Mr. Hardiman in his Edition of O'Flaherty's C[h]orographical Description of West Connaught, writes, (p. 394, note c,) that Sir Richard Bingham was universally detested by the native Irish, who considered him as a sanguinary monster, ‘and full dearly did he make them pay for the imputation,’ and he adds ‘an account of his proceedings,’ (and there are abundant materials for it,) ‘would form a most interesting piece of Irish history.’
Sir Richard Bingham was the second son of Robert Bingham, Esq. of Bingham's-Melcomb in Dorsetshire, by Alice, daughter of Thomas Croker, Esq. He was renowned for his military achievements in various parts of Europe before his arrival in Ireland, and his character is thus blazoned by Camden in his Annals of the Reign of Elizabeth, A.D. 1598:
Vir genere claro et antique in agro Dorsettensi, sed veteranae militiae gloria clarior. Ad S. Quintini enim conquestum in Armorica, ad Leitham in Hebridibus Scotia, Creta insula, ad Chrium contra Turcas, in Gallia et Belgio militavit, et quae dixi in Hibernia gessit.’’
Camden, Annals of the Reign of Elizabeth
He makes his first appearance in Irish history as one of the bloody actors under the Lord Deputy Grey at Dan-an-oir, near Smerwick in Kerry, A.D. 1580, where seven hundred Italians were butcherd in cold blood after the Lord Grey had guaranteed their lives and liberties. There is preserved in the British Museum, Titus B. p. 115, an original letter from him to the Earl of Leicester, dated Smerwick road, 3rd November, 1580, conveying intelligence of the arrival of a ship with men pressed, and p. 116, another letter, dated llth November, from Smerwick, same to same. His Cenotaph in Westminster Abbey, beginning ‘To the glory of the Lord of Hosts’ states that he served at Smerwick in Ireland.
On the 21st of June, 1584, he arrived in Ireland with Sir John Perrot, and was appointed governor of the province of Connacht. On the 13th
In January, 1586, he held a session (assizes) at the town of Galway, on which occasion seventy persons, including men and women, were executed, among whom were Domhnall, son of Muircheartach Garbh O'Briain of Cathair-Corcrain and Rath, in the Co. of Clare, and Brian, the son of O'h-Eaghra Buidhe of Leyny in the Co. of Sligo. On the first of March in the same year he laid siege to Cluain Dubhain, or Cloonoan, in Clare, then considered one of the strongest Castles in Ireland, then in the possession of Mathghamhain or Mahon O'Briain. He continued the siege for seven days, according to Docwra, or three weeks, as the Four Masters have it: Mahon, who fought bravely from the battlements of his Castle, having been shot through the head, the warders surrendered the Castle at discretion, but were all put to the sword without mercy. Shortly after the taking of this Castle, Sir Richard Bingham proceeded against the Bourkes of the County of Mayo, whom he treated with great severity. His doings in this County are thus described by the Four Masters:
A.D. 1586. The Governor afterwards (i.e. after the siege of Cluain Dubhain, in the County of Clare) proceeded to attack Caislean-na-Caillighe (the Hag's Castle) in Lough Mask, which was the stronghold of the province of Connacht. These were they who guarded it at the time: Rickard Burke, who was called Deamhan-an-Chorrain, the son of Rickard, son of Rickard, son of William, son of Edmond,
AFM, entry 1586.3
The next great achievement of Sir Richard Bingham was the total defeat and annihilation of the Highlanders who came to the assistance of the Burkes of the County of Mayo. It is given as follows in the Annals of the Four Masters:—
A.D. 1586. A Scottish fleet landed in Inis-Eoghain O'Dochartaigh's country in the north-eastern part of Tir Conaill. These were the gentlemen and chief Constables of that fleet: Domhnall Gorm and Alexander, two sons of James, son of Alexander, son of John Cathanach Mac Domhnaill; Gilla-espuig, son of Dubhgall, son of Donchadh Cam, son of Gilla-espuig Mac Ailin, [Campbell] and many other gentlemen besides. Their name and fame were greater than their appearance. They pitched their camp in that part of the country where they landed where they had abundance of flesh-meat. The haughty plunderers, the perpetrators of treacherous deeds, and the opponents of goodness of the neighbouring territories flocked to join them there; so that there was nothing of value in Inis-Eoghain [Inishowen] whether corn or cattle which they did not carry off on this occasion. They afterwards passed along by the river Finn and the Modharn [Mourn] to Tearmann-Magrath, to the territory of Lurg, and to Midhbholg, until they arrived at the borders of the Eirne. When the Burkes who were engaged in plundering and insurrection, as before stated, namely, Rickard Burke, the son of Deamhan-an Chorrain, the sons of Edmond Burke, and the Clann-Domhnaill Galloglach had heard of the arrival of these Scots, they expeditiously sent messengers inviting them to their assistance, and stating that they would obtain many spoils, and a territory worthy of
At the time of the Spanish Armada Sir Richard Bingham was one of Queen Elizabeth's Military Council, and in 1588 we find him in conjunction with the Lord Justice of Ireland, Sir William Fitzwilliam and Sir Thomas Norris, Governor of Munster, on a great hosting against O'Ruairc and Mac Suibhne na d-Tuath who attempted to relieve a party of Spaniards who were under the command of Antonio de Leva. On this expedition they destroyed all the property of the disaffected Irish from the river Suca to the Drobhaeis and from thence to the river Finn in Tir-Conaill, but did not succeed in apprehending or molesting O'Ruairc or Mac Suibhne; but they made prisoners of O'Dochartaigh and Sir John O'Galchobhair.
