An Irish victory at Rosses Point expelled Anglo-Norman forces from Lower Connacht and temporarily checked English expansion in northwest Ireland.
Key Facts
- Year
- 1257
- Location
- Ros Ceide (Rosses Point), near Sligo
- Irish commander
- Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill, Lord of Tír Chonaill
- Anglo-Irish commander
- Maurice FitzGerald, Lord Justice of Ireland
- Notable aftermath
- Sligo burned and plundered; Cael-uisce castle demolished
- Notable prisoner taken
- Mac Griffin, an Anglo-Norman knight
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Anglo-Norman expansion into Connacht, backed by the Lord Justice of Ireland Maurice FitzGerald, threatened the territory of Tír Chonaill. The construction of an English castle at Cael-uisce was part of a broader effort to consolidate control over the region, prompting Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill to mount a military defence of his lands.
The battle was fought at Creadran Cille in the territory of Cairbre Drom Cliabh, north of Sligo. Forces of Tír Chonaill under Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill clashed fiercely with the Anglo-Irish led by Maurice FitzGerald. The Irish prevailed after sustained fighting, though Ó Domhnaill himself was severely wounded in personal combat with FitzGerald, and Donough son of Cormac O'Donnell was killed.
The victory drove the English and the Geraldines out of Lower Connacht. Sligo was subsequently burned and plundered by Ó Domhnaill's forces, and the English castle at Cael-uisce was demolished. Maurice FitzGerald died shortly after the battle. Ó Domhnaill's wounds prevented further pursuit, but the outcome temporarily halted Anglo-Norman penetration into the northwest.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill.
Side B
1 belligerent
Maurice FitzGerald.