Battle of Aughrim

The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite war in Ireland. It was fought between the Jacobites and the forces of William III on 12 July 1691, near the village of Aughrim in County Galway.

The Campaign

The Jacobite position in the summer of 1691 was a defensive one. In the previous year, they had retreated behind the River Shannon, which acted as an enormous moat around the province of Connacht, with strongholds at Sligo, Athlone and Limerick guarding its crossings. From this position, the Jacobites hoped to receive military aid from Louis XIV of France via the port towns and eventually be in a position to re-take the rest of Ireland.

Related Topics:
River Shannon - Connacht - Sligo - Athlone - Limerick - Louis XIV - France

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Ginkel, the Williamite general had breached this line of defence by crossing the Shannon at Athlone - taking the town after a bloody siege. St Ruth, the French Jacobite general moved too slowly to save Athlone, as he had to gather his troops from their quarters and raise new ones from rapparee bands and the levies of Irish landowners. Ginkel marched through Ballinasloe, on the main road towards Limerick and Galway, before he found his way blocked by St Ruth?s army at Aughrim on the 12th of July 1691. Both armies were about 20,000 men strong. St Ruth?s army was almost entirely Irish Catholic, whereas Ginkel were English, Scottish, Danish, Dutch and French Huguenot (members of William III?s League of Augsburg) and Ulster Protestants.

Related Topics:
Rapparee - Ballinasloe - Aughrim - Huguenot - William III - League of Augsburg - Ulster

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The Jacobite position at Aughrim was quite strong. St Ruth had drawn up his infantry along the crest of a ridge known as Kicommadan Hill. The hill was lined with small stone walls and hedgerows which marked the boundaries of farmer?s fields, but which could also be used as temporary earthworks for the Jacobite infantry to shelter behind. The left of the position was bounded by a bog, through which there was only one causeway, which was overlooked by Aughrim village and a ruined castle. On the other, open, flank, St Ruth placed his best infantry and most of his cavalry under Patrick Sarsfield.

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