Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe facts for kids

Nicholas Purcell, the 13th Baron of Loughmoe, was born in 1651. He was the son of James Purcell and Elizabeth Butler. Elizabeth was the sister of James Butler, the 1st Duke of Ormonde, a very powerful man at the time. Nicholas Purcell became a key helper to Patrick Sarsfield, who was an Earl.

In 1687, Nicholas Purcell gathered a group of soldiers on horseback to support King James II. These soldiers were known as the "Yellow Horse," likely because of the color of their flags. Nicholas fought in important battles like the Battle of the Boyne and the Battle of Aughrim. He also signed the Treaty of Limerick, which ended a major war. Unlike many others, he stayed in Ireland after the treaty to fight for the rights of Roman Catholics.

Some records suggest that King James II made Nicholas Purcell a Baron in 1690. This title would have been given by the King while he was living away from his country.

Early Life

Nicholas Purcell was born around 1651 at Loughmoe Castle. He was the first son of Colonel James Purcell, the 12th Baron of Loughmoe, and Elizabeth Butler. His mother's brother was the powerful James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde.

In 1652, an important law called the Act of Settlement was passed. Because Colonel James Purcell was a Roman Catholic, his family lost their lands in County Tipperary. These lands had been in the family since 1198. However, because his mother was related to the Duke of Ormonde, the family was able to get some land back in Connacht.

Sadly, Colonel James Purcell died on September 13, 1652, and was buried at Holy Cross Abbey. His widow, Elizabeth, struggled to keep the family's lands in Galway for a few years.

Things got better when King Charles II returned to power in 1660. This event is known as the Restoration. Elizabeth Purcell returned to Loughmoe and got back her yearly income. Nicholas was about eight or nine years old then, and it was probably his first time seeing his family's old home. Around this time, his mother married Colonel John Fitzpatrick.

In 1661, King Charles II ordered that the Duke of Ormonde, Nicholas's uncle, become his guardian. Colonel Fitzpatrick did a great job managing Nicholas's family estate. By 1663, Nicholas was given back all the Purcell family lands, which were about 11,489 acres (46.5 square kilometers). These lands stretched from Holy Cross to Templemore and included several castles.

We don't know much about Nicholas's life between ages 15 and 35 (1666-1686). He was taught privately at Loughmoe and spent a lot of time riding horses. During this time, he married Rose Trevor, the daughter of Viscount Dungannon.

Military Career Begins

Nicholas Purcell had a strong family history of supporting the Catholic cause. In 1686, he became a Captain in the army that Lord Tyrconnell was building for King James II. In May 1686, when he was 35, Nicholas joined the King's Privy Council of Ireland. This was a group of important advisors to the King. At this time, King James II confirmed Nicholas's title as Baron of Loughmoe.

Around 1688, Nicholas Purcell married Ellis Browne, who was 20 years younger than him. Her father, Sir Valentine Browne, was a high-ranking officer in King James II's army. In 1689, Colonel Nicholas Purcell represented County Tipperary in the Parliament in Dublin.

On May 1, 1689, Colonel Nicholas Purcell returned to Ireland with King James II from Brest, France. He then took part in the Siege of Derry. During this siege, an event showed how brave and skilled Nicholas was with horses. William's troops were hiding near the water. They shot at the horses of the Jacobite soldiers, causing many to fall. Those who reached the defenses faced a high, dry bank. Most soldiers thought it was impossible for horses to cross.

However, an officer named Edmund Butler, who had a very good horse, jumped over the bank. He was immediately captured. Colonel Nicholas was right behind him, and his horse was killed. Nicholas quickly jumped onto the horse's back and pulled himself off, saving himself.

After the Siege of Derry, King James sent Colonel Nicholas to join the Highland forces in Scotland. The London Gazette reported that 300 Irish soldiers and 60 horses landed in Scotland. Colonel Nicholas brought a lot of gunpowder and supplies. He was under the command of Major-General Alexander Cannon.

On May 17, 1689, 400 men from Colonel Purcell's regiment landed in Scotland and hid in the mountains to avoid capture. On July 12, 1689, they landed at Duart. Purcell's soldiers joined Dundee's Highlanders around July 16. On July 27, the two armies met at Killiecrankie.