In 1589 the Burkes of Mayo refused to submit to the government of Sir Richard Bingham and took up arms to defend themselves, and were joined by the Clann Domhnaill Galloglach, the O'Dubhdas of Tirfhiacrach, the O'Flaithbheartaighs and Joyces of West Connacht, and they continued to harrass and plunder all those who were obedient to the Governor during the Summer and Autumn of that year; but in the month of January 1590 Sir Richard and the Earl of Thomond marched with a considerable force against them, and pitched their camp at Cong. The Burkes were encamped at the west side of Cong, and both parties thus remained face to face for a fortnight, during which time they held daily conferences, but could not agree on terms of peace. At length the Governor and the Earl set out from their camp with twelve companies of soldiers to make their way into Tirawley and Erris. The Burkes marched in a parallel line with them intending to attack them at the gap of Bearna-na-gaeithe. They did not do so, however, being discouraged by an accident which happened to their chief leader, the son of Mac William, who lost his foot from the ankle out. The Governor soon after returned to Cong, and the Burkes submitted to him and delivered him hostages.
Sir Richard then proceeded to Athlone where he remained till the month of March, when he mustered another force to march against O Ruairc. His forces on this occasion were so numerous that he was enabled to send a numerous force to Sliabh Chairbre at the south extremity of O'Ruairc's country of Breifne, and another to the west of the Bridge of Sligo to invade it from the north. The two divisions marched through the heart of Breifne destroying the country and the people with fire and sword as they passed along, until both met together. On this occasion O'Ruairc was driven from Breifne, and he received neither shelter nor protection until he arrived in the Tuathas in the north west of Tir-Conaill where he remained with Mac Suibhne till the end of that year; and such of his people as did not go into exile came in and submitted to the governor. The whole of Breifne remained obedient to the Governor from this time till the following Michaelmas, when Tighearnan Ban O'Ruairc and Brian-na-Samhthach O'Ruairc returned, and being joined by the tribes of Breifne and Muintir-Eolais, opposed the Governor and continued spoiling every thing belonging to the English until the end of the year.
In the same year Sir Richard Bingham erected a great fort between Loch Ce and Loch Arbhach to check the O'Ruaircs.
In 1592 the Burkes of the county of Mayo were again in insurrection and ‘went on their keeping.’ When Sir Richard heard of their insurrection he marched against them and took possession of all their castles, whether perfect or broken, as Dun-na-mona48 Cuil-na-g-Caisil49 Gaeisideach50 and Cluainin51. The Burkes attacked him at Cuil-na-g-Caisil, but they were more harmed than the Governor. After this the Governor dispatched heavy troops of English and Irish soldiers in search of the insurgents, who had retired to the dense woods, rugged mountain tops, and other fastnesses of their country, and these soldiers soon returned to him with many prisoners both men and women and with many cows and horses. After this all the Burkes, except Rickard, the son of Deamhan-an-Chorrain, came in and submitted to the award of the Governor. Upon which the Governor took the castles of the country into his own possession and left John Bingham and companies of his own soldiers to guard them.
