Siege of Drogheda (1641) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Drogheda (1641)
Part of the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Date 21 November 1641 – March 1642 Location Drogheda, Ireland Result Royalist victory
Belligerents
Royalists	Irish Catholic rebels
Commanders and leaders
Sir Henry Tichborne Lord Charles Moore	Sir Féilim Ó Néill
Strength
1,660	8,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Siege of Drogheda happened from November 21, 1641, to March 1642. It was a major event during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. During a siege, an army surrounds a town or castle to try and take control of it. In this case, a group of Irish Catholic rebels, led by Sir Féilim Ó Néill, surrounded the town of Drogheda. They wanted to capture it from the Royalists, who were loyal to the King.

The rebels tried three times to break into Drogheda. However, all their attempts failed. The town's defenders held strong. In the end, English forces arrived and helped the Royalists. This broke the siege and saved Drogheda.

Why the Siege Happened

The Start of the Rebellion

The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began on October 22, 1641. The Irish rebels first tried to move north into Ulster. Their goal was to capture the city of Belfast. But they faced strong resistance there. Protestant groups in Ulster fought back hard.

Turning Towards Dublin

Because of this resistance, the rebels changed their plans. They decided to head south instead. Their new main goal was to take over Dublin, the capital city. On their way to Dublin, they came across the town of Drogheda. Drogheda was a strong base for the Royalists. So, the rebels decided to surround it and try to capture it first.

Drogheda's Defense and Attacks

Preparing for Battle

In early November, Lord Moore of Mellifont was worried about Drogheda's safety. He started to make the town stronger. He got four cannons and gunpowder from a ship on the nearby River Boyne. These cannons were placed on a hill called Mill Mount.

Lord Moore also made the people of Drogheda work. They helped to fix weak parts of the city walls. He also asked for help from the Lord Justices in Dublin. They allowed him to create a special military group of 120 citizens. The government paid for their training and equipment.

New Leadership and Reinforcements

Lord Moore's efforts convinced the Lord Justices to act. They appointed Sir Henry Tichborne as the Governor of Drogheda. On November 8, Sir Tichborne arrived in Drogheda. He brought 1,000 extra soldiers with him. With these new troops, Drogheda's defending army grew to about 1,660 soldiers.

Rebel Attacks on the Town

The rebel army did not have any cannons. This meant they could not easily break down Drogheda's strong walls. So, they surrounded the town. They hoped to cut off supplies and starve the Royalists into giving up. This is a common tactic in a siege.

However, the Royalist soldiers inside Drogheda held out for four months. The rebels then tried to attack the walls directly. They made three main attempts to get into the town.

• First Attack: The rebels simply rushed the walls. They tried to climb over them, but the defenders pushed them back.
• Second Attack: A smaller group of 500 rebels tried a sneak attack at night. They found old, weak parts of the walls and broke through. Their plan was to open the main gates for a larger group of 700 rebels waiting outside. But the defenders quickly fought back. The small rebel group was stopped in confused fighting. The next morning, the defenders opened the gates. The rebels outside thought they could finally enter. Instead, they were captured as soon as they came in.
• Third Attack: In early March 1642, help for Drogheda was very close. The rebels tried one last attack. They used ladders to try and climb the walls again. But once more, the defenders fought them off.

What Happened Next

Soon after the last attack, English soldiers arrived from Dublin. They were led by Colonel Moore. This army broke the siege. They forced the Irish rebel forces to retreat back to Ulster. The Royalists had successfully defended Drogheda.

Another, more famous siege of Drogheda happened later in 1649. During that siege, Oliver Cromwell's army took the town. They defeated the Royalist and Irish Confederate soldiers defending it.