In the battle, Purcell's Dragoon Regiment fought bravely. They charged down the hills, shouting war cries, and attacked the enemy. One of the Highlanders described the battle by saying, "In the tender birch copse, Near the farm of MacGeorge, Full many a gay cloak lies torn."

Sadly, the leader of the Highlanders, "Bonnie Dundee," was badly wounded and died. This caused the Jacobite army to lose their advantage. Purcell's Dragoon Regiment returned to Ireland.

During the winter of 1689, Purcell's regiment was involved in small fights along the border.

Battle of the Boyne

The first major battle of 1690 was the Battle of the Boyne on July 1. King James kept Colonel Purcell's Dragoons as a reserve force. Later in the day, he ordered them to join the fight. King James then told Colonel Purcell's Dragoons to get off their horses and fight as foot soldiers.

At this moment, news arrived that the Irish right side of the army had been defeated. Generals Sarsfield and Maxwell said it was impossible for the horses to charge the enemy because of ditches and a stream. King James was advised to take his own soldiers and some of Purcell's Dragoons and go to Dublin.

Sarsfield then gathered the horse soldiers and dragoons and helped cover the retreat to Dublin. The Irish Army stopped in Dublin briefly to regroup, then moved on to defend Limerick. King James left Ireland for France on July 2, 1690.

Limerick Sieges

Purcell's Dragoon Regiment rode to County Clare to meet with the other horse soldiers. French Major-General Boisseleau was in charge of defending Limerick. The Williamite army attacked in August, taking over two forts.

On August 11, 1690, Sarsfield crossed the Shannon River with the best of the Irish horse soldiers, including Purcell's Regiment. Sarsfield led his troops through the Tipperary mountains to Ballyneety. This was where the Williamite army's siege equipment was camped for the night, about 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) southeast of Limerick. They surprised the enemy completely. They blew up two of their cannons and destroyed a huge amount of gunpowder and grenades. This raid became one of Sarsfield's most famous actions.

Six cannons saved from Ballyneety arrived on August 16. The Williamite forces then got ready to attack Limerick. Heavy cannons arrived from Waterford, and the bombing of Limerick's walls began. Many fires started, and a large hole, about 42 yards (38 meters) wide, was made in the wall. General Boisseleau built a new defense behind the hole and placed cannons there.

On August 20, 1690, after two days of bombing, a strong attack was made on the defenses. The first attack was pushed back. The second attack succeeded. General Boisseleau ordered 300 of Colonel Purcell's Dragoons and 150 of Colonel Luttrell's Cavalry to rush out from St. John's Gate and try to take back the defense. When the Irish charged out, they were met fiercely by the Williamites. The attackers lost over 300 men pushing back this charge. The Irish lost 100 men and two officers, including Lieutenant Colonel Robert Purcell and Lieutenant Pierce Power.

Later, Brigadier Talbot led the Irish dragoons in a well-timed charge. They met two enemy regiments. After a bloody fight, they pushed through, re-entered the town through the hole in the wall, and attacked the attackers from behind. The Williamites became confused. Boisseleau used this moment to send in all his forces. The Irish drove the attackers back through the hole, over their defenses, and back to their camp. It was a complete victory after a four-hour battle. The siege of Limerick was lifted, and the Williamites left.

Deputation to St. Germain

Colonel Purcell was part of a group sent to St. Germain to ask King James to remove the Duke of Tyrconnell as head of the army. This group included other important officers. On May 9, 1691, a French convoy reached Limerick with General Charles St. Ruth and other officers, along with many weapons and supplies.

There was confusion about who was in charge of the army. St. Ruth claimed command, but Tyrconnell still said he had ultimate control. Eventually, Tyrconnell gave the army's management to St. Ruth.

General St. Ruth reviewed the Irish regiments on May 18 and 19. On June 2, Colonel Purcell's Regiment of Horse marched out of Limerick towards the camp. With a large force, St. Ruth met the Williamite forces on June 21, 1691, at Athlone. This battle was a defeat for King James's army. St. Ruth then decided to fight on high ground near Aughrim.

