Benburb, battle of

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Benburb, battle of, 1646. After the Irish rebellion of 1641, the situation was extremely confused. The Irish catholic confederacy fought against royalists, parliamentarians, and with a Scottish army sent over under Monro to protect the Ulstermen. In 1643 a truce or ‘cessation’ enabled Ormond to begin sending troops back to England to fight on behalf of the king. After Charles surrendered to the Scots in May 1646 hostilities in Ireland continued. In June, Monro's troops were badly beaten at Benburb on the Blackwater by Owen Roe O'Neill and the confederates, a victory celebrated at Rome with a Te Deum. Parliament's response was to send first Michael Jones, then Oliver Cromwell, to restore English rule.

J. A. Cannon

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