Timeline of the Irish Confederate Wars facts for kids

The Irish Confederate Wars, also known as the Eleven Years War, was a big conflict in Ireland that lasted from 1641 to 1653. It started with the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and ended when Oliver Cromwell and his army took control of Ireland. This war involved different groups fighting each other: Irish Catholics, English Protestants, and even English Royalists (who supported the King) against English Parliamentarians (who supported the Parliament). It was a very complicated time in Irish history.

1641: The War Begins

The fighting started with a surprise rebellion.

What Happened in October?

• October 23: Catholic rebels tried to take over Dublin, the capital city. But their plan was found out at the last minute, so they had to stop.
• In the north, a rebel leader named Phelim O'Neill successfully captured a place called Charlemont.
• October 26: Rebels led by Phelim O'Neill also took control of Armagh.

English Troops Arrive

• November 11: James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde became the main leader of the English troops in Ireland.
• November 21: The rebels started to surround a town called Drogheda.
• November 28: Protestant settlers fought off a rebel attack in Lurgan, in the north.
• November 29: At the Battle of Julianstown, English government soldiers were defeated by Irish Catholic rebels. They were trying to help Drogheda.
• December 30: The first group of English soldiers, about 1,100 men, arrived in Dublin to help.

More People Join the Rebellion

• December: Many important Catholic landowners from different parts of Ireland, like the Pale, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo, Tipperary, and Kilkenny, joined the rebellion.

1642: A New Catholic Government Forms

The rebellion spread to more areas like Clare, Limerick, and Antrim.

Early Fights and New Laws

• Charles Coote, an English leader, defeated a rebel group near Swords in Dublin.
• March: English troops successfully helped Drogheda, ending the siege.
• March 19: The English Parliament passed the Adventurers' Act. This law allowed them to take away huge amounts of land from Catholics in Ireland.
• March: Irish Catholic Bishops met in Armagh. They wanted to guide the rebellion to achieve Catholic political goals.

More Soldiers and Key Victories

• April 3: About 10,000 Scottish soldiers arrived in Ulster to stop the rebellion. More English soldiers also landed in Dublin and Cork.
• April 15: At the Battle of Kilrush, English troops defeated a rebel group near Athy.
• Scottish soldiers under the Earl of Argyle killed many Catholic civilians on Rathlin Island. Another similar event happened in Newry.
• Siege of Limerick (1642): Catholic soldiers, called Confederates, led by Garret Barry, captured King John's Castle in Limerick.

The Confederates Unite

• July: Irish Catholic leaders created an oath. This oath brought the rebels together to protect the Catholic religion, Ireland's freedom, and the King's rights.
• July: A famous Irish general, Owen Roe O'Neill, came back to Ireland to help the Catholic cause. Another general, Thomas Preston, also returned.
• August 22: The English Civil War started in England between the King and Parliament. This caused English forces in Ireland to split and choose sides.
• September 3: At the Battle of Liscarroll, a Catholic army was defeated by English Protestant forces near Liscarroll.
• October 24: The Confederate Catholic Association of Ireland was officially formed. It had its own rules and its main city was Kilkenny. They even made their own money. This group acted like a separate country in most of Ireland until 1648.

1643: Truce and Shifting Sides

The war continued with more battles and attempts at peace.

Battles and Losses

• English Royalist soldiers captured Timolin. About 200 Catholic civilians were killed by Ormonde's army.
• March 18: At the Battle of New Ross, English Royalist soldiers defeated a Confederate Catholic army.
• June 13: Owen Roe O'Neill's Ulster Army lost many experienced soldiers at the Clones. He had to rebuild his army.
• June: A Confederate group defeated the Cork army at Funcheon Ford. This was a rare defeat for the Protestant army in Cork.
• September: Owen Roe O'Neill's Ulster army defeated an Irish Protestant group at the Battle of Portlester.

A Temporary Peace

• September: A ceasefire, called the Cessation, was agreed between the Confederates and the English Royalists. It started on September 15. They began talking about a stronger alliance. Many Royalist soldiers left Ireland to fight in England. However, the Scottish soldiers in Ulster remained enemies of the Confederates.
• November: 4,000 English Royalist soldiers from Dublin were sent back to England.

1644: Fighting Continues and Alliances Change

The Confederates tried to push back against their enemies.

