The Beginning Of The End of Gaelic Ireland                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                       1603 AD - 1 

1603 AD January 1st: Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his 1,000 followers had left Ballingeary through Keimaneigh / Ceim an Fhia (The Deer's Pass) in Co. Cork in Southern Munster, which was the natural boundary between the Gaelic Milesian Heberian Eoghanacht Chasil O Sullivans and the Gaelic Ithian O Learys kingdoms and territories, and along the way they were to stop over at Gougane Barra and Eachross at Gorten Killa were they camped beside the little church whose ruins are still there to be seen near the River Bunsheelin (Little Cillin). Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his followers then went onto Ballyvourney in the Sullane Valley, which was still in Co. Cork, that was a special place of pilgrimage for the Irish Septs, as it was a healing centre, and above there is the Church of St. Gobnat / St. Gubenta / Tempaill Ghobnatch who had been a Princess of Connacht, who had founded a nunnery there at an Bulla (The Bowl) where it had curative powers, and it is also still to be seen there in the hole outside the wall. (St. Gobnat was interred there herself to the south - west of the church under a circular mound, which has a surface slab with three small rocks on top with hollows in them, where the water retained there has renowned healing powers for warts and sore eyes. In the parish church at Ballyvourney there is a Holy Well in a garden that is surrounded by trees and a small wooden 27" figure from the 13th Century AD of St. Gobnat that was previously used for healing also, which was originally in the care of the Heberian O Herlihy Chiefs who were the Erenaghs of the territory surrounding there and Ballyvourney is now also part of the other little village of Ballymakeery, with both being on the Killarney to Macroom road on the River Sullane.

    The English Dublin Castle (The Devil's 1/2 Acre) authorities in Ireland had sent out word, that the other Irish Septs along the way must do everything they could to stop Donnell Cam O Sullivan amd his followers from reaching their goal in Co. Leitrim in the north of the Connacht Province or they would ensure that they also would suffer the consequences.

January 2nd: Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his 1,000 followers who were now really the actual "survivors" from the previous English Military campaigns of massacre carried out on their territory in Co. Cork were now attacked by Thady Mac Carthy and his men while they were on their way to Millstreet, although Donnell Cam O Sullivan had previously given Thady Mac Cathy Spanish gold at Ardea to join in with him to take on the English Military, but despite his monetary incentive Thady Mac Carthy frightened for his own position in the scheme of things had once again gone over to the English side, so in retaliation Donnell Cam O Sullivan laid siege to his 14th Century AD castle at Carrigaphooca, (This particular Mac Carthy castle is still in existence today, also overlooking the River Sullane on the road to Macroom), and because of this cowardly change of heart Donnell Cam O Sullivan had then also taken back the gold  he had given him. Now well and truly upset Thady Mac Carthy and his men were now to keep up the attack on Donnell Cam O Sullivan's group fo another 4 hours always attacking them from the rear, until finally Donnell Cam O Sullivan turned his band of warriors around and went after them instead and after some of them were killed they ran off and Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his remaining followers where to then arrive at Millstreet after being on the road now for two days.

January 3rd: Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his followers were able to reach the Ford of Bellaghan on the River Allow, were they soon found also that they had to fight their way across, against the forces of the Anglo - Norman Lord John Barry who had 48 men with him from the Liscarroll Castle, and unfortunately another 4 of the O Sullivan party were to be killed during this conflict, after which they continued on through Awbeg to the Ballylhoura Hills, and decided to stay there over night at Ardpatrick in Co. Limerick in the mid - north - west of the Munster Province where there were deep caves at Castle Pook. (Later on in these particular caves in the 18th Century AD ancient prehistoric animal bones were to be discovered composed of Arctic Lemmings, Bison, Rhinoceros, the giant Irish Elk, Lions, and Musk Ox).

      Eoghan Mac Egan the Heremonian Dal Cuinn Colla Da Crioch Ui Maine Catholic Bishop of Ross in the Munster Province who had stayed behind in Co. Cork hoping for reinforcements from Spain was killed in a battle in Co. Kerry in the south - west of Munster when he was shot dead, while 100 members of the Irish population were still there defending themselves against the ongoing brutality of the English Military on the north side of the River Bandon, and Eoghan Mac Egan had decided that there was no other alternative to survive there, but to join in with the Irish Septs there who wereunder the leadrship of the sons of Sir Owen Mac Carthy. Previously their 400 supporters had been surrounded by the English Military there who were under the command of Captain Taafe, acting for Sir George Carew, and among them also was Edmond Fitz Gibbon / Fitz Gerald the Anglo - Norman collaborator, who was to be the last White Knight who had previously sold out his kinsman the Fitz Gerald Earl of Desmond. (The death of Eoghan Mac Egan was to be the final straw for the surviving members of the Irish Septs there in Co. Cork, due to his previous total personal commitment to their defence in the Munster Province.    

