The most dramatic event of his term occurred on 4 October 1601 when Lynch took the sworn statements of Andrew Lynch fitz Henry, merchant, and Doctor Thomas Lynch fitz Nicholas. The two had just arrived from Spain, stating that a large fleet had sailed from Spain and had landed at Kinsale, County Cork. Their evidence suggested that the fleet's original destination was either Limerick or Galway, but had been forced to divert due to bad weather. The landing of six thousand men had taken place on 2 October; thus Lynch immediately sent a dispatch to Dublin to warn the authorities. This in turn led to Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy, marching to Kinsale with as many men as he could take, where he laid siege to the town. The result was the Siege of Kinsale, leading to the defeat of the Gaelic-Irish.