Rathlin Island massacre: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|English massacre of Scottish and Irish, 1575}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} |
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{{Use British English|date=February 2014}} |
{{Use British English|date=February 2014}} |
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[[File:Bruce's Cave.jpg|thumb|Bruce's cave, one of Rathlin Island's caves, etching by Mrs. Catherine Gage (1851)]] |
[[File:Bruce's Cave.jpg|thumb|Bruce's cave, one of Rathlin Island's caves, etching by Mrs. Catherine Gage (1851)]] |
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{{Lead too short|date=May 2021}} |
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The '''Rathlin Island massacre''' took place on [[Rathlin Island]], off the coast of [[Ireland]] on 26 July 1575,<ref name=cambridge1>{{cite book |last1=Hadfield |first1=Andrew |last2=Maley |first2=Willy |editor-last=Bradshaw |editor-first=Brendan |title=Representing Ireland: Literature and the Origins of Conflict, 1534-1660 |year=1993 |publisher=Cambridge University Press. |isbn=9780521416344|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780521416344 |url-access=registration |edition=1. publ.}}</ref> when more than 600 [[Scottish people|Scots]] and [[Irish people|Irish]] were killed. |
The '''Rathlin Island massacre''' took place on [[Rathlin Island]], off the coast of [[Ireland]] on 26 July 1575,<ref name=cambridge1>{{cite book |last1=Hadfield |first1=Andrew |last2=Maley |first2=Willy |editor-last=Bradshaw |editor-first=Brendan |title=Representing Ireland: Literature and the Origins of Conflict, 1534-1660 |year=1993 |publisher=Cambridge University Press. |isbn=9780521416344|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780521416344 |url-access=registration |edition=1. publ.}}</ref> when more than 600 [[Scottish people|Scots]] and [[Irish people|Irish]] were killed. |
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==Sanctuary attacked== |
==Sanctuary attacked== |
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Rathlin Island was used as a sanctuary because of its natural defences and rocky shores; when the wind blew from the west, in earlier times it was almost impossible to land.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.booksulster.com/library/sketches/rathlin.php|title=Rathlin Island|website=www.booksulster.com|access-date=2018-01-20}}</ref> It was also respected as a hiding place, as it was the one-time abode of [[St. Columba]].<ref name=":0" /> Installing themselves in [[Rathlin Castle]], the [[MacDonnell of Antrim|MacDonnells of Antrim]] made Rathlin their base for |
Rathlin Island was used as a sanctuary because of its natural defences and rocky shores; when the wind blew from the west, in earlier times it was almost impossible to land.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.booksulster.com/library/sketches/rathlin.php|title=Rathlin Island|website=www.booksulster.com|access-date=2018-01-20}}</ref> It was also respected as a hiding place, as it was the one-time abode of [[St. Columba]].<ref name=":0" /> Installing themselves in [[Rathlin Castle]], the [[MacDonnell of Antrim|MacDonnells of Antrim]] had made Rathlin their base for expanding their control over the north-eastern coast of Ireland in direct conflict with the local Irish and English resulting in several campaigns to expel them from Ireland. Their military leader, [[Sorley Boy MacDonnell]] (''[[Scottish Gaelic]]'': Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill) and other Scots had thought it prudent to send their wives, children, elderly, and sick to Rathlin Island for safety.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Acting on the instructions of |
Acting on the instructions of [[Henry Sidney]] and the [[Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex|Earl of Essex]], [[Francis Drake]] and [[John Norris (soldier)|John Norreys]] took the castle by storm. Drake used two cannons to batter the castle and when the walls gave in, Norreys ordered a direct attack on 25 July, and the Garrison surrendered.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-0NnAAAAMAAJ|title=Sir John Norreys and the Elizabethan Military World|last=Nolan|first=John S.|date=1997-01-01|publisher=University of Exeter Press|isbn=9780859895484|language=en}}</ref> Norreys set the terms of surrender,<ref name=":1" /> whereupon the constable, his family, and one of the hostages were given safe passage and all other defending soldiers were killed, and on 26 July 1575, Norreys' forces hunted the old, sick, very young and women who were hiding in the caves.<ref name=":1" /> Despite the surrender, they killed all the 200 defenders and more than 400 civilian men, women and children. Drake was also charged with the task of preventing any Scottish reinforcement vessels reaching the Island.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kelsey |first1=Harry |title=Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate |date=1998 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=0300071825 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sirfrancisdrakeq00kels/page/71 71-74] |url=https://archive.org/details/sirfrancisdrakeq00kels/page/71 }}</ref> |
