The Seige of Limerick and Athlone

Illustration of the Siege of Limerick

View of the 1690 Siege of Limerick, taken from an 1886 illustration.

Courtesy of Limerick City Library.

Illustration of the Siege of Limerick
Courtesy of Limerick City Library.

Illustration of the Siege of Limerick

View of the 1690 Siege of Limerick, taken from an 1886 illustration.

Courtesy of Limerick City Library.

Enlarge image

The Seige of Limerick

The Irish supporters of King James were left to continue to fight on. They fell back towards Limerick and the Shannon to try and escape William’s army. At the Siege of Limerick, Patrick Sarsfield and his soldiers successfully defended the strong-walled city.

List of Casualties at the Battle of Aughrim

This list is taken from George Story's "An Impartial History of the Wars in Ireland". Story was a chaplain with the Williamite army and recorded events as they took place. It lists some of the officers, soldiers and horses killed and wounded at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

List of Casualties at the Battle of Aughrim

This list is taken from George Story's "An Impartial History of the Wars in Ireland". Story was a chaplain with the Williamite army and recorded events as they took place. It lists some of the officers, soldiers and horses killed and wounded at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

Enlarge image

The Siege of Athlone

In 1691, Louis XIV had sent to Ireland one of his most experienced generals, Marshal St Ruth. The general brought weapons and money with him to Ireland. In the spring of 1691, the Williamites attacked Athlone. The Irish soldiers tried to prevent William’s troops from crossing the Shannon and destroyed the great bridge leading to Athlone. The Williamites built a new bridge of timber, however this bridge was destroyed again by a few Irish soldiers.

The story of this bridge is told in the poem “The Ballad of Athlone”. Read the poem to see can you imagine what happened.

The Williamite army had to cross the Shannon at another place north of Athlone. The war ended with the Battle of Aughrim in 1691 when the Irish were defeated. Sarsfield retreated to Limerick and a second siege began. A treaty known as the Treaty of Limerick was signed on October 3rd 1691. Irish soldiers could join either the English or the French army. Soldiers who stayed in Ireland were allowed to keep their lands.

The Treaty Stone, Limerick

Image of the Treaty Stone in Limerick. It is believed that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on this piece of limestone, which was erected on a pedestal in 1865. It now occupies a prominent position at Thomond Bridge, Limerick, across the river from King John's Castle.

The Treaty Stone, Limerick

Image of the Treaty Stone in Limerick. It is believed that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on this piece of limestone, which was erected on a pedestal in 1865. It now occupies a prominent position at Thomond Bridge, Limerick, across the river from King John's Castle.

Enlarge image

Catholics who supported King James were allowed to keep their property if the promised their loyalty to William and Mary. Large numbers of Irish soldiers left Ireland after the Treaty of Limerick. The people who left were later called ‘The Wild Geese’. Soon after the end of the war new laws against Irish Catholics were introduced. These were called the Penal Laws.