The Battle of Rathmines was fought on 2 August 1649, near the modern
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
suburb of
Rathmines
Rathmines () is an affluent inner suburb on the Southside of Dublin in Ireland. It lies three kilometres south of the city centre. It begins at the southern side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to t ...
, during the
Irish Confederate Wars, an associated conflict of 1638 to 1651
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, then separate entities united in a personal union under Charles I. They include the 1639 to 1640 B ...
. It has been described as the 'decisive battle of the Engagement in Ireland.'
In late July 1649, a combined
Irish Confederate/
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
army under the
Earl of Ormond, tried to capture
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, held by forces loyal to the
Commonwealth, commanded by
Michael Jones. Despite their superior numbers, Ormond's troops were routed by Jones' veterans, many of whom were members of the
New Model Army. Their victory secured Dublin, enabling another 12,000 troops under
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...
to land unimpeded, and begin the
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.
Background
The
Irish Rebellion of 1641 led to the establishment of the
Catholic Confederation
Confederate Ireland, also referred to as the Irish Catholic Confederation, was a period of Irish Catholic self-government between 1642 and 1649, during the Eleven Years' War. Formed by Catholic aristocrats, landed gentry, clergy and military ...
, based in
Kilkenny, and the
Irish Confederate Wars. From 1641 to 1643, the main struggle was between the Confederation and
Irish and English Royalists, with what amounted to a separate war in
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
. This featured Gaelic Catholic leader
Eoghan Ó Néill, versus
Presbyterian settlers, supported by a Scots
Covenanter army under
Robert Monro
Robert Monro (died 1680), was a famous Scottish General, from the Clan Munro of Ross-shire, Scotland. He held command in the Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus during Thirty Years' War. He also fought for the Scottish Covenanters during the ...
.
In September 1643,
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
's commander in Ireland, the
Duke of Ormond
The peerage title Earl of Ormond and the related titles Duke of Ormonde and Marquess of Ormonde have a long and complex history. An earldom of Ormond has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland.
History of Ormonde titles
The earldom ...
, agreed to a truce, or 'Cessation', with the Confederation. This freed his troops for use in the
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Anglo ...
, and over 5,000 of these veterans were shipped to England.
Fighting continued in Ulster, while some Irish Royalists objected to the deal and defected to the
Parliamentarians, including the
Earl of Inchiquin
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
. Others, such as
Sir Charles Coote, and
Michael Jones, son of the
Bishop of Killaloe
The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bish ...
, joined Parliamentarian forces in England.
Despite his surrender in 1646, Charles continued secret negotiations with the Confederation for military support. Rather than see them capture
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, in June 1647 Ormond agreed to hand over the town to Jones, recently appointed by
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
as the new governor. He went into exile, while Jones won a series of victories in
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...
, successfully preventing Irish intervention in the 1648
Second English Civil War
The Second English Civil War took place between February to August 1648 in Kingdom of England, England and Wales. It forms part of the series of conflicts known collectively as the 1639-1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which include the 1641� ...
.
Ormond returned to Ireland in October 1648; on arrival, he was met by Inchiquin, who changed sides once more, and on 17 January 1649, agreed an alliance with the Confederation to restore Charles to power. Ormond's Royalists comprised members of the Protestant
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...
, English exiles, many of whom were Catholic, and a small number of Irish Catholics like Clanricarde. Most of the rank and file were locally recruited Protestants, with significant numbers of former English Royalists, many shipped to Ireland by Parliament to remove them as a threat.
After Charles was executed on 30 January, the Royalist-Confederation alliance was joined by Ulster Presbyterians; as in Scotland, the majority were
Calvinists, who viewed monarchy as divinely ordained, making his execution by the
Commonwealth sacrilegious. Ó Néill now agreed a separate truce with
George Monck
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle JP KG PC (6 December 1608 – 3 January 1670) was an English soldier, who fought on both sides during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A prominent military figure under the Commonwealth, his support was cruc ...
, Parliamentarian commander in Ulster; although London quickly disavowed this, it resulted in a split that fatally damaged the Confederation, and undermined their alliance with the Royalists.
Since troops were rarely paid and supplies scarce, their provision was an important factor, and control of the sea gave the Commonwealth a decisive advantage. Although religion generally took precedence, motives and loyalties were complex, and many of the parties fought one another at different times, in a war marked by atrocities on both sides. 2,000 to 3,000 Protestants died in the pursuit that followed Ó Néill's victory at
Benburb
Benburb ()) is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies 7.5 miles from Armagh and 8 miles from Dungannon. The River Blackwater runs alongside the village as does the Ulster Canal.
History
It is best known, in ...
in June 1646, with a similar number of Catholic casualties after Inchiquin's victory at
Knocknanuss in December 1647.
Battle
Despite diverting vital resources trying to subdue Ó Néill, by the end of May the Alliance controlled most of Ireland. After capturing
Drogheda and
Dundalk
Dundalk ( ; ga, Dún Dealgan ), meaning "the fort of Dealgan", is the county town (the administrative centre) of County Louth, Ireland. The town is on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the east coast of Ireland. It is h ...
in June, Ormond moved onto Dublin, seeking to prevent its use by an expeditionary force currently being assembled by
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
. He hoped for naval support from
Prince Rupert's small Royalist squadron, but this was blockaded in
Kinsale
Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a population of 5,281 (a ...
by the Commonwealth admiral
Robert Blake Robert Blake may refer to:
Sportspeople
* Bob Blake (American football) (1885–1962), American football player
* Robbie Blake (born 1976), English footballer
* Bob Blake (ice hockey) (1914–2008), American ice hockey player
* Rob Blake (born 196 ...