On the first of May, 1593, George Bingham of Baile-an-Mhota, the brother of Sir Richard, sent soldiers into Breifne to distrain for non-payment of the Queen's rent, and they seized the milch cows of Brian-na-samhthach O'Ruairc's eldest son, and then his locum-tenens. Brian, asserted that all the rents remaining unpaid were those unjustly demanded for lands that were waste, and that George Bingham ought not to demand rents for those lands until they should be inhabited. Accordingly he went to demand the restitution of his cows, but got no satisfaction. On his return home he sent for mercenaries and hireling soldiers into Tirone, Tirconnell and Fermanagh, and a considerable number flocked to his standard, with whom he marched without delay
Encouraged by the success of O'Ruairc's son, Maguire mustered his forces, and marched into the plain of Connacht where Sir Richard Bingham was then stationed, and early in the morning dispatched marauding parties through the plain. At this very time Sir Richard happened to be encamped on a hill near the gate of Tulsk in the barony of Roscommon, watching the surrounding country, and he sent forth early in the morning a party of his cavalry to scour the hills around that on which he was stationed, but this party perceived nothing, in consequence of a thick fog, until they met Maguire and a strong body of cavalry face to face. On perceiving the strength of Maguires cavalry they took to flight, and were hotly pursued by Maguire and his party to the Governor's camp. Here, Maguire perceiving that he was not able to oppose Bingham's whole force with his cavalry judiciously retreated towards the main body of his forces, and was in his turn pursued by the Governor until Maguire had come up with his forces, but when the Governor saw that he had not a sufficient number of men to risk a battle, he retreated without losing more than six horsemen and one gentleman, William Clifford, by name. On the other side, Maguire lost Edmond Mag Samhradhain, primate of Armagh, and then returned in triumph to Fermanagh loaded with spoils.
Rickard Burke the son of Deamhan-an-Chorrain still continued an obdurate rebel and joined Maguire, and the disaffection spread into Oirghialla. The Lord Deputy made a hosting of the men of Meath and the south half of Ireland, and the Governor of Connacht mustered the forces of his province to reduce them. The great Earl of Tyrone was at this time one of the most powerful suppressors of the rebellion, and lent his powerful aid to crush Maguire and his confederates, but this was the last action in which he fought on the side of the English, The Governor of the province of Connacht returned homewards and remained for some time at the Abbey of Boyle, plundering Muintir-Eolais and the western part of Fermanagh.
In 1594 the Lord Justice, William Fitzwilliam, took the castle of Enniskillen, and placed warders of his own to defend it; but Maguire and O'Domhnaill beleaguered them, and continued to invest the fortress from the beginning of June to the middle of August, by which time the warders had consumed all their provisions. When the Lord Justice heard that the warders of Enniskillen were in want of provisions, he commanded the men of Meath, the O'Raghallaighs of Cavan, and the Binghams of Connacht, to convey provisions to Enniskillen. These parties met at Cavan, O'Raghallaigh's town, where they obtained the provisions, and set out for Enniskillen, till they arrived at a ford on the river Arney, about five miles to the south of Enniskillen. Here Maguire had set an ambuscade for them. He encountered and defeated them at the ford, and deprived them of many steeds, weapons and other spoils, and of all the provisions which they were carrying to the relief of Enniskillen. George Bingham escaped, and returned home through the Largan, and the northern part of Breifne-Ui-Ruairc to Sligo.