January 4th: Donnell Cam O Sullivan and the decreasing number of his followers were by now constantly under attack, and since setting out on their journey they had mainly travelled through mountain country, but they now faced the formidable task of crossing the great open area of the Limerick Plain to the north - west, (This is the richest pasture land in Ireland), to be able to reach the safety of the Slieve Felim Mountains, and after leaving Ardpatrick they had set out to reach Loch Gur, through the protection of the thickly wooded Glen of Aherlow, which was still in existence then, but is now long gone.

     Sir Charles Wilmot on this same day, also acting on behalf of Elizabeth 1st the Welsh Tudor English Queen, was still busy executing all of the Irish and Anglo - Irish he could find who had tried to defend the herd of cattle / creaght that were still left there in Co. Cork belonging to Donnell Cam O Sullivan, while at the same time the English Military were also continuing on with the devastating policy of "Slash and Burn" on the other Southern Munster settlements of Kerry, Desmond, Beare, Bantry and Carbery.

      Sir Charles Wilmot had also previously sent off 48 men from his English Militia under the Anglo - Norman Lord John Barry to try and personally capture Donnell Cam O Sullivan, but despite this also and  the continual harassment they were suffering along the way the surviving followers of Donnell Cam O Sullivan was able to reach Templederry to the north - east, and cross over the River Nenagh, and set up their camp at Latteragh on the sixth day out, near St. Odhan's church named for a Catholic priest who had died there in 584 A.D, after being sent there by St. Ciaran of Saigher, were he had', had 300 monks in attendance. Nearby there also was the 13th Century AD Anglo - Norman de Marisco castle, which is still in existence, overlooking the ruined church, which is also still there to be seen aong with St. Odhan's Holy Well where many remarkable cures have also been recorded over the Centuries. All through the night the English Military forces continued to rain fire down on the O Sullivan's campsite at Latteragh.

      Edmond Fitz Gibbon / Fitz Gerald, the last White Knight, who had previously submitted, and betrayed his cousin James Fitz Gerald the sixteenth Sugan Earl of Desmond, was now out campaigning with Captain Taafe, the English commander, near Bandon, along with his mercenaries from out of their stronghold at Hospital and they were attacking any of the Irish Septs who were in the surrounding district, including Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his followers from Co. Cork, who still had 25 miles to go just to try and reach the safety of the Slieve Felim Mountains, and the ensuing battle between them on this occasion was to last for 8 hours, and was to be the worst that they had encountered so far along the way. Pushing on further to the north, Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his followers came upon the village of Emly / Imblech in Co. Tipperary in the north - east of the Munster Province where the Cathedral there had previously been taken over after the confiscation of the Catholic Church Institutions by Henry V111. (It is now long gone as it was to be demolished in the late 19th Century AD when the Catholic parish priest there in Emly was to try and buy it back after the dis - establishment of the Ascendancy Episcopalian Church of England / Ireland in 1869 AD). 3 mile further on they were to arrive at Ballyneety, were Patrick Sarsfield the Irish Confederate commander, also in the future in 1690 AD, would dynamite William of Orange's siege train during another terrible time of unbelievable ethnic and sectarian persecution in Irish history). Donnell Cam O Sullivan's goal of reaching the safety of the Galtees while the Slieve Felim Mountains still lay ahead, as they first had to get past Donohill / Dun Eochaille (The Fort of the Yew Wood) 30' high, which was guarded by the Heremonian Cu Corb O Dwyers. This destination would lead them all onto any real chance of keeping out of sight in the shadows of the Slieve Felim Mountains and Donnell Cam O Sullivan decided that their only chance of achieving this was to take the O Dwyers head on to also try and obtain further supplies, and it seems that they were able to carry out this action with some degree of success. (The motte of the fort is still there today to be seen, but Dun Eochaille is long gone). Despite their success on this occasion, further along the way the O Dwyers with their Cu Corb kinsman the O Ryans, still tried to block their way into their territory of Annacarty, but they were once again successful as they were able to drive them off, and continue onto Hollyford on the River Mulsteen, where they arrived at Upperchurch, which was still in Co. Tipperary, where he spilt his men up to search for further provisions for the whole group. This was where O Malley, who was from the Gaelic Milesian Irian Sept in Co. Limerick, along with another 20 of his men were also killed, and although Thomas Burke who was of Anglo - Irish descent was captured he somehow managed to escape, and along the way they camped at Rath Ui Bheara in Co. Tipperary in the north - east of Munster were there is still a ring fort to be seen there.