St. Ruth took his position on Kilcommodon Hill on July 8. It was a good spot, protected by a swamp in front. His right side was protected by bridges and cavalry. His left side was protected by Colonel Walter Bourk and soldiers in the Aughrim Castle ruins, along with cavalry and Colonel Purcell's Dragoon Regiment. Purcell's dragoons fought in different parts of the battle, sometimes on horses and sometimes on foot. Major Sir John Everard was killed in this battle.

At the start of the battle, Sheldon's cavalry pushed back Williamite foot soldiers. Later, Williamite horse soldiers rode up a path, passing close to the castle, and attacked the Irish left side. General St. Ruth was killed in the battle, and the Irish Army was completely defeated by 9 o'clock that night.

After the Battle of Aughrim, Purcell's Dragoon Regiment helped defend Limerick for a second time. General Ginkel, the Williamite commander, tried to make a deal with Tyrconnell to end the fighting at Limerick. Ginkel thought Tyrconnell might be willing to compromise, unlike Sarsfield, Luttrell, and Purcell, whom he saw as strong supporters of France.

General Ginkel's cannons started bombing on September 8, 1691. On the night of September 15, Ginkel's forces crossed the Shannon River above Limerick. The Irish dragoons and foot soldiers went back to Limerick over the Thomond Bridge. The Irish horse soldiers rode back to Ennis.

On September 22, the Williamites moved along the Clare side of the Shannon River towards the Irish defenses at Thomond Bridge. The Irish troops were pushed back to the bridge. A French Major ordered the drawbridge to be pulled up, trapping the retreating troops. Almost everyone on the bridge was killed, including Colonel Redmond Stapleton and Major Thomas Purcell, Colonel Purcell's younger brother.

Treaty of Limerick

Limerick was now surrounded. On September 24, they asked for a discussion to end the fighting. Several important people arrived to talk with General Ginkel. These included the Archbishop of Cashel, the Earl of Westmeath, and Colonel Nicholas Purcell. They had dinner with General Ginkel, then rode on to Limerick.

On September 28, the Irish representatives rode out to negotiate with General Ginkel. They included Patrick, Earl of Lucan, Piercy Viscount Galmoy, Colonel Nicholas Purcell, and others. The terms for the Treaty of Limerick were agreed upon on October 3.

The treaty gave Irish soldiers the choice to go overseas or, if they accepted William's rule, to be safe from unfair laws. However, the parts of the treaty that would have protected Roman Catholics were not officially approved. This led to later Irish leaders calling it the "broken treaty" of Limerick.

Later Years

This marked the end of Colonel Purcell's Dragoon Regiment's service in King James II's Irish Army. Most of the soldiers went back to their homes in Tipperary and Kilkenny. Colonel Purcell chose to stay in Ireland.

He remained active in important matters. For example, on June 28, 1695, Colonel Purcell, along with other important Catholics, signed a petition. This petition said that some new laws from England were "harmful to the petitioners' rights." They asked for time to look at the laws and object if needed. However, the petition was "rejected."

On October 31, 1695, Colonel Purcell attended the Privy Council to ask for a law to confirm the parts of the Treaty of Limerick that protected Catholics. History shows that they were not successful.

We don't know much about Colonel Purcell's life for a while after this. On April 28, 1697, records show that "Col. Nicholas Purcell should have 100 pounds." In 1699, Colonel Purcell was helping manage the estate of his father-in-law, Viscount Kenmare. He said that "Protestant tenants will readily take it (the estate) at £3,000 a year."

On March 30, 1705, a special order was given that allowed Roman Catholics in Ireland to carry certain weapons. Colonel Purcell was on this list and was allowed to carry one sword, one set of pistols, and one gun.

We know a few things about Colonel Purcell's children. His only son died young after falling into boiling water. Of his three daughters, two got married. Catherine, his second daughter, married Domhnall, the O'Callaghan, a member of Irish nobility. His third daughter married a man named White from Leixlip. She was quoted as saying she "desires not to live with her husband until he is eighteen." The Purcell-Whites were the last family to live in Loughmoe, staying there until about 1760.

Colonel Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe, the 13th Baron, died on March 4, 1722. He was buried in the old abbey in Loughmore.

Sources

• King James' Irish Army List, 1689, by John D'Alton
• Journal of the Waterford & the South East of Ireland Archeological Society, Page 199