D’Aquila did not justify the hopes which the Irish had entertained of his protracted resistance. He was sick of thcountry and the people, and desired nothing but to see the last of both. The disasters of the campaign he attributed to the treachery and cowardice of the Irish. Almost immediately he began negotiations with Mountjoy, who, eager ” to see his heels towards Ireland,” treated him with the utmost consideration and politeness. The conditions were soon arranged. D’Aquila handed over to the Deputy not only the town of Kinsale, but also the various castles which had been entrusted to his care by the chiefs, their owners. In February he and his men set sail, taking with them their arms, supplies and money

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For more than a year the war dragged on, but, unless speedy succours came from abroad to the Irish, its end was a foregone conclusion. O’Sullivan Beare, indignant at the treachery of D’Aquila in delivering over to the English his ancestral castle of Dunboy, succeeded in recovering it by a stratagem, and put into it a small garrison of Irish troops. In June, Carew, with a force of over 3,000, laid siege to Dunboy. The little garrison resisted bravely, but after ten days the castle, battered by red-hot shots from the English cannon, was crumbling to pieces around them. Still they fought on, retreating first to the great hall, which had remained intact, and, when driven from there, to the basement, where they made their last stand.

On December 21st the entire Irish army marched up and settled themselves to blockade the English. The besiegers were now in their turn besieged, and were cut off from the interior of the country, whence their supplies of fresh food had been drawn. Under these circumstances, it could not be long till men and horses- began to suffer from starvation and disease.

The Irish had, therefore, only to remain quiet and allow the army of their enemies to melt away of its own accord. This was the course which O’Neill advised, but, unfortunately, some of the younger and more impetuous spirits allowed themselves to be moved by the urgent message which D’Aquila had sent, begging for a speedy attack, which he promised to support by a sally from the town. When a Council of War was held, the majority of the chiefs, including O’Donnell, voted for immediate action. It was decided to attempt a surprise attack on the English during the night of December 23rd.