The Irish standard., 1899-06-24
Two Thousand of the British
Fell in the Fight.
BRILLIANT AND DECISIVE TRIUMPH
Similar To That of the Famous
Earl of Tyrone.

The measures taken by the English
Government for the extirpation of the
Catholic religion in Ireland, the rob-
bing of the natives of Ulster of their
estates, and the merciless tyranny exer-
cised by the brutal government hirelings
for many years previous, brought about
the famous "Rising of 1o41" which we
have described many times in these col
umns, says the Irish World. The lead
ing spirits of the patriotic uprising were
Roger, or Rory, O'Moore, of Leix, Sir
Phelim O'Neill, Lord Mcguire, Magen-
mis- of Iveagh, O'Reilly of Brefney, and
the MacMahons of Oriel They hoped
for help from abroad, for many of their
exiled kindred had by this time risen
to positions of great influence in France,
Spain, and the Netherlands, and they
sent to Owen Roe O'Neill, soldier
who had greatly distinguished himself
in the service OF Spain, nephew of the
great Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone,
inviting him home to lead the patriots.
lie replied urging an immediate rising
and holding out expectations of help
from France.
The rising" took place in October,
1o41, and at the end of week nearly
all Ulster was in the hands of the pa
triots, and the movement spread quickly
to all parts of Ireland. On June IS, 1912,
Owen Roe O'Neill sailed from Spain,
and in July landed in Donegal with men
and supplies, and Immediately took
command OF the native Irish army. Soon
afterwards another important leader
landed on the Wexford coast to join the
Catholic party, Colonel Preston, brother
of Lord Gormanstown, with 500 officers
and some stores. He had distinguished
himself in the wars on the Continent,
and now he took command of the An
glo-Irish Catholic party.
The two branches of the Catholics
the native Irish and the Anglo-Irisll-
had hitherto acted independently OF each
other, each struggling for the same
cause, but without any unity Of plan,
On Oct. 24 1912, union OF all the ele-
ments opposed to the English was ef
fected at meeting in Kilkenny con-
sisting of eleven bishops, fourteen lay
lords, and 226 commoners. This was
known as the Confederation of Kilken-
ny, which took upon itself for the time
the government of the country, or of
that part of it outside the influence of
the lords, justices and appointed gen.
erals over the army-O'Neill for Ulster,
Preston for Leinster, and two others for
Munster and Connaught.
The Irish under Owen Roe O'Neill
made gallant fight against the plum
derers and despoilers of their country.
With the aid of money supplied by the
Papal Nuncio Rinuccini O'Neill collect
ed an army Of 5000 foot and 500 horse,
which he kept stationed on the borders
of Cavan. Meantime the English gen.
eral, Monro, aware that Leinster was at
this time almost unprotected-for the
Irish general, Preston, with his army,
was in Connacht-made preparations to
march southwards to Kilkenny, to an
initiate the small Confederate force left
there, and suppress the Confederation
itself. When O'Neill received intelli-
gence of this, he broke up camp and
marched north in the beginning of June,
determined to intercept him, and, if pos
sible, to draw him into battle.
Monro had set out from Corrickfer-
gus with 5000 foot and BOO horse, and
hearing, on arriving near Armagh, OF
O'Neill's movement, he turned aside
from his course in order to crush the
Irish army, and he sent word to Cole
raine, to his brother, George Monro, to
meet him at Glasslough, in Monaghan,
with reinforcement OF cavalry, for he
had been warned to beware OF O'Neill's
consummate generalship, and he was
unwilling to meet him except with very
superior numbers. But O'Neill had
been too quick for him. He arrived at
Glasslough before the brothers had time
to join, and crossing the Blackwater
into Tyrone, he encamped at Benburb.
Next morning, June s. having first sent
two regiments north under Bernard
Mac Mahon and Patrick Mac Neny, to
intercept George Monro, he selected at
his leisure an excellent position for bat
tie on the Blac ckwater, between two
small hills, with wood in the rear.