Williamite War in Ireland - Athlone, Aughrim and The Second Siege of Limerick

Athlone, Aughrim and The Second Siege of Limerick

Ginkell broke into Connacht via the town of Athlone, after a bloody siege there. He then advanced on the key Jacobite strongholds of Galway and Limerick. The Marquis de St Ruth, the Jacobite's French commander, attempted to block Ginkell's advance at Aughrim, County Galway, but Ginkell's army inflicted a crushing defeat on the Irish at the Battle of Aughrim, where the Jacobites lost up to 8000 men—about half their army—killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.

St Ruth himself, the Jacobite General, was among the dead. Ginkell took Galway, which surrendered on terms. He went on to besiege Limerick. The Siege of Limerick ended with Irish surrender on 23 September 1691, when Patrick Sarsfield, despairing of any hope of victory, overthrew the French officers in command of the city and opened negotiations with Ginkell.