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| Battle of Connor | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theBruce campaign in Ireland | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of Scotland andGaelic allies |  Lordship of Ireland andGaelic allies | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Edward Bruce |  Richard Óg Burke | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| At least 6,000 | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
TheBattle of Connor was fought on 10 September 1315, in the townland of Tannybrake just over a mile north of what is now the modern village ofConnor, County Antrim.[1] It was part of theBruce campaign in Ireland.
Edward Bruce landed inLarne, in modern-dayCounty Antrim, on 26 May 1315. In early June, Donall Ó Néill of Tyrone and some twelve fellow northern Kings and lords met Edward Bruce at Carrickfergus and swore fealty to him as King of Ireland.[2] Edward held the town of Carrickfergus, but was unable to take the Castle. His army continued to spread south, through theMoyry Pass to take Dundalk.
Outside the town of Dundalk, Bruce encountered an army led byJohn FitzThomas FitzGerald, 4th Lord of Offaly, his son-in-lawEdmund Butler, Earl of Carrick andMaurice FitzGerald, 4th Baron Desmond. The Scottish pushed them back towards Dundalk and on 29 June lay waste to the town and its inhabitants.[3]
By 22 July Edmund Butler, the Justicier in Dublin, assembled an army from Munster and Leinster to joinRichard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster to fight Bruce. De Burgh refused to let the government troop into Ulster, fearing widespread damage to his land.[4] Bruce was able to exploit their dispute and defeat them separately.
Bruce slowly retreated north, drawing de Burgh in pursuit. Bruce and his O’Neill allies sacked Coleraine, destroying the bridge over theRiver Bann to delay pursuit. Edward sent word toFedlimd Ó Conchobair that he would support his position as king in Connacht if he would withdraw. He sent the same message to rival claimantRuaidri mac Cathal Ua Conchobair. Cathal immediately returned home, raised a rebellion and declared himself king. De Burgh's Connacht allies under Felim then followed as Felim left to defend his throne.[5] Edward's force then crossed the Bann in boats, and attacked. The Earl of Ulster withdrew to Connor.
The armies met in Connor on 10 September 1315.[4] The superior force of Bruce and his Irish allies defeated the depleted Ulster forces. The capture of Connor permitted Bruce to re-supply his army for the coming winter from the stores the Earl of Ulster had assembled at Connor.[6] Earl's cousin, William de Burgh, was captured, as well as other lords and their heirs. Most of his army retreated to theCastle of Carrickfergus, which the pursuing Scots put under siege. The Earl of Ulster managed to return to Connaught.
The government forces under Butler did not engage Bruce, allowing him to consolidate his hold in Ulster. His occupation of Ulster encouraged risings in Meath and Connacht, further weakening de Burgh.[4] Despite this, and another Scottish/Irish victory at theBattle of Skerries, the campaign was to be defeated at theBattle of Faughart.