In 1595, George Bingham, Governor of Sligo under Sir Richard Bingham, sailed with the crew of a ship around Tir-Conaill, and put into Cuan Suilighe, [Lough Swilly] and, the inhabitants not being prepared to resist them, plundered Mary's Abbey, situate on the brink of the strand, and carried off the vestments, chalices, and other valuable articles of the abbey. They then sailed to Torach, and plundered every thing they found on the island, and then sailed back to Sligo. But shortly after (in the month of June, 1595,) this George was killed by Ensign Ulick Burke (the son of Redmond na Scuab) who took possession of the castle of Sligo, which he delivered up to O'Domhnaill. When intelligence of the death of George Bingham and the taking of Sligo came to the hearing of those of the province of Connacht who were in insurrection, namely, the Burkes of Mayo, the Clann-Domhnaill, the O'Conchobhair Sligo, the O'Ruaircaigh, the Clann-Maelruanoigh, and all those who had been proclaimed and were roving in the province of Ulster and other places, having been banished from Connacht by the Binghams, they came to O'Domhnaill to Sligo, and each of them afterward went home to his own patrimonial inheritance; and every inhabitant whom the Binghams had settled on their lands during the period of their
The hostages of Connacht, who were imprisoned in Galway by Sir Richard Bingham, having drank wine until they were intoxicated, plotted together in the month of August this year to make their escape from prison by stratagem or force. They accordingly knocked off their chains and gyves in the early part of the night, while the gates of the town were still open, and while all the town's people were at dinner, and passed out by the west gate, the bridge having been occupied by the soldiers of the town to intercept their flight, they plunged into the river to cross it by swimming, but by the time they gained the opposite bank the soldiers, who had left the bridge, were ready to meet them. The result was that some of them were slain on the spot and others were conducted back to the prison. When the Governor heard of their attempt to escape, he sent a writ to Galway ordering that all those who had consented to escape should be hanged without delay. The following were then hanged; Edmond, the son of Mac William Burke; two of the O'Conchobhair Ruadh; the son of Mac David Burke; Murchadh Og, the son of Sir Murchadh na d-Tuagh O'Flaithbheartaigh; Domhnall the son of Ruaidhri O'Flaithbheartaigh; and Myler, son of Theobald Burke.
Towards the end of August this year, O'Domhnaill made an irruption into Connacht, and laid seige to Castlemore-Costello, then defended by Bingham's people, who were finally obliged to surrender it. He then proceeded to Dunmore and dispatched plundering parties into the territories of Conmhaicne of Dunmore, Muintir-Murchadha, Machaire Riabhach, and to Tuam: and they totally plundered these districts, took the castle of Turloch Mochain, and made a prisoner of Richard, the son of the Lord Bermingham, and returned to O'Domhnaill loaded with rich spoils.
When Sir Richard Bingham had heard that O'Domhnaill had passed by him westwards into Connacht, he assembled fifteen companies of soldiers, both horse and foot, and marched to the top of Coirrshliabh
The Governor's fury was now at its height. He ordered engines, called ‘sows,’ to be constructed for demolishing the castle. These they constructed of the timber and furniture of the monastery, and they covered them on the outside with cow-hides, and they were early in the night filled with soldiers and artizans, and moved on wheels to the base of the castle, for the purpose of undermining it. At the same time some artizans, who Were within the castle, commenced pulling down the upper part of the walls, in order that the soldiers within might hurl the stones down on their enemies. Some of the warders also ascended the battlements of the castle, and proceeded to cast down heavy stones which shattered every thing on which they fell. Others went to the windows and loop holes, and commenced firing with muskets, so that the soldiers in the ‘sows’ were bruised by stones and wounded by the musket balls. The Governor, finding that they could not take the castle, ordered the work to be abandoned, and his men emerged from the war sows severely bruised and wounded. He marched back to Roscommon sick at heart, because he was not able to take the castle, or wreak his vengeance on O'Domhnaill's people. O'Domhnaill soon after demolished the castle lest the English should get possession of it.
At the same time Theobald Burke, son of Walter Kittagh, laid siege to the castle of Belleek on the river Moy, in Tirawley, which
At this period O'Domhnaill broke down thirteen castles in Connacht, and set up chieftains of his own selection, and returned carrying off hostages from every territory into which he had come as a security for their fealty.
In 1596, when the Lord Justice and Council of Ireland saw the bravery and power of the Irish against them, they sent the Earl of Ormond and Myler Magrath, archbishop of Cashel, to Faughard to request O'Neill and O'Domhnaill to come to terms of peace, but these terms were rejected by the Irish. Queen Elizabeth, who was at this time principally attentive to the affairs of France and the progress of the Spanish arms in that country, was pleased at any prospect at composing the vexatious broils of Ireland, and hearing that Sir Richard Bingham had hanged too many of the nobility of the province of Connacht, she and her council, understanding that it was impossible to reconcile the Irish to him, contrived to have him removed as if to please the Irish. The Irish of Connacht had delivered to the Lord Deputy in 1595 forty-three articles of complaint against Sir Richard, one of which was the hanging of Richard Og Burke, commonly called ‘Fal fo Eirinn’, without any just cause. His very able answers to all
Sir Richard left no male issue, and the representation of the family devolved on the eldest son of his brother George.