GLin
Hundreds of miles from her throne The Queen wished to display her power. Carew the lord president of Munster marches on Glin. Women and children lay dead in Carews wake. A young boy , the son of a knight was tied to the mouth of
an English cannon. Irish die on both sides, some too cowardly and some too
greedy to support the "Rebels" When the siege was finished, not one of the eighty Irish
men in the castle survived. Every one of them Gave their lives for freedom. They were remembered 400 years on.
Glin 1600
Leaving Askeaton on the morning of the 4th of July 1600 Sir George Carew, with his English army of 800 foot men and 80 horsemen marched on Glin.
Carew had recently been appointed as Lord president of Munster after his predecessor retreated to cork, fearing the growing strength of the Irish rebels in Limerick. Carew had already taken both Bruff and Croom Castles. Croom castle was abandoned without a fight when the Garrison saw the English approach; Glin wasn’t going to fall without a fight.
Carew had a 20-mile trek from Askeaton to Glin. His army was attacked once by the Sugan Earl as they were crossing a marsh at Ballyhahill. In revenge, for the loss of some of his men Carew had the inhabitants of the place, including, old women and children slaughtered.
The English reached Glin at midday on the 5th of July. They approached from the southwest, but soon surrounded the Castle. The Sugan and his Irish rebels watched from the hills with the apparent intention of attacking the English when they attempted to capture the Castle. The English spent the next day and night entrenching themselves around the Castle. On the 6th Carew arranged a meeting with the constable of the castle while this was going on the English army set up their guns and cannons which were brought down from Limerick.
On the 7th of July Edmund Fitz Thomas, the Knight of Glin, who had been following the preceedings from a vantage point at a place known as Tullyglass, sent a messenger asking for a safe conduct to Carew’s camp. This was granted, when he arrived at the camp he met his kinsman the Earl of Thomond, who supported the English. He informed the Knight that Carew would only meet with him if he intended to submit and surrender the castle to the Queen. Edmund was also allowed to meet with his young son who had been kidnapped by Carew. The boy was being used to gain the Knights loyalty. Still, Edmund would not surrender, and rode back to his camp.
Early next morning before Carew gave the command to fire, he tied the young boy to the mouth of the large cannon and informed the Constable that if he didn’t surrender without a struggle he would blow the boy to his death…The Constable’s answer was clear and defiant “the Knight is strong and his wife is fertile, they will easily produce another child”. Carew, on realising that his threat was futile, removed the child from the cannon and began his attack.
The castle’s brave defence was practically hopeless against the might of the English. The fact that the Sugan Earl couldn’t command his men to assist the castle, made Carew’s task even easier. The large cannon broke down the castle wall and a band of English warriors fought their way into the castle.
Most of them were slain. Carew sent in reinforcements for a second assault, this also failed. It was on his third and final attack that Carew took Glin castle, which was defended to the end by the Irish who gave their last stand on the rooftops. Where all were slain or pushed to their deaths.
400 years later in honour and remembrance of these courageous men we re-enact the battle of Glin.
© Society of Knights 2003
