Essex in Ireland - Southern Campaign

Southern Campaign

Operating on intelligence that O'Neill was set to move into Munster, while O'Donnell was already in north Connacht, Essex set out from Dublin on 9 May to muster his army in the champion fields of Kildare, the curraghs. He marched south, taking the castle of Athy, and was harried by the O'Mores as he launched an offensive into Offaly and relieved the fort of Maryborough.

The first significant engagement of the campaign came in the second week of May at the pass of Cashel, Queens County (Laois), where Essex determined to march against rebel defences rather than make a detour. The pass was wooded and boggy, with a plashed rebel trench at either end. At the head of the advance were 40 shot and 20 swordsmen; in the face of rebel resistance, the calivermen moved to point blank range and the swordsmen jumped into the trenches on the flanks; then the vanguard moved through the calivermen in a frontal assault and pressed through to open country, where they halted until the whole column had joined them. Essex was said to have flown like lightning between the vanguard, battle and rearguard. The English admitted to the loss of three officers and several men; the rebels captured many feathered helmets, hence the name of the battle as the Pass of the Plumes.

On 18 May, Essex marched to Kilkenny town with two-thirds of his force. The streets were strewn with green herbs and rushes to welcome him, and he endured some lively orations from the local dignitaries. Having met Thomas Norris, he departed the city 22 May with 2,500 foot and 300 horse and was received with jubilation at the town of Clonmel. On the river Suir, two miles below the town, the castle of Derrylare was surrendered, and Essex then fixed his sights on Cahir Castle, the strongest fortress in Ireland.

Essex had accused Lord Cahir, whose brother had custody of the castle, of collusion with the White Knight. Upon the failure of a parley for the surrender of the castle, the English took forceful action: after a cannonade that lasted for two days, the curtain wall was breached and the garrison fled. Essex entered the castle on the 29th of May - see Siege of Cahir Castle.

Essex then marched west to Limerick city, where he was well received on June 4. During this part of the march, his army was joined by a large train of baggage porters, which outnumbered the fighting men two-to-one and remained a drain on resources throughout the campaign. At Askeaton (the centre of resistance to the crown in the Desmond rebellion 15 years previously) the army was revictualled, after an encounter with the Sugán Earl, a pretender to the Earldom of Desmond, who had shown himself at Adare with 2-3,000 men.

Essex decided to march south in an effort to draw the Munster rebels into battle, having realised that they would not allow themselves to be trapped between his army and the sea. At Kilmallock, he consulted the president, Thomas Norris. By this time, it was reported that the soldiers "went so coldly on" that Essex had to reproach their baseness. There was no money, no magazine, no remnant of victual from the crown stores, and only enough cows to supply the army for two days, ammunition for only three. The army marched further south, while Essex went to Mallow on a mission to procure supplies. He rejoined his men with a MacCarthy ally, but by the time they reached the heart of Desmond rebel country, the Sugán Earl had gone into the field.

The river Blackwater was forded at Affane, and at a council of war in Essex's tent Norris was allowed 1,100 foot and a company of horse to pursue the war in Munster. Essex marched unhindered eastward through Lord Power's country to Waterford city, where he was received with two Latin orations and a joyful concourse of people on 21 June. The army was then ferried out of Munster and back into Leinster, an operation which took a frustrating length of time. Essex himself left Waterford on 22 June.