Battle of Ballyshannon (1247)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ballyshannon was a battle fought in 1247 between Maurice FitzGerald
, Justiciar of Ireland and Melaghlin Ó'Donnell, Lord of Tyrconnell, Kinel-Moen, Inishowen, and Fermanagh, near Ballyshannon
, Ireland
. Maurice FitzGerald defeated and killed Melaghlin O'Donnell.
The Annals of the Four Masters
describes the battle as follows:
A great army was led by Maurice Fitzgerald, and the other English chiefs, first to Sligo
, and thence to the cataract
(Assaroe Falls
) of Aedh Roe, the son of Badharn. Cormac, the son of Dermot, who was son of Roderic O'Conor
, joined his muster. This was on the Wednesday after the festival of St Peter and St Paul. O'Donnell assembled the Kinel-Connell
and Kinel-Owen
against them, so that they did not allow a single man, either English or Irish, to cross the ford of Ath Seanaigh
for a whole week. The English then bethought them of sending Cormac O'Conor with a large body of cavalry
westwards along the plain, who was to turn southwards through the plain, and then eastwards along the borders of the bog, unperceived by any one, until he should arrive at Bel-atha-Culuain
a ford on the Erne
. This was accordingly done, and the Kinel-Connell knew nothing of the movement until they saw the body of cavalry advancing on their rear, on their side of the river; they then turned round to them.
When the English saw that the attention of the Kinel-Connell was directed towards the cavalry who had advanced on their rear, they rushed across the ford against them, being confident that they the Kinel-Connell would not be able to attend to the attacks of both. The Kinel-Connell were now in the very centre of their enemies, who had surrounded them on every side. O'Donnell was slain on the spot, as well as the Cammhuinealach Wry-necked O'Boyle, the head Chieftain of the Three Tuathas
, Mac Sorley
, Lord of Argyle
, and other chiefs of the Kinel-Connell. A great number of Fitzgerald's forces were slain and drowned here; others of them were drowned northwards in the River Finn
, and many others at Termon Daveog, in pursuit of preys that fled before them; and among the rest William Britt
, sheriff of Connaught, and his brother, a young knight. The country was then plundered and desolated by them the English, and they left the chieftainship of the Kinel-Connell to Rory O'Canannan on this occasion.
The Annals of Lough Cé
describes the battle as follows:
A great hosting by Maurice Fitz-Gerald, and the foreigners along with him, until they reached Sligech in the first instance, and from thence to Es-Ruaidh-mic-Badhuirn, on the Wednesday after the festival of Paul and Peter; and Cormac, son of Diarmaid, son of Ruaidhri O'Conchobhair, went there in his host and muster.
O'Domhnaill assembled the Cenel-Conaill and Cenel-Eoghain to meet him at Bel-atha-Senaigh, so that they allowed neither Foreigners nor Gaeidhel to cross the ford during the space of a whole week; when they determined that Cormac O'Conchobhair should go, with a large force of cavalry, eastwards along the plain, and then turn upwards through the plain by the margin of the bog; and he then proceeded eastwards along the river until he reached Ath-Chuil-uaine on the Erne. And the Cenel-Conaill observed nothing until they saw them approaching on their own side of the river. And when the Foreigners perceived the Cenel-Conaill watching the cavalry in their rear, they themselves rushed across the ford, so that the Cenel-Conaill were placed between both divisions.
O'Domhnall was defeated, with his army; and Maelsechlainn O'Domhnaill, king of Cenel-Conaill, was slain there; and the Gilla-muinélach O'Baoidhill, and Mac Somhairle, king of Airer-Gaeidhel, and the nobles of the Cenel-Conaill besides, were slain. And many of Fitz-Gerald's army were drowned going northwards across the Finn and many of the same army were slain at Termann-Dabheog, in pursuit of the preys, including William Brit, i.e. the sheriff of Connacht, and a young armed knight who was his brother. However, the entire country was afterwards devastated and plundered by them; and they left the sovereignty of Cenel-Conaill with Ruaidhri O'Canannain on this occasion.
Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly
Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly was a Norman-Irish peer, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1232 to 1245. He mustered many armies against the Irish, and due to his harsh methods as Justiciar, he received criticism from King Henry III of England...
, Justiciar of Ireland and Melaghlin Ó'Donnell, Lord of Tyrconnell, Kinel-Moen, Inishowen, and Fermanagh, near Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located where the N3 and N15 cross the River Erne, and claims to be the oldest town in Ireland.-Location:...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Maurice FitzGerald defeated and killed Melaghlin O'Donnell.
The Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
describes the battle as follows:
A great army was led by Maurice Fitzgerald, and the other English chiefs, first to Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, and thence to the cataract
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
(Assaroe Falls
Assaroe Falls
Assaroe Falls , also known as Cathaleen’s Falls, was a waterfall on the River Erne near Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland. It was named after Aodh Ruadh, who according to tradition, slipped and fell from the waterfall and drowned....
) of Aedh Roe, the son of Badharn. Cormac, the son of Dermot, who was son of Roderic O'Conor
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...
