Irish Bruce Wars 1315-1318

Bruce campaign in Ireland

Part of First War of Scottish Independence

The Lordship of Ireland (pink) c.1300

Date	26 May 1315 – 14 October 1318 (3 years, 4 months and 18 days)
Location	Ireland
Result	Victory for the English and their Irish allies

Belligerents

Kingdom of Scotland and Irish allies

Kingdom of England

Lordship of Ireland and Irish allies

Commanders and leaders

Edward Bruce †
Fedlim Ó Conchobair †
Tadhg Ó Cellaigh †
Donnchad Ó Briain
Ualgharg O'Ruairc

Strength

c. 6,000

c. 20,000

Casualties and losses

unknown

Kingdom of England

The Bruce campaign was a three-year military campaign by Edward Bruce, brother of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, in Ireland. It lasted from his landing at Larne in 1315 to his defeat and death in 1318 at the Battle of Faughart in County Louth.

After his victory at the Battle of Bannockburn, Robert decided to expand his war against the English by sending an army under his younger brother Edward to invade Ireland. Another reason for the expedition was that supporters of the exiled House of Balliol had fled to Ireland after fighting at Bannockburn and remained a dangerous threat. These men were led by John MacDougall of Lorn, who was the cousin of John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, nephew of King John Balliol. The murder of Comyn in 1306 had set off a bloody civil war for the throne of Scotland which King Robert had all but won at Bannockburn and was now attempting to finish by capturing their last remaining stronghold. Robert was also invited by some of the native Irish to send an army to drive out the Norman settlers and in return they would crown his brother High King of Ireland. This campaign to revive the High Kingship effectively ended with Edward's defeat and death in the Battle of Faughart in 1318.

By the early 14th century, Ireland had not had a High King since Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (Rory O'Conor) who had been deposed by his son in 1186. Further, the Plantagenet dynasty had been assigned Ireland by the papal document Laudabiliter in 1155 and indirectly ruled much of the eastern part of the island. The country was divided between the Gaelic dynasties that survived the Norman invasion and the Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland.

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