Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Annals of the Four Masters (Author: [unknown])

Annal M1593

M1593.0

THE AGE OF CHRIST, 1593. The Age of Christ, one thousand one hundred ninety-three.

M1593.1

O'Donnell (Hugh Roe) was during the month of January of this year at Lifford, his own lordly residence, confronting his enemy, Turlough Luineach, the son of Niall Conallagh. He proceeded to wreak his enmity and vengeance upon him, to expel him from his lordship, and weaken his power, in order that Hugh O'Neill might be inaugurated in his stead. He was the better of this precaution which he took, for the lordship came to Hugh O'Neill, and Turlough Luineach gave consent, and made his submission to him, in order that the dignity might be conferred on him. Hugh O'Neill, namely, the Earl, was then styled the O'Neill; and Turlough Luineach, after having made peace with O'Neill and O'Donnell, sent away the English whom he had with him. This was done in the month of May. The province of Conor Mac Nessa was then under the peaceable government of these two; and they had the hostages and pledges of the inhabitants in their power, so that they were subject to them.

M1593.2

The Clann-William, whom we mentioned as having submitted to the Governor at the Michaelmas of the preceding year, were so impoverished by the English, that before the May of this year they left them not the smallest portion of their former wealth or great riches; and such of their people as had not been executed or (otherwise) destroyed were scattered and dispersed throughout Ireland, to seek for a livelihood.

M1593.3

A warlike dissension arose in the month of May in this year between Sir George Bingham of Ballymote and Brian-na-Samhthach, i.e. Brian Oge, the son of Brian, son of Brian, son of Owen O'Rourke. The cause of this dissension was, that a part of the Queen's rent had not been received out of Breifny on that festival, Brian O'Rourke asserting that all the rents not paid were those demanded for lands that were waste, and that he Bingham ought not to

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demand rent for waste lands until they should be inhabited. Sir George sent soldiers into Breifny to take a prey in lieu of the rent; and the soldiers seized on O'Rourkes own milch cows. Brian went to demand a restoration of them, but this he did not at all receive. He then returned home, and sent for mercenaries and hireling troops to Tyrone, Tirconnell, and Fermanagh; and after they had come to him, he set out, and he made no delay by day or by night until he arrived at Ballymote. On his arrival in the neighbourhood of the town, he dispersed marauding parties through the two cantreds of the Mac Donoughs, namely, Corann and Tirerrill; and there was not much of that country which he did not plunder on the excursion. He also burned on that day thirteen villages on every side of Ballymote; and he ravaged Ballymote itself more than he did any other town. Their losses were of little account, except the son of Coffey Roe Magauran, on the side of Brian; Gilbert Grayne, a gentleman of Sir George's people, who was slain on the other side. The son of O'Rourke then returned back to his own territory loaded with great preys and spoils. This was done in the first month of summer.

M1593.4

A hosting was made by Maguire (Hugh, the son of Cuconnaught), to emulate that excursion of Brian O'Rourke. He proceeded first through the eastern part of Breifny, keeping Lough Allen to the left; then through the upper part of Tirerrill, through Corran, and across the bridge at the monastery of Boyle, into Machaire Connacht. Early in the day he dispatched marauding parties through the country around. This night the Governor, Sir Richard Bingham, happened to be on a hill near the gate of Tulsk, in the barony of Roscommon, watching the surrounding country; and a party of his cavalry went forth to scour the hills around the hill on which he was stationed; but they noticed nothing, in consequence of a thick fog of the earIy morning, until they and Maguire's cavalry met face to face. The Governor's cavalry turned their backs to them, and they were hotly pursued by Maguire and his people, who continued to lash and strike them until they arrived at the camp and fortification where the Governor was. They again turned upon Maguire, and pursued him back by the same road, until he had reached the middle of his forces. When the Governor saw that he had not an equal number of men with them, he returned

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back, he himself and all his people having escaped scathless from that conflict, except only William Clifford, a distinguished gentleman, and five or six horsemen, who were slain on that occasion. On the other side were slain, Edmond Magauran, Primate of Armagh, who happened accidentally to be along with Maguire on this occasion; the Abbot Maguire, (Cathal, son of the Abbot); Mac Caffry (Felim), and his brother's son. These were slain on the third day of July. Maguire was not pursued any more on that day; and, having carried away the preys and great spoils of that country, he proceeded steadily and slowly, from one encampment to another, to Fermanagh.