Confederate Actions

• The Confederates launched a big attack with 6,000 men against the Scots in Ulster, but it didn't lead to a clear victory.
• A Scottish attack into Confederate land was stopped at Finnea by a force led by Myles "the Slasher" O'Reilly.

Help for the King

• The Confederates sent 1,500 soldiers to Scotland to help the King's side in the English Civil War.
• The English Royalist soldiers in Cork switched sides and joined the Parliament.
• The Confederates captured Bandon.

1645: New Support for the Confederates

Important events happened, including the arrival of a special visitor.

Sieges and Losses

• January 20: The Siege of Duncannon began.
• March 18: Duncannon surrendered to the Confederate army.
• Confederate generals tried to capture Youghal but failed.
• Catholic Bishop Malachy O'Queally was killed while leading a Confederate attempt to take Sligo.

Papal Nuncio Arrives

• A special representative from the Pope, Giovanni Battista Rinuccini, arrived in Kerry. He brought weapons and money to help the Confederates.

1646: Peace Attempts and Big Battles

A peace deal was signed, but not everyone agreed with it.

The Ormonde Peace

• March 28: The Ormonde Peace was signed. This agreement meant the Confederates would join forces with the English Royalists. In return, Catholics would get some rights. However, Rinuccini and the Catholic Bishops strongly disagreed with this peace.
• An English Parliamentarian navy landed at Dingle and attacked the town.
• Parliamentarian soldiers took Bunratty Castle but were then surrounded by Confederate troops and forced to give up.

Major Confederate Victories

• June: At the Battle of Benburb, the Scottish Covenanter army was completely defeated by the Confederate Ulster Army led by Owen Roe O'Neill.
• Confederate troops captured Roscommon.
• Confederate armies marched on Kilkenny to reject the Ormonde peace. Those who signed it were arrested.
• Owen Roe O'Neill and Preston surrounded Dublin, which was held by the Royalist Earl of Ormonde. But they stopped the siege because of bad weather and disagreements on how to attack.

1647: Parliamentarians Gain Control

The English Parliamentarian forces started to win more battles.

Parliamentarian Advances

• Spring: Inchiquin, a Parliamentarian leader, launched a big attack in Munster, quickly capturing Dromana, Cappoquin, and Dungarvan.
• June: Ormonde surrendered Dublin to the English Parliamentarians. He preferred them over the Catholic Confederates.
• August: The Confederate Leinster Army was destroyed by an English Parliamentarian force at the battle of Dungan's Hill.
• Owen Roe O'Neill's Ulster Army destroyed food supplies around Dublin. This was to stop the Parliamentarian army from moving into Confederate areas.

Devastating Defeats for Confederates

• September: At the Sack of Cashel, Parliamentarian soldiers attacked Cashel, County Tipperary and killed everyone in its army.
• November: At the Battle of Knocknanauss, the Confederate Munster Army was completely defeated by the Parliamentarians.

1648: Divisions Among the Confederates

Alliances shifted again, and a civil war broke out within the Confederate side.

Changing Sides and New Alliances

• Inchiquin, a Protestant commander, switched from the English Parliament to the King's side. He signed a truce with the Confederates.
• The Confederates signed a new peace deal with the Royalists, called the Second Ormonde Peace.
• However, the Confederation split over this treaty. A civil war started between the Confederates who supported the Royalists and the strict Catholics, led by Rinuccini and Owen Roe O'Neill's Ulster Army.
• The English Parliamentarian soldiers in Derry were surrounded by the Scots, who had also joined forces with the Royalists.
• Owen Roe O'Neill helped the Parliamentarians who were surrounded in Derry. In return, he received supplies and offered to make a separate peace with them.

1649: Cromwell Arrives

This year marked a major turning point with the arrival of Oliver Cromwell.

Royalist/Confederate Defeats

• February: Ormonde returned to Ireland and officially ended the Catholic Confederation.
• February 23: Papal nuncio Rinuccini left Ireland.
• August 2: At the battle of Rathmines, a combined Royalist and Confederate army was defeated by the English Parliamentarians outside Dublin.