, joined his muster. This was on the Wednesday after the festival of St Peter and St Paul. O'Donnell assembled the Kinel-Connell
Cenél Conaill
The Cenél Conaill is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history. They were also known in Scotland as the Kindred of Saint Columba....
and Kinel-Owen
Cenél nEógain
Cenél nEóġain is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Eógan mac Néill , son of Niall Noígiallach who founded the kingdom of Tír Eoghain in the 5th century...
against them, so that they did not allow a single man, either English or Irish, to cross the ford of Ath Seanaigh
River Erne
The River Erne , in the northwest of Ireland, rises in Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in County Cavan and flows 64 miles through Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal...
for a whole week. The English then bethought them of sending Cormac O'Conor with a large body of cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
westwards along the plain, who was to turn southwards through the plain, and then eastwards along the borders of the bog, unperceived by any one, until he should arrive at Bel-atha-Culuain
Belleek, County Fermanagh
Belleek is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. While the greater part of the village lies within County Fermanagh, part of it crosses the border into County Donegal, a part of Ulster that lies in the Republic of Ireland. This makes Belleek the western-most village in the United Kingdom...
a ford on the Erne
River Erne
The River Erne , in the northwest of Ireland, rises in Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in County Cavan and flows 64 miles through Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal...
. This was accordingly done, and the Kinel-Connell knew nothing of the movement until they saw the body of cavalry advancing on their rear, on their side of the river; they then turned round to them.
When the English saw that the attention of the Kinel-Connell was directed towards the cavalry who had advanced on their rear, they rushed across the ford against them, being confident that they the Kinel-Connell would not be able to attend to the attacks of both. The Kinel-Connell were now in the very centre of their enemies, who had surrounded them on every side. O'Donnell was slain on the spot, as well as the Cammhuinealach Wry-necked O'Boyle, the head Chieftain of the Three Tuathas
Three Tuathas
The Three Tuathas was a name of a kingdom consisting of three kingdoms in County Roscommon, Ireland lying between Elphin and the River Shannon. It extended from Jamestown on the River Shannon to the north portion of Lough Ree...
, Mac Sorley
Ruaidhri mac Raghnaill
Ruaidhri mac Raghnaill was a 13th-century Scottish magnate. The son of Raghnall, son of Somerled, he appears to have spent his career fighting, in both Ireland and in Scotland...
, Lord of Argyle
Lord of Argyll
The sovereign or feudal lordship of Argyle was the holding of the senior branch of descendants of king Somhairle, this branch becoming soon known as Clan MacDougallConstruction of the Lordship of Argyll-Lorne essentially started with Donnchad mac Dubgaill....
, and other chiefs of the Kinel-Connell. A great number of Fitzgerald's forces were slain and drowned here; others of them were drowned northwards in the River Finn
River Finn
The River Finn is a river that flows through County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. It rises in Lough Finn in County Donegal and flows east through a deep mountain valley to Ballybofey and Stranorlar and on to the confluence with the River Mourne at Lifford...
, and many others at Termon Daveog, in pursuit of preys that fled before them; and among the rest William Britt
William de Brit
William de Brit was Sheriff of Connaught until his death at the battle of Termon MacGrath in 1247.-References:*Knox, Robert Thomas. The History of the County of Mayo to the Close of the Sixteenth Century. With illustrations and three maps. William de Brit was Sheriff of Connaught until his death at...
, sheriff of Connaught, and his brother, a young knight. The country was then plundered and desolated by them the English, and they left the chieftainship of the Kinel-Connell to Rory O'Canannan on this occasion.
The Annals of Lough Cé
Annals of Lough Cé
The Annals of Loch Cé cover events, mainly in Connacht and its neighbouring regions, from 1014 to 1590. It takes its name from Lough Cé in the kingdom of Moylurg - now north County Roscommon - which was the centre of power of the Clan MacDermot...
describes the battle as follows:
A great hosting by Maurice Fitz-Gerald, and the foreigners along with him, until they reached Sligech in the first instance, and from thence to Es-Ruaidh-mic-Badhuirn, on the Wednesday after the festival of Paul and Peter; and Cormac, son of Diarmaid, son of Ruaidhri O'Conchobhair, went there in his host and muster.
O'Domhnaill assembled the Cenel-Conaill and Cenel-Eoghain to meet him at Bel-atha-Senaigh, so that they allowed neither Foreigners nor Gaeidhel to cross the ford during the space of a whole week; when they determined that Cormac O'Conchobhair should go, with a large force of cavalry, eastwards along the plain, and then turn upwards through the plain by the margin of the bog; and he then proceeded eastwards along the river until he reached Ath-Chuil-uaine on the Erne. And the Cenel-Conaill observed nothing until they saw them approaching on their own side of the river. And when the Foreigners perceived the Cenel-Conaill watching the cavalry in their rear, they themselves rushed across the ford, so that the Cenel-Conaill were placed between both divisions.
O'Domhnall was defeated, with his army; and Maelsechlainn O'Domhnaill, king of Cenel-Conaill, was slain there; and the Gilla-muinélach O'Baoidhill, and Mac Somhairle, king of Airer-Gaeidhel, and the nobles of the Cenel-Conaill besides, were slain. And many of Fitz-Gerald's army were drowned going northwards across the Finn and many of the same army were slain at Termann-Dabheog, in pursuit of the preys, including William Brit, i.e. the sheriff of Connacht, and a young armed knight who was his brother. However, the entire country was afterwards devastated and plundered by them; and they left the sovereignty of Cenel-Conaill with Ruaidhri O'Canannain on this occasion.