Bruce soon followed up his victory, and marched for the Midlands by Kells and Granard to Loch Seudy (in the modern Co. Westmeath), where he spent Christmas. At Kells he had defeated Sir Roger Mortimer* who claimed by right of his wife, a grand-daughter of the younger Hugh de Lacy, part of the lands of Meath. Some of the De Lacys—the descendants probably of the first De Lacy’s marriage with Rose O’Connor—were in Mortimer’s army. But they resented his claims, took no part in the battle, and now openly joined Bruce. The latter opened the New Year by marching into Leinster by Naas and Kildare. At Ardscull he defeated Butler and other Leinster nobles, and afterwards captured the important centre of Castledermot. Retracing his steps, he returned to Dundalk, where he was solemnly crowned King of Ireland (1st May, 1316). The summer and autumn of 1316 he passed in desultory fighting in the north, and in the siege and ultimate capture of Carrickfergus Castle.

Most of the fighting, however, that took place in the north was not against the foreign element. O’Neills and O’Donnells fought amongst themselves, against each other, and against their neighbours. Wars of succession frequently rent both great families, eventually resulting in the family of Eoghan retaining the headship of the Cineal Eoghain in Conn Mdr and his son, Conn Bacach, and in Aodh Ruadh O’Donnell, and his son, Aodh Dubh O’Donnel, being successively chiefs of the Cineal Chonaill. Both families still maintained their claims to supremacy over all the north.

Those of the O’Neills were opposed in Ulaidh not only by Mac Guinness, but by the O’Neills of the Clann Aodha Buidhe, who fought their kinsmen as fiercely as ever did any of the clans of Ulaidh.

The O’Donnells were at the same time engaged in asserting their traditional rights in  Cairbre and ” Lower Connacht”140) against O’Connor Sligo.   

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.