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The entire family of Sorley Boy MacDonnell perished in the massacre.<ref name=":1" /> Essex, who ordered the killings, boasted in a letter to [[Francis Walsingham]], the Queen's secretary and spymaster, that Sorley Boy MacDonnell watched the massacre from the mainland helplessly and was "like to run mad from sorrow".<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books |
The entire family of Sorley Boy MacDonnell perished in the massacre.<ref name=":1" /> Essex, who ordered the killings, boasted in a letter to [[Francis Walsingham]], the Queen's secretary and spymaster, that Sorley Boy MacDonnell watched the massacre from the mainland helplessly and was "like to run mad from sorrow".<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JmRnAAAAMAAJ|title=Sir Francis Drake|last=Sugden|first=John|date=1990|publisher=Barrie & Jenkins|isbn=9780712620383|language=en}}</ref> |
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==Aftermath== |
==Aftermath== |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[List of massacres in Ireland]] |
*[[List of massacres in Ireland]] |
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*[[Betrayal of Clannabuidhe]] |
*[[Betrayal of Clannabuidhe]] |
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*[[Massacre of Mullaghmast]] |
*[[Massacre of Mullaghmast]] |
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* [http://www.standingstones.com/fdrake.html Sir Francis Drake and Music] |
* [http://www.standingstones.com/fdrake.html Sir Francis Drake and Music] |
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{{coord missing|Ireland}} |
{{coord missing|Ireland}} |
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[[Category:Massacres in Ireland]] |
[[Category:Massacres in Ireland]] |
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[[Category:Massacres committed by England]] |
[[Category:Massacres committed by England]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Francis Drake]] |
[[Category:Francis Drake]] |
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[[Category:Massacres in 1575]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:44, 10 January 2025
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The Rathlin Island massacre took place on Rathlin Island, off the coast of Ireland on 26 July 1575,[1] when more than 600 Scots and Irish were killed.
Sanctuary attacked
[edit]Rathlin Island was used as a sanctuary because of its natural defences and rocky shores; when the wind blew from the west, in earlier times it was almost impossible to land.[2] It was also respected as a hiding place, as it was the one-time abode of St. Columba.[2] Installing themselves in Rathlin Castle, the MacDonnells of Antrim had made Rathlin their base for expanding their control over the north-eastern coast of Ireland in direct conflict with the local Irish and English resulting in several campaigns to expel them from Ireland. Their military leader, Sorley Boy MacDonnell (Scottish Gaelic: Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill) and other Scots had thought it prudent to send their wives, children, elderly, and sick to Rathlin Island for safety.[2]
Acting on the instructions of Henry Sidney and the Earl of Essex, Francis Drake and John Norreys took the castle by storm. Drake used two cannons to batter the castle and when the walls gave in, Norreys ordered a direct attack on 25 July, and the Garrison surrendered.[3] Norreys set the terms of surrender,[3] whereupon the constable, his family, and one of the hostages were given safe passage and all other defending soldiers were killed, and on 26 July 1575, Norreys' forces hunted the old, sick, very young and women who were hiding in the caves.[3] Despite the surrender, they killed all the 200 defenders and more than 400 civilian men, women and children. Drake was also charged with the task of preventing any Scottish reinforcement vessels reaching the Island.[4]
The entire family of Sorley Boy MacDonnell perished in the massacre.[3] Essex, who ordered the killings, boasted in a letter to Francis Walsingham, the Queen's secretary and spymaster, that Sorley Boy MacDonnell watched the massacre from the mainland helplessly and was "like to run mad from sorrow".[5]
Aftermath
[edit]Norreys stayed on the island and tried to rebuild the walls of the castle so that the English might use the structure as a fortress. As Drake was not paid to defend the island, he departed with his ships. Norreys realised that it was not possible to defend the island without intercepting Scottish galleys and he returned to Carrickfergus in September 1575.[5]
See also
[edit]- List of massacres in Ireland
- List of conflicts in Ireland
- Betrayal of Clannabuidhe
- Massacre of Mullaghmast
References
[edit]- ^ Hadfield, Andrew; Maley, Willy (1993). Bradshaw, Brendan (ed.). Representing Ireland: Literature and the Origins of Conflict, 1534-1660 (1. publ. ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521416344.
- ^ a b c "Rathlin Island". www.booksulster.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d Nolan, John S. (1 January 1997). Sir John Norreys and the Elizabethan Military World. University of Exeter Press. ISBN 9780859895484.
- ^ Kelsey, Harry (1998). Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate. Yale University Press. pp. 71-74. ISBN 0300071825.
- ^ a b Sugden, John (1990). Sir Francis Drake. Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN 9780712620383.
External links
[edit]