# dungannon fermanagh

OTD 1597 news of Tyrone's proclamation in for the raising of 3,000 troops for 3 months. They would receive 1 month up front and be paid 12d per day. Morgan Kavanagh, a veteran of the Low Countries arrived to take up a command in the earl's army.

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2023-03-22

OTD 1603 dark days for the Irish as Tyrone took refuge in the forests around Toome with just 60 men 'shifting his lodging both night and day' to evade capture. Worse, Cormac MacBaron, Tyrone's brother and possibly finest field commander submitted to Sir Henry Docwra

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2023-02-23

OTD 1594 Dowdall re-edified Enniskillen & put 30 men in garrison. Castle was isolated at the end of vulnerable supply line, but assured by his spies that Hugh Maguire has 'not 8 horse and 20 foot' & all in Fermanagh loyal saving 1 or 2- Dowdall needed better spies

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2023-02-15

OTD 1599 Capt Humfrey Willis proposed forts in Ulster, inc. Derry, Lifford, Armagh & Toome. His incursion into Fermanagh sparked war in 1593. Fought throughout but killed in mopping up op. summer 1602. So crucial at the start, his passing went almost unremarked

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2022-12-19

OTD 1601 As Red Hugh O'Donnell besieged Niall Garbh in Donegal Abbey, an explosion tore through the building and 'blew it into the air. Defenders were partly consumed by the fire, and partly crushed by the falling roof and walls' seeing his chance O'Donnell attacked

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2022-09-19

OTD'ish 1595 Turlough Luineach O'Neill breathed his last in Ardstraw Church. Tyrone wasted no time in travelling to the inauguration site at Tullaghogue to be made 'the O'Neill'. Thereafter Tyrone signed off his correspondence with his preferred Irish title.

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2022-09-09

OTD 1607 Hugh O'Neill with Rory O'Donnell, their families and adherents left Rathmullan for Europe never to return and what has become known as the Flight of the Earls. O'Neill never stopped trying to return but he would die exiled in Rome 9 years later

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2022-09-04

OTD 1599 Sir Thomas Norreys, president of Munster, joined his brother John in the afterlife. He was speared in the neck/face in June but lingered for another 2 months. Thomas' other brother Henry, (who was shot in the leg) died of his wounds just 4 days earlier

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2022-08-20

OTD 1602 Chichester took Tyrone's stronghold at Inishloughan. Held by 42 shot and 20 swordsmen, it had '2 deep ditches both compassed with strong palisades...high and thick rampeire..well flanked with bulwarks'. It had little chance against well-placed artillery

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2022-08-16

OTD 1600 Mountjoy tried to lessen troops gunpowder expenses, cost of powder used deducted from pay. He wanted crown to cover the powder used on campaign, on watches 'as charging and discharging of his piece in time of watches is of necessity' and during training'

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2022-08-13

OTD 1595 Prodigious consumption of gunpowder by Crown & the war had barely started. 6 lasts (approx. 6 tons) issued in 2 months (also 2 lasts of powder for cannon). For an army even more dependant on firearms we can imagine the quantities used by Tyrone's men

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2022-08-03

OTD 1599 Essex leaves Askeaton but was engaged at Finniterstown. The Irish attacked the column, trying to force in the English wings of shot, but in 8 hours the crown army pushed through to Croom Castle. Capt Jennings killed and Sir Henry Norreys shot in the leg

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2022-06-11

OTD 1595 As Bagenal marched to Monaghan, Tyrone attacked at Crossdall. 800 Irish shot fell on the column but Capt Cuney drew 150 to hold the Irish back. The fight raged for 4 hours as the English passed through. Irish fire slackened enabling Cuney to break contact

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2022-05-26

OTD 1595 Bagenal moves to relieve Monaghan. He was sent with 1,500 foot and 250 horse. Officer voiced concern over lack of ammunition. Russell dismissed fears, noting this was not France, one need only show the flag to overawe the Irish-lets see how that works out

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2022-05-23

OTD 1596 As Tyrone's pardon is passed by the great seal of Ireland, a report suggest all is not what it seems. Claims that the peace was treacherously used by the Irish to gain time. New troops were raised and Irish get 'all such necessaries..as power and munitions'

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2022-05-12

OTD 1587 Hugh O'Neill was confirmed as the 2nd earl of Tyrone. Should have secured Tyrone's loyalty but a year later with the survivors of the Armada arriving in Dungannon, ties were fostered with Philip II of Spain that were key to the outbreak of war in 1593

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2022-05-11

OTD 1600 As Mountjoy prepared to push into Ulster as a feint for the the Foyle landings, report of dissent in the Irish camp as the Maguire succession feud leaves hundreds dead in Loyalty of Turlough MacHenry, Arthur O'Neill and John O'Doherty doubtful

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2022-05-10

OTD 1599 The Earl of Essex set out from Dublin leading 160 horse at the beginning of his expedition into Munster. With the army list expanded to 16K foot and 1.3k horse and massive shipments of supplies (including £20k worth munitions) what could possibly go wrong?

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2022-05-09

OTD 1598 Geffrey Fenton calls to block shipments of arms to Tyrone from Scotland 'great quantities of powder and other provisions for him and O'Donnell...considering the King's former favourable dealings with Tyrone, cannot but think the King is a secret supporter'

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2022-05-07

OTD 1596 News of Spanish in Killybegs brought to Newry by Anne Willmar [Welsh woman], handmaid to Mabel Bagenal before her death. After spending 5 years at the heart of Tyrone's lordship she later suggested Queen would be willing to pay £10k for her info on Tyrone

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2022-05-07