M1593.5

The Maguire and the Brian O'Rourke before mentioned confederated during the summer to war against and plunder the English. Brian, the son of Hugh Oge, son of Hugh, son of John Boy Mac Mahon, from Dartry-Oriel; the sons of Ever Mac Cooley, from Farney; and Richard, son of Ulick Burke, i.e. the son of Deamhon-an-Charrain, were also in insurrection and rebellion against

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the English. These people of Oriel made an attack upon a company of soldiers who were stationed at Monaghan, and slew the greater part of them; wherefore a proclamation was issued to every town in Ireland, declaring the aforesaid persons and their confederates to be traitors.

M1593.6

In the autumn following, the Lord Chief Justice commanded a great hosting of the men of Meath, Leinster, and Leath-Mogha, to proceed into Ulster; and the Governor of the province of Connaught ordered a hosting of all those dwelling in the region extending from the Shannon to the Drowes, to meet them at Lough Erne. As for the Lord Justice, he gave his own place on this hosting to the Marshal of Newry and the Earl of Tyrone (Hugh, the son of Feardorcha). These numerous and very great forces marched from Carn-mor of Sliabh-Beatha to Easroe, keeping on the east side of Lough Erne. It was not pleasing to the Earl of Tyrone to go on this expedition; however, he had so much dread of the English that he was obliged to obey them.

When Hugh Maguire heard that this great hosting was approaching him, he sent all his property, both cows and flocks, into Tirconnell, to avoid them, while he himself remained at the west side of the lake, at Enniskillen, with a small army of the inhabitants of his own territory, and hired soldiers from other territories, to oppose the English, and to prevent them passing that place. The others marched with their left to the lake, as we have before stated, until they arrived at a celebrated ford on the Erne, namely, Ath-Culuain. While they were advancing to that place, Maguire and his forces kept pace with them at the other side of the lake, so that he arrived at the same ford on the opposite side. The English army then proceeded to cross the ford; and Maguire attempted to defend it as well as he was able. But the proverb, ‘the many shall overcome the few’, was verified in this instance, for Maguire was obliged to let the English pass the ford, and was defeated, with the loss of a considerable number of his people. The Earl of Tyrone was wounded on this occasion.

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M1593.6

The Governor of the province of Connaught and the Earl of Thomond (Donough, the son of Conor, son of Donough O'Brien) came to meet them at

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the other side of the Erne. They effected nothing worthy of note, except that the Governor returned with the rising-out of Connaught to the Abbey of Boyle, where he remained for some time, plundering Muintir-Eolais and the west of Fermanagh. The men of Connaught then dispersed for their homes. The Earl of Tyrone and the Marshal also returned to their houses, after destroying much in Fermanagh. They left companies of soldiers in the country to assist Conor Oge, the son of Conor Roe Maguire, who was at strife with the Maguire. Unhappy and disturbed was the state of the entire extent of country from Clogher Mac Daimhene in Tyrone to Rath-Croghan in Connaught, and from Traigh-Eothuile to Breifny O'Reilly, at this time.

M1593.7

Mac Carthy Reagh (Owen, the son of Donnell, son of Fineen), Lord of Carbery, died. He was a sensible, pious, truly hospitable, and noble-deeded man. Donnell, the son of Cormac-na-h-Aoine, took his place.

M1593.8

Mary, the daughter of Cormac Oge, son of Cormac, son of Teige Mac Carthy, and wife of O'Sullivan More, died.

M1593.9

Murtough, son of Conor, son of Turlough O'Brien, of Druim-Laighean, died,

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and was interred in his own town of Druim-Laighean; and his son, Conor, took his place.

M1593.10

Murtough, the son of Donnell, son of Conor O'Brien of Tulach, died.

M1593.11

Teige, the son of William, son of Teige Duv O'Kelly of Caladh, in Hy-Many, died; and his death was among the mournful news of Hy-Many.

M1593.12

O'Dwyer of Coill-na-manach (Philip, son of Anthony) died; and his son, Dermott, took his place.

M1593.13

Margaret, daughter of O'Boyle (Turlough), died.