Cromwell's Conquest Begins

• August 15: Oliver Cromwell landed in Dublin with his powerful army, the New Model Army. His goal was to take back Ireland.
• August 17: Henry Ireton, another Parliamentarian leader, arrived with more soldiers.
• September 11: English Parliamentarian troops attacked Drogheda and killed everyone in its army during the Siege of Drogheda.
• Owen Roe O'Neill rejoined the Confederate and Royalist alliance.
• October 2: Parliamentarian forces began to surround Wexford.
• October 11: At the Sack of Wexford, Cromwell's troops captured Wexford, killed its soldiers, and burned much of the town.
• October 15: English Parliamentarian troops began to surround Duncannon.
• October 19: New Ross surrendered to Cromwell.
• November 5: The siege of Duncannon was stopped because of bad weather and the strong defense by the town's soldiers.
• November 6: Owen Roe O'Neill died from an illness.
• November 19: English Parliamentarians captured Carrick on Suir in a surprise attack.
• November 24: Ulster Irish troops attacked Carrick but were defeated with many losses.
• Parliamentarian forces arrived at Waterford, starting the Siege of Waterford.
• November: At the Battle of Arklow (1649), an army led by Inchiquin failed to defeat a group of English Parliamentarian soldiers.
• December 6: At the Battle of Lisnagarvey, the Parliamentarians defeated a Scottish pro-Royalist group.
• December 10: The Siege of Waterford was abandoned. The Parliamentarians went to Dungarven for the winter.

1650: Cromwell Leaves, Resistance Continues

Cromwell left Ireland, but the fighting was not over.

Sieges and Surrenders

• April: Cromwell surrounded Clonmel (Siege of Clonmel).
• May: New Model Army troops attacked Clonmel but were defeated with many losses. The soldiers defending the town managed to escape, and the town surrendered the next day.
• Cromwell left Ireland.
• Charles II (the King) went back on his promise to the Irish Catholics and ended his alliance with them. Cromwell offered easier surrender terms for Protestant Royalists.
• The Protestant Royalist soldiers in Munster switched sides and joined the Parliamentarians.
• May 10: At the Battle of Macroom, an Irish Confederate force was defeated near Macroom.
• June 19: The Siege and Battle of Tecroghan took place near Trim. The Irish had a tactical victory.
• June 21: At the Battle of Scarrifholis, the Irish Ulster army was defeated and destroyed by English Parliamentarian forces.
• July: Carlow fell to Parliamentarian troops. Waterford was surrounded again.
• July: The Siege of Charlemont began.
• August 8: Parliamentarian attacks on Charlemont were pushed back with many losses.
• August 14: Charlemont surrendered.
• August 10: Waterford surrendered to Parliamentarian troops.
• August 12: Duncannon surrendered.
• October 25: At the Battle of Meelick Island, the Irish Connaught Army was defeated. The Parliamentarians crossed the Shannon River into the west of Ireland.
• October: Henry Ireton arrived at Limerick but had to stop the siege and go to winter quarters.
• December: Ormonde, the Royalist commander, fled to France.

1651: The End of Major Resistance

The Parliamentarians continued to win, and major Irish strongholds fell.

Harsh Measures and Key Sieges

• April: Because Irish Catholic groups were still fighting like guerrillas, the Parliamentarians announced harsh punishments for civilians in areas like county Wicklow and much of the south.
• June: Ireton returned to Limerick and built strong defenses for a long siege (Siege of Limerick (1650–1651)).
• July: At the Battle of Knocknaclashy, an Irish force trying to help Limerick was defeated near Banteer.
• August: The Siege of Galway began. Parliamentarian forces surrounded Galway.
• October 27: Limerick surrendered.

1652: New Laws and Land Confiscation

With the war almost over, new laws changed Ireland forever.

Final Surrenders and Major Law

• May 12: Galway surrendered.
• May: Most of the larger Irish guerrilla groups surrendered. They were allowed to leave Ireland and join Catholic armies in other countries.
• August 12: The English Parliament passed the Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652. This law allowed them to take away huge amounts of land from Catholics. It also allowed them to execute those who were blamed for the 1641 rebellion.

1653: The War Ends

The last organized Irish Catholic forces surrendered, marking the end of the war.

• April 27: The very last organized Irish Catholic force, led by Phillip O'Reilly, surrendered at Cloughoughter. This officially ended the Irish Confederate Wars.

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