Battle of Scarrifholis: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Scarrifholis - Background

Battle of Scarrifholis - Background

The Irish Ulster Army was raised by the Irish Confederate Catholics in 1642 to organise the insurgent forces who were operating there since the rebellion of the previous year. Up to 1649, it was commanded by Owen Roe O'Neill, a professional soldier who had served in the Spanish army. However, O’Neill died in late 1649 and was replaced by a Catholic Bishop, Heber MacMahon of Clogher. MacMahon had no real military experience, but was elected by the Ulster officers to avoid political infighting among their officers. The army was split between those who supported the Confederate's treaty with the English Royalists, mainly pre-war land-owners such as Phelim O'Neill and the army's professional officers and Catholic clergy which did not. Before his death, Owen Roe O'Neill had left the Confederation and only re-joined it after the invasion of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell in 1649.

On the other side, the leadership of the British Protestant forces in Ulster had been taken over from the Scottish Covenanters and the Royalist aligned British settlers by English Parliamentarians. These comprised of settlers like Charles Coote and a Parliamentary army sent to the northern Irish province by Oliver Cromwell in 1649 commanded by Robert Venables and Theophilus Jones. The Scots and Royalists in the province had besieged Coote at Derry, but were routed by Venables at the battle of Lisnagarvey in Antrim. After this point, the Parliamentarians assumed command of the war against the Ulster army.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Background", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki