Battle of Glenmalure

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The Battle of Glenmalure took place in Ireland in 1580 during the Desmond Rebellions. An Irish Catholic force made up of the Gaelic clans from the Wicklow Mountains led by Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and James Eustace, Viscount Baltinglas of the Pale, defeated an English army under Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton, at the O'Byrne's mountain stronghold of Glenmalure.

Grey had recently landed in Ireland with reinforcements from England to put down the rebellion. He decided to move first against O'Byrne because of the threat he posed to the English heartland of Dublin and the Pale. To this end, he resolved, against the advice of veterans of warfare in Ireland, to march directly into the Wicklow mountains and take the O'Byrne's fastness at Balinacor in the Glenmalure Valley. Grey marched his men (around 3000 strong) through lowland Kildare before traversing Lugnaquilla mountain and attempting to storm Glenmalure.

While trying to climb the steep slopes of the valley, the inexperienced English soldiers were ambushed by the Irish rebels, who had hidden themselves in the woods. The English were sniped at for a long period of time before their discipline collapsed and they turned and fled down the valley. At this point, most of their casualties occurred, when the Irish left their cover and fell on the soldiers with swords, spears and axes. Hundreds of English soldiers, some of whom had thrown away their weapons in a panic, were cut down by the pursuing Irish as they tried to get away. The remaining English had to fight a rearguard action for several miles until they reached the town of Rathdrum.

Around 800 English soldiers were killed, including Peter Carew, cousin of his namesake colonist who had made claims to, and won, large tracts of land in southern Ireland. The remainder of the English force retreated to lowland Wicklow and from there to Dublin. However, the following year, when offered terms, most of the Irish rebels, including O'Byrne, came in and surrendered. The exception was Baltinglass, who fled for France.

The battle is commemorated in the folk song "Follow me up to Carlow".

[edit] References

Richard Bagwell, Ireland under the Tudors 3 vols. (London, 1885–1890)
John O'Donovan (editor), Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters (1851).
Calendar of State Papers: Carew MSS. i., ii., (6 vols., 1867-1873).
Nicholas Canny The Elizabethan Conquest of Ireland (1976); Kingdom and Colony (2002).
Cyril Falls Elizabeth's Irish Wars (1955).