Battle of Dysert O'Dea

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Dysert O'Dea
partof=the Irish Bruce Wars 1315–1318


caption=
result=O'Dea Clan - Murtough O'Brien victory
date=10 May, 1318
place= Dysert O'Dea near Corofin, Co. Clare, Ireland
combatant1=Clan O'DeaClan O'Connor
Clan O'Brien
Clan O'Hehir
Clan MacNamara
combatant2=Anglo-NormansIrish mercenaries
commander1=Conor O'Dea
commander2=Richard de Clare, Steward of Forest of Essex†
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=c. 80
casualties2=c. 4-500 killedThe Battle of Dysert O'Dea took place at Dysert O'Dea near Corofin, Co. Clare, Ireland, on May 10, 1318 during the Irish Bruce Wars 1315-1318. The Norman Richard de Clare attacked the Irish chieftain Conor O'Dea, chief of the Cineal Fearmaic and ally of Murtough O'Brien, but his forces were ultimately defeated.

Precursors to War

The Bruce invasion of Ireland enabled the outbreak of a number of small wars that had little, if anything, pertaining to the Scots. Perhaps the most notable was the battle at Dysert O'Dea which erupted in Brian Boru's old Kingdom of Thomond in 1318.

Two factions of the O'Brien clan had been fighting for supremacy of Thomond over a period that spanned generations. Murtough O'Brien, the ancestor of Thurlough O'Brien was the rightful King of Thomond. A challenger appeared in the form of Mahon O'Brien, allied with the opposing faction of the family, which paid its homage to Brian O'Brien. This side of the family was allied with the powerful Anglo-Norman Richard de Clare, a descendant of Strongbow himself. De Clare ruled over much of west Ireland from his castle at Bunratty, yet the English respected Thomond as a sovereign state and remained outside its borders. However, de Clare's alliance with Mahon O'Brien provided excuse to invade the kingdom of Thomond. His pale Englishmen would meet in a pitched battle versus Murtough's Irish in the Battle of Dysert O'Dea near what is now Ennis, County Clare. McCullough, David Willis. Wars of the Irish Kings. Three Rivers Press, New York. 2002. Pg 223-33. Retrieved Mar. 1, 2008.]

During this time, Donnchadh, an ally of de Clare, was overwhelmingly defeated in the battle of Lough Raska near Corcomruadh Abbey.

Order of Battle

When news arrived of his allies defeat at Corcomruadh, Richard de Clare decided to attack the Gaelic stronghold at Dysert O'Dea. His troops arrived at Ruan on the morning of May 10, 1318, and were divided into three columns. The first division was headed by de Clare's son and marched northwards to Tullach O'Dea in an effort to cut off any help which might arrive from O'Connor of Ennistymon. The second column travelled southwards towards Magowna to quell any support from that direction. The third division was commanded by de Clare himself and marched westwards towards Dysert O'Dea, the home of Conor O'Dea. O'Dea intentionally made his forces look few in number and when de Clare charged for an attack the Anglo-Normans were ambushed. Richard de Clare was felled by an axe and his son was killed by a Feilim O'Connor. [ [http://www.odeaclan.org/history.htm] O'Dea Clan website. Retrieved Mar. 12, 2008.] The O'Deas were reinforced by the O'Connors who were followed by the O'Briens, O'Hehir and MacNamaras and the English were soon defeated. Following their victory, the Irish marched back to the De Clare settlement, only to find that de Clare's wife had set it aflame, including Bunratty Castle and had returned to England.

Over eighty Englishmen of noble birth and many foot soldiers were killed in the battle. The Kingdom of Thomond remained beyond foreign control for over two hundred years, until 1570. [O'Dea: Ua Déaghaidh: The Story of a Rebel Clan", by Risteárd Ua Cróinín (Richard Cronin), Ballinakella Press, Whitegate, Co. Clare, Ireland, 1992. ISBN 0-946538-07-7. Retrieved Mar. 12, 2008.]

ee also

* O'Dea Castle
* Clan Ua Déaghaidh

External links

* [http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/archaeology/CL025-114---.htm Battle of Dysert O'Dea at Clare County Library]

References

Further reading

* "O'Dea: Ua Déaghaidh: The Story of a Rebel Clan", by Risteárd Ua Cróinín (Richard Cronin), Ballinakella Press, Whitegate, Co. Clare, Ireland, 1992. ISBN 0-946538-07-7.

* "Irish Battles - A Military History of Ireland", by G.A. Hayes-McCoy, Appletree Press, 1990, ISBN 0-86281-250-X