Williamite War in Ireland
The Old English Catholic Parliament started to undo the land laws much to the horror and consternation of the Protestants and the Cromwellians.
James II and his army had by this time moved north into Ulster. Ulster was now under James II rule. The only two strongholds against this rule were the walled plantations of Enniskillen and Derry.
On the 18th April 1689 James II arrived at the walls of Derry only to find himself under attack from those inside the walls. The gates of Derry were closed tight against James and his Jacobite army. This may have kept the army from entering Derry but it effectively made the Protestants and the refugees from the surrounding countryside prisoners within the walls. The siege of Derry had begun.
The Jacobites were an effective terrifying army. Could the people of Derry stand a chance against such a force? As well as the troops behind the walls civilians young and old now called Derry home. The siege lasted 105 days despite the fact that the conditions in the walled town had become unbearable and the people had been reduced to living on rat meat and drinking their own urine.
Meanwhile reinforcements and supplies were being brought in by Williamite ships. A ship called The Mountjoy along with her Captain, a man named Captain Browning managed to smash the Jacobite boom that stretched across the River Foyle and get food to the starving people of Derry. More Williamite armies were landing at Larne in Co.Antrim.
Although the Jacobites had failed in their attempt to take Derry they still controlled much of Ireland.
In June 1690, William of Orange arrived at Carrickfergus Co.Antrim and started to make his way south. A month later the most famous battle in Irish history took place between James II and William of Orange. That battle was the Battle of the Boyne. William defeated James II who fled to France where he died in 1700.
William of Orange, his work in Ireland completed headed back to England leaving Ireland in the capable hands of his general, Ginkel. The Williamites progressed steadily through Ireland meeting little resistance until they reached Limerick. The resistance was led by a Frenchman named Boisileau.
In 1691 a battle took place which saw the Jacobites retreating and the Gaelic army slaughtered, this was the end of Old English influence in Ireland.
The Jacobite army retreated to Limerick where another siege took place this followed a quick surrender and a signing of a treaty ‘the treaty of Limerick’. This allowed Jacobite officers to leave for the continent this became known as ‘the flight of the wild geese’
The English had conqured.
