Battle of Aura facts for kids
The Battle of Aura (also known as the Battle of Slieve-na-Aura) was an important fight that happened in the late 1500s in Northern Ireland. It was part of the bigger clan wars in Ireland. In this battle, the MacDonnells, led by their famous chief Sorley Boy MacDonnell, fought against the MacQuillans and the O'Neills. The MacDonnells won a big victory. The name Slieve-na-Aura means "Hill of Battle," and today it's often spelled Slieveanorra.
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Why the Battle Happened
The MacDonnells and the MacQuillans were often fighting over control of an area called "the Route" in County Antrim. The MacQuillans wanted to get this land back from the MacDonnells.
In April 1583, the MacQuillans saw a chance to attack. Many MacDonnell warriors were away helping another leader, Turlough Luineach O'Neill. So, the MacQuillans thought Sorley Boy MacDonnell's forces would be weak.
They teamed up with Sir Hugh MacFelim O'Neill and even had two groups of English soldiers join them. These English soldiers were led by Captain Thomas Chatterton. Together, they launched a big attack on the MacDonnells in the northern glens.
The Clever Trap at Slieve-na-Aura
Sorley Boy MacDonnell quickly gathered his own smaller force. He made it look like his group was easy to defeat. The MacQuillan and O'Neill forces set up their main camp on a ridge near Slieve-na-Aura.
Sorley Boy's plan was very smart. He made his small army appear vulnerable, which tricked the enemy's cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and heavy infantry (foot soldiers) into charging at them. The enemy thought the ground was solid, but Sorley Boy had chosen a deep, hidden bog (a type of swampy land).
As the MacQuillan and O'Neill soldiers charged, their horses and heavy armor got stuck in the wet, muddy bog. They couldn't move or fight properly. This made them easy targets for Sorley Boy's lighter-armed MacDonnell swordsmen and archers. The MacDonnells quickly defeated them.
Who Was Lost in Battle
After their forces were trapped and defeated, the enemy leaders tried to escape. Hugh MacFelim O'Neill and Captain Chatterton ran, but they were chased down and killed near the top of Slieve-na-Aura.
Rory Oge MacQuillan, another leader, tried to hide on a crannog (a small artificial island) in Loughguile lake. But a man named Owen Gar Magee swam to the island and killed him.
During the battle, the chiefs of Clan MacAuley and Clan MacPhoil arrived with their forces. They were supposed to fight with the MacQuillans and O'Neills, but they ended up watching the battle unfold. Sorley Boy MacDonnell rode out to them and convinced them to join his side instead. Their combined forces then pushed the MacQuillans and O'Neills towards the Aura River, where they were finally defeated. Edward McQuillan also died in this battle.
After the Battle
Many dead soldiers were left across the area of Glenshesk. After their victory, the MacDonnells moved to the mountain of Trostan, which looks over Cushendall. Sorley Boy MacDonnell was celebrated by MacAuley, the Lord of the Glens.
To remember the battle, people later built cairns (piles of stones). Near the top of Slieve-na-Aura, two cairns are said to mark where O'Neill and his men were buried.
Images for kids
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The coat of arms of the MacDonnells of Antrim.
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The symbol of the O'Neills of Clandeboy.
See also
