When Limerick fell to the Williamite army in 1691, the first article of surrender stated that: The Roman Catholics of this Kingdom shall enjoy such privileges in their exercise of their religion as are consistent with...
17th Century Period of Ireland
Jacobites Defeated By Williamite Army
In 1691 the Jacobite holdings were for the most part in Connaught with garrisons at Sligo, Athlone and Limerick. The river Shannon provided them with a natural line of defence. In the south William’s commander, the...
The Siege Of Derry
A major part of this growing city’s history, the Siege of Derry began when King James II of England, a converted Roman Catholic, had his power overthrown by his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William of...
Williamite War in Ireland 1689 - 1691
The Williamite War in Ireland was between the newly recently crowned King William lll of the House of Orange and King James ll of the House of Stuart, whom he had recently replaced on the thrones of England Scotland...
William Of Orange Invades England In 1688
As the reign of James ll progressed, the Protestants of the Three Kingdoms of England, Ireland and Scotland feared that the three countries would once again become controlled entirely by the Catholics. Already the Stuart monarch had replaced most of the Protestant...
When James II Is Crowned King Of England
On 06 February 1685, James Stuart, Duke of York, succeeded Charles ll as king of England, Ireland and as James VII, king of Scotland. Charles had died without leaving legitimate children though quite a number of illegitimate ones. James had fled to the continent...
Saint Oliver Plunkett The Irish Martyr
Oliver Plunkett was born in Loughcrew, County Meath, Ireland in 1629. His family came of Norman Irish stock, that is, of those Norman families who, over the years, had accepted Irish customs and speech. He had many relatives such as Lord Dunsany and the Earls of...
Restoration Act Of Settlement In 1662
In 1660 the Monarchy was restored in the person of Charles ll as monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Ireland and Scotland. Those Royalists in Ireland who had land confiscated under the Commonwealth government petitioned the King to return their properties back...
The Cromwellian Act Of Settlement 1652
With the defeat of the Irish Confederate Army and their British Royalist allies, Cromwell took measures to ensure his grip upon the Island of Ireland. His Long Parliament in London passed the Act of Settlement in 1652 with the purpose of Punishment of the leaders of...
The Siege of Charlemont
In Armagh, the Irish confederate forces, under Felim O’ Neill, held the strategic and modern fortress of Charlemont. The Cromwellian invasion of Ireland was underway and in early August of 1650 the Parliamentarians troops, under the combined leadership of the infamous...
The Siege of Galway 1651 - 1652
Galway was a fiercely defended Catholic city and as Cromwell’s Armies strengthened their hold over the province of Connaught. It was to become the last fortified city under the control of the Irish Confederate Army under the leadership of Thomas Preston the 1st...
Sieges Of Charlemont, Meelick & Limerick
By 1650 the army of Oliver Cromwell captured the north, east and most of the south of Ireland. The Catholic Confederate forces, with their English Royalist allies, were still in control west of the Shannon. The battle of Charlemont In Armagh confederate forces under...
The Siege of Limerick in 1651
With the fall of Charlemont and Meelick to Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton and his men moved towards Limerick which the last fortified bastion of the Confederation forces under Hugh Dubh O’ Neill and their Royalist English allies who were led by Colonel Fennell....
Oliver Cromwell Invades Ireland
With a New Model Army Oliver Cromwell was a force not to mess with. They were battle-hardened, disciplined and efficient. They were English Calvinists who were now to be called Puritans and were in Ireland. Their one mission: to avenge the Ulster Protestant massacres...
The Irish Rebellion Of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 came about because of the resentment felt by the Catholic Irish, both Gael and Old English, in regards to the loss of their lands to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland. Catholic Irish were frightened by reports that the...
Raphoe Castle (Bishop’s Palace)
Located on a hill overlooking the town of Raphoe is Bishop’s Palace that was built in 1636 by John Leslie, Bishop of Raphoe (the fighting Bishop). It is believed Leslie used stones from a local round tower to construct the four-storey fortified home that has salient...