The Battle of Mainistir 1579

[Jimmy O'Connell]

The Battle of Mainistir 1579**

In revenge for Drury’s ignominious defeat,
Captain Maltby scoured and scavenged.
With iron hooped headband and thumbscrew,
he ravaged by Lough Gur. The Irish sympathisers
of Desmond lay dying by ditch and callows,
their Bishop, O’Healy, in roasted iron boots,
his tongue cleaved from his throat, gurgling
blood, baying a screamless death. Their fields scorched,
the peasant reeled yet again, Fitzmaurice
their hero slain at Barrington Bridge.

By Bruff and Croom, Maltby formed his line,
his back to the Maigue; John Desmond’s Gallowglass
waited in the woods at Kilmore. The English
camp lay shrouded in the black dawn’s river mist;
the clans perched in the trees, waited, their cries
rose into a crazed fever by the hour.
The Papal Standard was displayed. The Jesuit,
Allen, distributed Benediction
and Assurances of Victory: Rome would
rejoice in the defeat of the heretic English.
Through the indecipherable gutturals of Spain
the officers made known their dispositions
to the wild pagan Irish who shouted
a curdling hubbub in their Ancient Gaelic.

Screeching warpipes raised the grey dawn fog.
Maltby’s drum beat his English to quarter.
His pikemen bearing eighteen feet of wooden
lance, their steel tips rattling, formed squares with
musketry enfiladed. And still they waited,
their backs to the river. The fearsome
noise of Gallowglass in front, frenzied into
battle, strained its crescendo across
the dewed fields of Mainistir. The Spanish
officers tried to steady the ranks, but
bursting with blood madness the Gallowglass
charged naked into the English musket and pike,
chopping their way through a forest of shafts
while wave after wave of Gaelic axmen
plunged into the English ranks of musket
and steel, their discipline exhausted
by Irish savagery.


And the younger
sons of Desmond did fight, met Maltby face
to face, lay slain on the field of blood.
Thomas, the son of John Og, son of John,
son of Thomas, son of the Earl and Owen,
the son of Edmond Og, son of Edmond,
son of Turlough Mac Sheehy and a great
number of the Constables of the Clann
Sheehy, and a great many people
of the sons of the Earl, great spoils of weapons
and military attire left on this
occasion to Captain Maltby’s people.

The English, triumphant by the fields
of Mainistir, found there under the many
corpses piled, the slain body of Allen,
the Jesuit, sword in hand. He fell
a prophet of Baal. And Desmond through
the woods of the Maigue escaped,
as the English in autumn sheeting rains,
marched, ague-tired and stricken,
and for forage found only burnt earth
before them on the road to Askeaton…



*I mentioned this poem in an earlier thread.
The Battle of Mainistir fought in 1579 was only one battle of many during the Desmond Wars, during the reign of Elizabeth I which led to the Plantation of Munster. Later (1607) Ulster would be planted with Scots Adventurers which began the so-called "Northern Ireland Troubles"... that's for another poem!!
This poem is for Mickey_one (Askeaton... is actually in County Limerick!)and Other Englishmen and fellow Celts....
On a more serious note: The inspiration for the poem came from not only an interest in Irish history, but a reflection on the effect that colonial wars, wars of occupation, have both on the conqueror and the conquered. An obvious modern Empire is a case in point. I think what I am "trying to say" is that for every victory/triumph in war the triumphant loses out as well.

The lines in italics are taken from contemporary accounts of the battle.

[mickey_one]

Askeaton... is actually in County Limerick!

ah, I knew that already and so now you understand my earlier comment.

here's a poem to look forward to reading tomorrow, thanks v. much and I would like to appoint you First Mainistir for Reconciliation on this Board, subservient only to Captain Che.

michael

[jill]

Thanks Jimmy for your graphic and stirring poem. After reading it I looked up the background history around that battle and others. The point about occupation is well taken. It feels like the battle took place just a little while ago. The Irish seem to have long memories. That's what pride of identity is all about.
Jill

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Thank you Jill for your kind words... always nice.... !!!!!!! ahem!!!!

Yes, the Irish seem to have long memories, as you say... but as I said to an American friend of mine a few years ago (post 911) if Bush et Admin. had read Irish history, especially between 1800 and 1950, they'd a stayed out of Iraq... but... then again... it's what they wanted because Empires behave like that...
One of the things which prompted my writing this poem were the parallels between Ireland and Iraq/Middle East. The Wars of the Desmond Rebellion and later conflicts including the Battle of the Boyne... were more about a wider European/World conflict... the war of two civilisations... Spain and England... Catholic Europe v Protestant Europe... today it's between Muslim/East v Christian/ West... or, at least that's how certain parties want us all to view it.
Ireland in the 16th Century was what Iraq is today... only the battlefield...

Jimmy

[mickey_one]

Defeated by The Battle? not at all, I just have no crits. to offer (apart from 2 tiny crit. nits.too small to mention) so nice poem, not my subject but it crackled along with the urgency that I rememeber well from my own active service abroad.

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Thank you Michael for your kind words.
Hope your service abroad wasn't as painful...

Jimmy

[Christopher T. George]

Hi Jimmy

I did not know of this particular battle until I read your poem. It is told in epic narrative style and captivates the reader with its interesting period details. You use the term "gallowglass" a couple of times. I probably wouldn't know this word except that Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell), as you may know, used it as a title for one of her mystery/suspense novels -- she seems to have a penchant for digging up obsolete designations, as in this term for a subservient retainer. I'm another one who enjoys resurrecting older words and phrases!

In any case, I felt that your poem worked and movingly and interestingly describes the battle and its aftermath. Excellent work, Jimmy.

Jimmy, I also like what you said: "Yes, the Irish seem to have long memories, as you say... but as I said to an American friend of mine a few years ago (post 911) if Bush et Admin. had read Irish history, especially between 1800 and 1950, they'd a stayed out of Iraq... " Prior to the invasion of Iraq I could not quite believe they were going to do it because the complete mess that has ensued could all have been predicted. And yes of course Irish history holds a number of such lessons.

All the best

Chris