First Battle of Athenry

First Battle of Athenry
Athenry Castle, built by the Normans in the early 13th century
Date 15 August 1249 Location Athenry, County Galway, Ireland Result Lordship victory
Belligerents
Connacht	Lordship of Ireland
Commanders and leaders
Toirrdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair, Aedh Ua Conchobhair †	Jordan de Exeter
Strength
unknown	unknown
Casualties and losses
unknown	unknown

The First Battle of Athenry was fought on 15 August 1249 at Athenry (Irish: Áth na Ríogh) in modern County Galway, Ireland. The Gaelic forces of Connacht besieged the town but were repelled by the Normans under Jordan de Exeter, Sheriff of Connacht.

Áth na Ríogh had existed as a Gaelic settlement under the Ó Mainnín kings of Soghain [1], but between 1236 and 1241 Meyler de Bermingham captured the area and made Athenry an urban walled settlement. Though by 1249 it featured a castle and Franciscan friary, it was still close to hostile Gaelic territory.

The contemporary Annals of Connacht give the following account of the battle:

Sluagad aili la macaib rig Connacht co hAd na Rig da loscad & da lomarcain, fo fel Muri i meodon in fogmair, & dochodur sluag mor ann sin fo Toirrdelbach mac Aeda & fo Aed mac Aeda. Et do bi Serriam Connacht isin baili ara cinn & Goill imda imar aen ris, & ro iarsat Goill cardi in laesin ara uasli i nn-onoir Mure Mathar isa la do bai ann, & ni tucsat na meic rig in charde-sin amach i n-onoir Mure na na Croiche Cesta & ro insaigset in baili d' aindeoin Torrdelbaig.

Et o't-conncatar Siurtan & na Gaill sin tancatar asin bali immach i coinne na mac rig-sin. Dorone Mure mirbaili ann sin. O'tconncatar na meic rig cona muintir in marcsluag etigti armtha cucta ro gab grain & ecla iat ica facsin & ro mebad dib, & do marbad Aed mac Aeda h. Conchobair ann sin & Diarmait Ruad mac Cormaic h. Mailseclainn & da mac h. Cellaig et Brian in Doiri mac Magnusa & in Carrach Insibail mac Neill h. Conchobair & Baethgalach Mac Aedacan & Mathgamain mac Taidc meic Diarmata Bachlaig h. Conchobair & da mac Lochlainn h. Conchobair & Domnall mac Cormaic Meic Diarmata & in Findanach Mac Branan & Cu Muman Mac Casurlaig & daine imda eli.

The kings' sons of Connacht made another hosting, to burn and pillage Athenry ('co hAd na Rig'), at the feast of Mary in mid-autumn. They went thither, a great host, including Toirrdelbach son of Aed and Aed son of Aed, and the Sheriff of Connacht was there to meet them, with many Galls. The Galls asked for a truce on that day, on account of its sanctity; in honour of Mary Mother whose day it was. The princes would not grant that truce to honour Mary or the Crucifixion, but attacked the town, though Toirrdelbach was unwilling.

...
Wikipedia