Battle of Kilrush
| date | June 1642 |
|---|---|
| place | Kilrush , County Kildare |
| output | English victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
Irish Confederate Militia |
English troops |
| Commander | |
| losses | |
|
Max. 500 |
low |
The Battle of Kilrush ( English Battle of Kilrush , Irish Cath Chill Rois ) was a minor skirmish during the Irish Confederation Wars in June 1642 near Kilrush , County Kildare , between an English army under James Butler and a force of Irish rebels under Richard Butler .
James Butler and his army were on a foray into rebel areas to destroy landowners' estates as punishment for joining the rebellion. His troops marched from Dublin to Maryborough (now Port Laoise ) to support the garrison there and then back to Dublin. On the way back, the English army was intercepted by Irish troops near the town of Athy near Kilrush.
The Irish troops were poorly equipped and untrained. Therefore, after a short battle, the majority of the Irish rebels fled to a nearby moor. While Irish sources report minor casualties, James Butler claimed to have killed around 500 Irish rebels - the actual number is unknown. After the battle, James Butler returned to Dublin with his army.