Scotland's campaign for the Irish Crown

Scotland's campaign for the Irish Crown

Ireland in the 13th Century was a dangerous and disturbed place - but compared to what the campaign Edward the Bruce visited on the country the 13th Century might be seen as relatively peaceful. The Irish, particularly in Ulster (the Northern Province) viewed the campaigns of their brethren in Scotland for Independence with great interest and empathy. They were filled with joy and hope at the success of Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn in 1314, anticipating a similar turn of events in Ireland. At this time, the on-going civil discord and dis-unity showed no signs of ending, having started in 1022, even in the face of the Anglo Norman invaders. The Irish princes, acutely aware that none of them had the power to seize the High-Kingship, knowing full well other tribes would always dispute certain candidates, decided to send word to Robert the Bruce to ask him to put his brother Edward as chief over all of Ireland, and be High King.

Robert was delighted to hear of the proposition. Not only did it provide him with the chance to open a second front with England, and the possibility to acquire new territory with willing subjects, it also provided him with the chance to get rid of his brother. Although Edward had been a help to Robert during his campaigns, he regarded himself too highly in the Kings’ court, and his attitude and demeanour were becoming an irritation and a worry for Robert.

The instigators of this plot were Donall O’ Neill, Prince of Tyrone, together with some Anglo- Irish families; De Lacys and Bissetts. Robert the Bruce eagerly accepted their proposal. They envisaged a grand “Celtic Alliance” against the English, and indeed, such a concept had support in all of the Celtic Nations on the Isles.

On the 25th of May, 1315, Edward the Bruce, together with an army of 6000, and many Scottish nobles, landed in Ireland. He was immediately joined by Donall O’ Neill & his forces, and together they quickly overran a great part of Ulster, destroying anything English they came into contact with, and winning several small scale battles with the English armies. From start to finish Edward the Bruce’s campaign was categorized by unnecessary brutality, wonton destruction and careless wrecking of the country. Moving south, Edward burned Dundalk and Ardee, and despite the fact that there was a famine throughout the country, all the food except what the army needed was burned.

The Red Earl of Ulster, Richard de Burgo, an Anglo-Irish nobleman who ruled over the greater part of Connacht and Ulster, being the most powerful of the Anglo-Irish lords, raised an army to oppose the invaders. His march through the Irish territory was as destructive as that of the Bruce, if not more so, because he believed all the Irish were on the side of Bruce, which was not so.

Felim O’ Conor, the King of Connacht, joined De Burgo but was forced to retreat to quell a rebellion of some of his subjects. Another reason for his retreat is what effect his marching with the English was having on his army and his power. By the time he had reached Granard, his numbers were so reduced that he was forced to submit to his followers that they return home to Connacht. This left De Burgo weakened as he faced Bruce. Bruce wholly defeated him near Ballynamena, shattering his army. Soon after, Bruce had himself crowned Ard-Rí na hÉireann, High King of Ireland.
His progress hadn’t gone unnoticed, and his prospects looked very good at this time. Indeed, it seemed like the Grand Celtic Alliance was about to completely overcome its Saxon foe:


The invasion of Ireland by Edward Bruce (1901) by Colvin, Caroline


Next he marched into Meath, the Ancient seat of the High King, and, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, committed depredations against the English there. He defeated an army of 15,000 at Kells (under Roger Mortimer), and subsequently won another victory against the Lord Justice, Sir Edmund Butler, near Athy. King Felim O’ Conor, having avoided battle with Bruce and quelled a rebellion, changed sides and declared for Bruce. He set out to clear the entire province of Connacht from all English influence, marching to Athenry with a large army. He was there slain, and his army defeated, by the forces of William de Burgo, and Richard Bermingham. It was the most decisive defeat inflicted in the entire campaign. 11,000 of the Felim’s army fell, among them nearly all the nobility of Connacht. To quote one source - “Felim O’ Conor was not 23 years of age, but the Irish had expected more of him than any man living”. Clearly, the turnout of events in the West was a huge strike against Irish political agitation, and the hopes of Edward.

Bruce was also becoming alarmed at the failure of the Irish to join with him in large numbers. The populace of Wicklow were preparing for uprising at the time, but there is no indication of their willingness to join Bruce, or even that they had contacted him. The harvest was very poor over the course of the Bruce’s campaign, and his wastefulness and destructiveness were causing opinion to turn against him.

Robert the Bruce came over to Ireland to aid his brother, in spring 1317 they set out for Dublin with an army of 20,000. They destroyed everything they could along their march. However, the citizens of Dublin had so well prepared for the attack that the Bruces did not think it wise to assault the city, and resumed their destructive march onto Limerick. However, this too was fortified too strongly against them. After a short stay they resumed march northwards, and such was the scarcity of provisions that vast numbers of their army died as a result of the famine which the Bruces were largely responsible for creating. Robert saw the futility of continuing the campaign for Ireland and returned to Scotland, but, stubborn as ever, Edward stayed on, determined to win Ireland for himself. After a pause, most likely due to the extreme lack of food, a decent harvest came, and both armies began moving again.

The English, under John Bermingham, were much more numerous than Robert the Bruce’s Scots - Irish alliance. Nevertheless, Edward moved onwards as aggressor. It is said that he moved too rashly, in not waiting for reinforcements from Scotland. When his Irish allies broached the subject to him, explaining that they were very likely to be defeated in such an attack, he moved them to the rear of the army, leaving the 2000 Scots in the front line to face Bermingham’s forces.

The armies met at Faughart, County Louth. Edward was strongly advised not to attack. However, in spite of this, he was headstrong and stubborn, declaring he would fight the enemy were they four times more numerous. Bermingham was much concerned by the honour he could gain from a victory against the Bruce, and the story goes that he disguised himself as a beggar and gained access to the Bruce in order that he might recognise him on the field of battle. It is generally thought that this story is not at all improbable. The Scots formed up in three columns, according to English sources, and attacked such a distance from one another that the first was defeated before the second arrived, and the second defeated before the third arrived. Sources generally agree that Edward the Bruce was to blame for his own downfall. It is also said that the battle was largely decided by the brave display of one English knight, Sir John Maupas, who made a dash at the Bruce and killed him, though he himself was immediately struck down. He was found after the battle pierced all over, lying on top of Bruce. The Scottish-Irish army was defeated with great slaughter, though the main body of survivors made their way back to Scotland. Bermingham had the body of Bruce cut up and put on display in the pale, while the head was sent, salted, in a box to Edward II.



Bermingham was granted a title (Earl of Louth) for his military victory. Thus ended Edward the Bruce, and the Scottish campaign for Ireland. Some of the Irish allies continued on divided struggles against the English, but they were all eventually brought into line. Though Irish political weight was with Edward the Bruce in an effort to get rid of the English, contemporary Analysts and the general populace were relieved and in some cases pleased by the death of The Bruce, because of the destruction and famine caused by his campaign. The English government (in Ireland) was thrown into disarray from which it did not recover for centuries. The poverty caused by the campaign, disease, famine also affected the country for generations to come, which made the Irish look wholly dis-favourably at the Bruce’s campaign for a long time, seeing it as responsible for a great many of the evils their country was currently suffering. Though this was not the end of Scottish interference in Irish affairs, it was the last time the High Kingship was claimed. In hindsight, Bruce’s campaign was probably the best post-Norman invasion opportunity to re-instate native government.



-Annals of Loch Cé


-Annals of the Four Masters

Another excellent topic. Keep up the good work General

Edited by Nick1986 - 23-Aug-2011 at 08:59