The Battle of the Curlew Hills
Above : Picture Of Richard Burke
Clifford assembled his men at Boyle. Besides the English troops, there were bands of Irish under O’Connor Don, Richard Burke, Baron of Dunkellin, and Maelmuire Mac Swiney ; in all about 3,000 men.
O’Donnell, whose force numbered some 2,000, decided to await the enemy at a mountain pass, which was narrow at the entrance, but broadened out further on.
On the morning of August 15th the English marched up from Boyle. The journey was long, and it was already afternoon when the weary and hungry soldiers reached the pass, which they had been assured was unguarded.
Meanwhile O’Donnell had made his arrangements at leisure. At the entrance of the pass Hugh Ruadh had posted some light troops behind a barricade of felled trees, with instructions to make only a slight resistance, and then, by a feigned retreat, to lure the enemy on to where the main army was drawn up.
The English fell into the trap, and pursuing the kerns, came upon the Irish soldiers fresh and ready to receive them. Almost immediately they fell into confusion, which was increased when O’Rourke came up with an additional force to the help of the Irish.
Above: O’Connor Sligo
Taken thus by surprise, weary, and faint for want of food, Clifford’s men nevertheless fought gallantly for over an hour, their general setting them an example of almost reckless valour. When, at length, he saw that the day was lost, he resolved not to survive defeat. Breaking from Mac Swiney, who tried to restrain him, he rushed back into the thick of the fight, and ” he was stroke through the body with a pyke and he died.” The English now retreated ; their loss is stated to have been about 1,400, and included many officers of high rank. The victors went over the field, slaying and beheading the English wounded. Clifford’s head was brought to O’Donnell, but his body was sent to the Constable of Boyle for honourable burial.
This victory of the Irish was, of course, followed by great accessions to their party; O’Connor Sligo, having yielded his castle, joined O’Donnell; O’Connor Don and Theobald Burke did likewise.
Above: Map of Essex
Essex’s Conference with O’Neill.—When the news of the defeat of the Curlews reached Essex, he felt that it was incumbent on him to make some move, and at the end of August he started on his long-delayed invasion of Ulster, but with an army reduced to less than a third of it to meet him and the two armies tc mpeTSing each other, on the opposite sides of the river Lagan. The Lord Lieutenant seems to have decided that his forces were insufficient to attack the Ulster chieftain. When O’Neal suggested a inference he at once agreed.
It was at the Ford of Annagh Clint that the two leaders me. Essex spoke from the bank, while O’Neill spurred his horse into the middle of the stream and there halted. What passed at then: first do not know, since no witnesses were present. To the. second meeting cachleneral brought eight of the chief men of his army and, on this occasion, O’Neill formally stated the terms on winch he would he dec ared conclude a peace. They were substantially the same as those th’ch h had demanded at the beginning of the war ; the chief being Uberty of conscience and freedom from the interference of the English Government in the internal administration of Irish territories Essex promised to forward these demands to the Queen, and meanwhile there was to be a truce, at first for six weeks, but renewable.
Elizabeth as the Irish leader had no doubt anticipated, absolutely refused’to entertain these “insolent proposals,” and severely blamed Essex for having listened to them. The ex-favourite must have felt that his only chance of reinstating himself with his royal mistress lay in an immediate interview, at which his actual presence might perhaps rekindle her former affection. At the end of September he left Ireland, hastily and without permission. The story of his ill-reception by Elizabeth, his mad attempt at revolt, and his execution in 1601, belongs to English History.