Battle of Skerries facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Skerries
Part of the Bruce campaign in Ireland
Date 26 January 1316 Location near Ardclough, County Kildare Result Scottish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland and Gaelic allies	Lordship of Ireland and Gaelic allies
Commanders and leaders
Edward Bruce	Earl of Carrick Earl of Desmond
Strength
At least 6,000	10,000 approx
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Battle of Skerries, also known as the Battle of Ardscull, was an important fight in Ireland. It happened on January 26, 1316. This battle was part of a larger plan by Edward Bruce. He was the brother of Robert Bruce, the King of Scotland. The Scottish army won this battle. It took place near Ardscull in County Kildare.

What Happened During the Battle?

Edward Bruce, who was an earl (a type of noble), arrived in Ireland in May of the year before. He was even declared king of the island in June. Bruce continued his journey south. On January 26, 1316, his Scottish army was moving from Castledermot. That's when they met the English forces.

The English army was made up of Hiberno-Norman soldiers. These were people of Norman descent who lived in Ireland. Important leaders like John FitzThomas FitzGerald and Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald were part of this group. The English forces had many more soldiers than Bruce's army.

However, disagreements broke out among the English and Irish soldiers. Edward Bruce was able to use these problems to his advantage. Even though the Scots lost many of their own soldiers, they managed to hold their ground. This meant they won the battle.

What Happened After the Battle?

The English government later said that bad ground and bad luck caused their loss. This explanation wasn't very convincing. They also claimed that the Scots lost many important people, while the English lost only one soldier.

After the battle, the Scottish army raided the nearby town of Athy. Then, they moved back to Leix. The English and Irish forces watched them from nearby Castledermot. Their leader went back to Dublin.

In Dublin, John Hotham worked hard. He was the king's special helper in Ireland. He tried to make sure the Irish nobles stayed loyal to the English king. By May, Edward Bruce had returned to his safe base in Ulster. Hotham also went back to England for a new job.