Listening to Aidan Dooley on the RTE Arts and Culture show last night talking about his new one man show on O' Sullivan Beare reminded me of a book I read a number of years ago, and of a conversation we were having around the camp fires during the long wait for the "off" prior to a battle I won't mention again for a while! Anyway the talk got around to Aughrim in 1691 and the number of casualties there (don't ask!), but there was another Battle of Aughrim on the 10th of January 1603 which brings me to the above. Following the defeat at Kinsale in 1601 O' Sullivan held out until New Year's Eve 1602 when he set out on an epic journey north to join Hugh O' Neill. To do so he would have to traverse most of Ireland and of the 1000 who set out on the journey with him only 35 made it into O' Rourke's Castle at Leitrim Fort. And to the speech! Written down later by his nephew Phillip who was in Spain at the time, is it word for word, who knows! Anyway caught at Aughrim with forces on both sides he addressed his followers.
O' Sullivan Beare. From "Endurance" by Dermot Sommers.
Since our desperate fortunes have left us here without means or country, wives or children to fight for, the struggle with our enemies before us now is for our bare lives; we have nothing else that we can lose... In God's eternal name I ask you, men, will you not rather fall gloriously in battle, avenging your blood, than die like brute cattle in a cowardly fight? Our ancestors would never seek to avoid an honourable death. Let us follow in the footsteps of our sires: there is no other salvation. See around you the country is bare of woods or bog; there is no concealment; the people of these parts offer us no aid. Roads and passes are blocked, even if we had the strength to fly. Our only hope is in our own courage, and the strength of our own arms.... Remember that everywhere hitherto, enemies who attacked us were routed by the Divine Mercy. Victory is the gift of God... Fear not this worthless mob: they are not men of such fame as we, nor used to fight as we are...
Quoting from "Endurance" the Battle of Aughrim 1603 was a stunning victory for O' Sullivan.
The above was sourced from "Endurance" by Dermot Sommers./ The O' Brien Press Dublin.
Photo: Book Cover.
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