Battlefields›Battle of Glenmalure
Tudor

Battle of Glenmalure

1580
Wicklow, Ireland
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Wicklow, Ireland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
English Crown forces (Lord Deputy Arthur Grey)
Forces
c.400–700 O'Byrne Irish; pitched battle.
VS
Victor
Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne (Wicklow Irish)
Forces
c.500–800 English forces
Outcome
English force ambushed and routed in Wicklow mountains
The Battle

History & Significance

Lord Deputy Arthur Grey led a punitive expedition into the Wicklow Mountains against Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne during the Second Desmond Rebellion. O'Byrne ambushed the English column in the glen and inflicted severe casualties. Edmund Spenser, who served in Ireland, may have witnessed the aftermath. O'Byrne remained undefeated until his assassination in 1597.

Casualties & Losses

Several hundred English soldiers killed

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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