Garrett, Ninth Earl of Kildare (1513 – 1534)
After the death of the Great earl of Kildare his son Garrett Oge (the young) was appointed lord deputy by the king. The new deputy followed in the foot- steps of his father. lie defeated the O’Moores of Leix, the O’Reillys of Brefney, and the O’Tooles of Wicklow; and he captured after a week’s siege O’Carroll’s castle of Leap, which had baffled his father. Turning his arms next against the north, he took the strong castle of Dundrum, and captured and burned the castle of Dungannon.
This career of uninterrupted success excited the jealousy of some of the other Anglo-Irish lords, es- pecially the Butlers, the hereditary foes of his house, who employed every means in their power to turn the king against him. But Kildare counteracted all these schemes so skilfully, that for a long time his enemies were unsuccessful; till at last Ormond managed to gain the ear of Cardinal Wolsey, through whose influence Kildare was summoned to England to answer charges of enriching himself from the crown revenues and of holding traitorous correspondence with the Irish enemies.
Soon after his arrival in England, Thomas Howard earl of Surrey was, at Wolsey’s instance, sent to Ireland as lord lieutenant (in 1520). He marched north again Conn (Bacach) O’Neill, prince of the O’Neills of Tyrone, who had suddenly invaded the English settlements of Meath; but O’Neill retreated to his Ulster fastnesses, whither Surrey could not follow him. This chief made his peace soon after; and the king sent Surrey a chain of gold for him as a token of pardon and friendship. Surrey next made peace between the earls of Ormond and Desmond,; who had been actively keeping up old feuds of their families. He took O’Conor’s castle of Monasteroris; but O’Conor obstinately refused come to terms, saying he would make no peace till English were driven from the country.
In 1521 James earl of Desmond invaded territories of two powerful chiefs of the Mac Carthys; but they defeated him at Mourne Abbey or Ballina- mona, between Mallow and Cork, and slew 2,000 his men. In the end Surrey made peace between them.
From the very day of Surrey’s arrival applied himself to collect evidence against the earl Kildare; taking down vague reports of every kind, aided all through by Pierce Roe of Ormond. Mean- time Kildare married Lady Elizabeth Grey, a near relative of the king, which stopped for the time all further proceedings against him. Surrey at last became heartily tired of his mission. He grew sick in mind and sick in body; and besought the king for leave to retire. This was at last granted; and he returned to England in 1521, after a stay of nearly two years.
