claw and Kelly tool. The standard bar was approximately 30” in length, with a 15/16” shaft shaped into a hexagon for grip. The fork was a minimum of 6” long tapered into two well beveled tines. Spacing between the tines allows for a gas valve to be shut off. And stamped into the steel of the forks of the original Halligan tool was Hugh's signature and the letters AM + DG. Chief Halligan was a very religious man and it is widely believed the letters stood for the Latin phrase , Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam or “for the greater glory of God.” This phrase was a favorite of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. Pope John Paul II routinely used it in his writings. He would print AMDG in the top left of every page he wrote. The + sign is widely believed to represent a cross.
When creating the shirt, it was important to us to include these elements into the design. We used the original advertisements as inspiration and we picked colors that we thought were as hard-looking as the drop-forged steel of the Halligan tool. The typography is chosen and inspired from the ad, as well as the slogan, "Yes! It is an Ugly Bar." The ribbon at the bottom of the shirt (also taken from the ad) represents the Boston Fire Department who was the first to recognize the genius of the tool and put one on every single truck in Boston.
The genius of the Halligan tool becomes apparent in the hands of a skilled operator and when properly used – provide protection to the arms, hands, and body of the holder during forcible entry operations. Pound for pound, it is the best tool on any rig and paired with a flat-headed axe, the Irons are a Truckie's best friend.
To this day, there are fire companies who still carry and use an original Halligan tool on their rigs. Tools that are nearly 70 years old and still working to this day. Yes, it is an UGLY tool! and yes we are very proud to offer Hook & Irons second Signature Tee--The Halligan Tee.
*All the research for this blog and the t-shirt were done on-line. Information was gathered from a wealth of stories and articles, conversations and forum posts. Thanks to Rob Fisher, Irons and Ladders, and Hugh Halligan's own article entitled, "The Halligan Tool" which appeared in a 1950 issue of WNYF for which most of this research was taken.
Comments
James Maughan on January 06 2018 at 08:10PM
In response to Brian Pendell’s question.
No, originally they were painted with a silver protective coating. I have seen some of them with a red coating however, this occurred after market. He used to paint them in my garage when I was a kid so I am certain….
Like Virginia Rogers pointed out above, he was my grandfather as well. Her comments are certainly accurate and truthful. Hugh was a pious man and his life was a testimony to his strong unabashed Catholic faith. Further, as Virginia also opined, my best guess is he would have donated any profits to a Catholic based charity.
This was just the way the man was.
Almost every member of our family when questioned, will submit they were positively influenced by merely interacting with him.
He was one of a kind and I think of him often.
Brian Pendell on May 27 2017 at 10:11AM
Were the original bars painted red before delivery?
Amy on January 30 2017 at 07:19PM
Hello. I am doing a presentation for my Instructor 1 Certification via the National Fire Academy. I chose my favorite hand tool, the Halligan. I saw the ad that you had listed on this page. I noticed it states “1001 uses”. I was wondering if you came across any information on the list of uses. I found a few, but would love to add more to my lecture. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Cory on June 10 2013 at 09:49PM
Hey guys I just saw that the Halligan shirt is sold out in XXL….I was wondering if you planned on getting any more?
Todd Overcash on March 28 2013 at 09:59PM
Thanks for the gift certificate. The thing that I like about your apparel not only the looks but the fact that it is completely made in the USA. Wished that more companies would take that stance. Thanks again.
Virginia Rogers on December 08 2012 at 10:02PM
I’d like to confirm that what is “widely believed” is correct. The letters on the original Halligan Tools, AM+DG, “for the greater Glory of God,” were placed there by my grandfather, to thank Him for the inspiration for the tool and for the gratitude for all the good the tool had done and would do. As the eldest child of Hughie and Mary’s eldest child, Joan, I remember Poppa painting the tools and leaving them out to dry in our garage after we moved from the Bronx to Rockland County before rapping them in brown paper, tying them in string, and delivering them to rural volunteer fire departments free of charge. He was an amazing man. I found on-line the photo that you have of what I understand to be Poppa with one of his elder brothers, a police officer, taken in the Bronx not long after he joined the department back in 1916 and placed a copy in my cube at work. Thank you for your honoring my grandfather in this way. Please know that I believe he would be extremely embarrassed by this and any funds he would have gained he would have given to the poor as was his way. Thanks again!
Rob Fisher on December 01 2012 at 02:12AM
Thanks for the props guys !! Great site !!!
Rob Fisher on December 01 2012 at 02:12AM
N Gamez,
If it’s a signature series bar (the same one in the photo in the article above the shirts), they may have been sold back then for $36; however, today on Ebay you can ask upwards of $600-$700 for a bar in good condition. If it was me, I’d keep it for the firehouse. Replace it with a Pro-Bar ($185) and use it for history and education.
- Rob Fisher
N Gamez on November 29 2012 at 12:39AM
So after reading this I was doing engine checks and decided to check all the haligan bars. And to my surprise on one of our reserve engines I found an original signed Haligan bar. I told the chief and he wants to find out how much it’s worth. Any ideas ?