January 6th: Donnell Cam O Sullivan and his the surviving members of his original 1,000 followers made their way down onto the Shannon Plain with gunfire ringing out at them from the castle nearby, with the Slieve Felim Mountains now behind them, and the Devil's Bit, Kilduff and Borrisnoe ahead until they came upon Toomyvarra where St. Donnan had originally founded his monastery in the 7th Century AD in which many members of the Heberian Dal gCais Ui Bloid Ui Turloogh O Meara's had been interred in the 15th Century AD, and where an Augustine Priory had been built. From there they crossed over Knockshegowna, a 700' high hill, that was traditionally well known as the home of the Irish fairies, but where there is now a large illuminated cross on it that shines out every Sunday for all to see. (According to Irish legend, Una the Fairy Queen who lived here was the guardian of the O Carroll Sept the Heberian Cianacht Kings of Ely.) Leaving the hill there they soon came down onto further flat country once again, surrounded by Loch Derg, but they still  had 5 mile to go to reach their greatest barrier, the River Shannon, and when they came to Lackeen they set up their camp once again in the territory of the Heberian Dal gCais Ui Bloid Ui Turlough O Kennedys who also had their Lackeen Castle there in Ormond, which is now only a ruin. At this particular time it was still the O Kennedy's main seat, after being originally driven out of Co. Clare in the early 14th Century AD by their Heberian Dal gCais Ui Caisin kinsmen the Mac Namaras who had been acting as the Lord Marshalls for the Heberian Dal gCais Ui Turlough Ui mBriain O Brians. The O Kennedy's were to rule the territory there in their new kingdom of Aur Mhumhain / Ormond / North - Eastern Munster along with their close kinsmen the O Mearas and the Heremonian Dal Cuinn Colla Da Crioch Ui Maine Mac Egans in 11 castles previously constructed from Lorrha to the River Shannon. The O Kennedys had previously remained an important independent Sept here in Ormond until they had been forced to acknowledge the overlordship of the Anglo - Norman Butlers in 1553 AD, who were the English appointed Earls of Ormonde. Donnell Cam O Sullivan's surviving group were able to bypass all of these castles and eventually once again set up camp beside the ancient Lorrha church in Co. Tipperary, which is another example of a totally ruined ancient Catholic Institution where St. Patrick himself had been a visitor, and in the 6th Century AD St. Ruadan had built his monastery here, who was so revered that after he died it also contained his head in a silver shrine, his holy bell, and the Stowe Missal. The Stowe Missal had been originally at the Abbey at Terryglass / Tir Dha Ghlas (The Land of Two Streams), which was also in Co. Tipperary, until Terryglass Abbey was to be destroyed by raiders from Co. Galway in 1164 AD. The Stowe Missal was then removed to the monastery at Lorrha four mile out of Lackeen where it was then hidden in the wall of the castle where it would be discovered later on in 1735 AD.

   Donnell Cam O Sullivan and what was now left of his remaining followers journeyed on from Lorrha towards the River Shannon where they came upon Ballymacegan, were the HeremonianDal Cuinn Colla Da Crioch Ui Maine Mac Egans from Lackeen, whose territory was actually at Kiltaroe (Redwood) where they had constructed their castle previously in 1580 AD, had also succumbed to the pressure and gone over to the English side to survive the onslaught in the previous year and later on this particular castle was to be used as a centre for historic learning, and it would be there that Michael O Clery, who was to be from the Heremonian Dal Cuinn "southern" Ui Fiachrach Aidhne Sept, who was to be one of the 4 Masters who were to compose "The Annals of Ulster", was to be educated.        

     Donnel Cam O Sullivan and his remaining followers had by now finally arrived at their major obstacle, the River Shannon, where all of the boats and the ferrymen were missing, as they too had been warned also not to assist the O Sullivans followers by Donough Mac Egan from the Redwood Castle who was now operating as the English appointed Sheriff for the region, and for their overall protection they now had to hide out in the Wood of Brosnia, which was actually in the loop of the River Brosnia and the River Shannon. Donnell Cam O Sullivan's "aged" uncle, Dermot O Sullivan suggested they kill the remaining horses to provide provisions for those who remained, and also make boats out of the horse hides to cross over the broad waters of the River Shannon and he then constructed a boat himself that was 26' long, while the Gaelic Milesian Irian O Malleys made up the other one, which was much smaller at the Polnageapall, and although many of the others in the remaining group were willing to consume the flesh of the horses to gain much needed sustenance, Donnell Cam O Sullivan, Dermot O Sullivan and Dermot O Hoolahan / Ua hUallachain would not partake.

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