Second Battle of Athenry

Part of the Bruce campaign in Ireland

Date	10 August 1316
Location	Athenry, County Galway
Result	Lordship victory

Belligerents

Connacht
Including:
Uí Maine, Magh Luirg

Thomond

West Breifne

Lordship of Ireland and Irish allies

Commanders and leaders

Fedlim Ó Conchobair†, Tadhg Ó Cellaigh†, Donnchad Ó Briain, Ualgarg Mór Ó Ruairc

Rickard de Bermingham, William Liath de Burgh, Muirchertach Ó Briain

Strength

Some few thousands

Believed to be over 1,100

Casualties and losses

Up to 3,000 killed according to the Regestum of the Dominicans in Athenry

Thought to be less than the Irish

The Second Battle of Athenry took place at Athenry (Irish: Áthna Ríogh) in Ireland on 10 August 1316 during the Bruce campaign in Ireland.

The collective number of both armies are unknown, and can only be estimated. Martyn believes the royal army to have been as much as or more than a thousand, while that of Athenry was probably several hundred less. The list of deceased participants on the Irish side alone indicates that exceptionally high numbers were involved.

Unlike the First Battle of Athenry in 1249, no account is given of the battle itself in any surviving account. Even the site of the battle itself is uncertain.

Rickard de Bermingham and William Liath de Burgh led an Anglo-Irish force to victory. John Clyn states that According to common report a sum of five .... thousand in all [were killed] the number decapitated was one thousand five hundred.

The battle was a devastating defeat for the Connacht Gaels, who were allied with the Scotsman Edward Bruce. Among those killed were kings Fedlim Ó Conchobair and Tadhg Ó Cellaigh King of Uí Maine.

U1313 (sic 1316) A great hosting was undertaken by Feidhlimidh, together with the nobles of the Fifth of Connacht and with Donnchadh O'Briain, king of Munster and O'Mael-Sheclainn, king of Meath and Ualgharc O'Ruairc, king of Breifni (Ualgharc O'Ruairc took the kingship that year) and O'Ferghail, king of Muinter-hAnghaile and Tadhg O'Cellaigh, king of Ui-Maine and Maghnus, son of Domnall Ua Concobuir, tanist of Connacht and Art O'hEaghra, king of Luighni and Brian O'Dubhda, king of Ui-Fiachrach.

They went, all those, to Ath-na-righ. The Foreigners of the West of Connacht all assembled against them: to wit, William de Burgh and the Baron Mac Feorais Birmingham, lord of Ath-na-righ and all the Foreigners of the greater part of the Half of Conn. Battle was engaged in by them and defeat inflicted on the Gaidhil there. Feidhlimidh O'Concobuir (son of Aedh, son of Eogan), king of Connacht, was slain there: the one person on whom the attention of the Men of all Ireland was most directed and who was best in generosity and prowess.

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Wikipedia