.
Jones had less than 3,000 men facing an Allied army of over 11,000, although his were of much higher quality. On 22 July, Ormond arrived outside Dublin, and stationed his main force on the south bank of the
River Liffey
The River Liffey ( Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the Riv ...
, with 2,500 men under
Viscount Dillon
Viscount Dillon, of Costello- Gallen in the County of Mayo, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1622 for Theobald Dillon, Lord President of Connaught. The Dillons were a Hiberno-Norman landlord family from the 13th centur ...
investing the
Northside. However, on 26 July, Jones received four regiments of reinforcements from
Chester under
Robert Venables
Robert Venables (ca. 1613–1687), was an English soldier from Cheshire, who fought for Parliament in the 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and captured Jamaica in 1655.
When the Anglo-Spanish War began in 1654, he was made joint comm ...
, increasing his strength to 4,000 infantry, and 1,200 cavalry, the vast majority experienced veterans.
Combined with news Cromwell and another 9,000 were about to sail from
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, an Allied Council of War decided to speed up operations. On 28th, they captured
Rathfarnham Castle, cutting Dublin's main water supply. Just after midnight on 2 August, Ormond sent 1,500 men under Major-General Patrick Purcell to occupy the partially demolished
Baggotrath Castle
Baggotrath Castle, or Baggotsrath Castle, was a castle situated at present-day Baggot Street in Dublin city centre. It was built in the late thirteenth century by the Bagod (later called Baggot) family, for whom it was named.
During the English ...
, on the site of the present-day
Baggot Street
Baggot Street () is a street in Dublin, Ireland.
Location
The street runs from Merrion Row (near St. Stephen's Green) to the northwestern end of Pembroke Road. It crosses the Grand Canal near Haddington Road. It is divided into two sections:
...
bridge; its possession would allow their artillery to fire on ships entering the harbour.
For reasons that are unclear, Purcell took several hours to reach Baggotrath, less than a mile away from the camp. Alerted by the noise, and understanding the intent, Jones drew up his troops on the far side, with the Liffey at his back. Ormond ordered Purcell to make the position defensible, left him some cavalry under
Sir William Vaughan, and returned to camp to prepare the rest of his army for action.
However, Jones immediately attacked, scattering Purcell's men, and killing Vaughan; by 10:00 am, the castle was back in his control. Ormond ordered his troops into battle formation, but Jones continued the assault, sending his cavalry around his flanks, and capturing the artillery train. Although his advance was briefly checked by a regiment under Colonel John Gifford, Ormond's left disintegrated without firing a shot, and by midday, the fighting was over. Dillon withdrew to Drogheda, his retreat covered by 1,000 cavalry under Sir Thomas Armstrong, an experienced Royalist officer.
Hundreds of Royalist and Confederate soldiers were cut down during the pursuit, while in addition to Vaughan, the
Earl of Fingall
Earl of Fingall and Baron Fingall were titles in the Peerage of Ireland. Baron Fingall was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The seat of the title-holders was, from its establishment until 1953, Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland ...
was wounded and captured, dying in
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin.
Until 1922 it was the s ...
a few days later. Ormond claimed to have lost between 600 and 1,000 men, 300 of whom were allegedly shot after surrendering; Jones reported minimal losses, in return for inflicting 4,000 casualties, including 2,517 prisoners. The consensus among historians is that while Jones' figures may be too high, they are probably closer to the real number of Allied losses.
Aftermath
One of the Royalist officers captured at Rathmines was Richard Elliott, son of Jones's sister Mary; the bitterness engendered by over eight years of brutal warfare was demonstrated by the execution of his nephew along with a number of other prisoners. Jones then displayed typical energy in immediately seeking to take advantage of his success by marching on Drogheda, but when the town refused to surrender he was forced to withdraw, having insufficient troops to storm it.
Victory allowed the Parliamentarian troops to create a defensive line covering the road between Dublin and the port of
Ringsend
Ringsend () is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey and east of the River Dodder, about two kilometres east of the city centre. It is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll ...
, where Cromwell landed on 15 August, beginning the
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Divided and demoralised, Protestant Royalists deserted in large numbers over the next few months, including Gifford; Ó Néill now agreed to join Ormonde, but negotiations were only completed shortly before he died in early November. His army played little part in the Parliamentarian campaign that reconquered Ulster from September to December and was destroyed by Sir Charles Coote at
Scarrifholis the following year.
Several local landmarks are named after the battle; 'The Bleeding Horse' public house, on the corner of modern Upper Camden street, allegedly gained its name because its stables were used after the battle to treat injured horses. An area near Milltown was formerly known as the "Bloody Fields", where it is believed some of those killed in the pursuit were buried.
Joyce's ''Neighbourhood of Dublin''
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References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rathmines, Battle of
1649 in Ireland
Battles involving England
Battles involving Ireland
Battles of the Irish Confederate Wars
History of County Dublin
Military history of Ireland
Rathmines