Latest / The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History / The 1385 Battle of Tochar Cruacha: O'Connor vs Burke
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the big set pieces — Clontarf, Kinsale, the Boyne — but today I want to go back to the 14th century, to a battle that doesn't get much attention but tells us a huge amount about Gaelic Ireland before the Tudors really started pressing in. Luna: The 14th century — that's the Bruce invasion period, right? Edward Bruce? Lucas: Close — Edward Bruce was 1315-1318, but this is a few decades later, 1385. The Battle of Tochar Cruacha, sometimes called the Battle of the Curlew Mountains. It's a clash between two of the most powerful families in Connacht: the O'Connors and the Burkes. And it's a perfect example of how the so-called 'Gaelic resurgence' worked — and didn't work. Luna: The Burkes — they're Anglo-Norman, right? Lucas: Exactly. The Burkes, or de Burghs, were one of the great Norman families who came over in the 12th century. By the late 1300s, they'd gone native in a big way — 'more Irish than the Irish themselves', as the saying goes. But that didn't stop them from fighting the Gaelic O'Connors for control of Connacht. The O'Connors, of course, were the old kings of Connacht, descended from the high king Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair and his son Ruaidri, who was the last high king before the Normans. Luna: So this was a turf war, basically. Lucas: In the simplest terms, yes. But it's more layered. The immediate trigger was a succession dispute within the O'Connor clan. Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair — I'll call him Ruaidri — was the aging king of Connacht, but his authority was being challenged by his own kinsmen. The Burkes saw an opening. Sir William de Burgh, the head of the Burke family, allied with Ruaidri's rivals and marched into O'Connor territory. Luna: Where exactly did they fight? Lucas: Tochar Cruacha is a pass in the Curlew Mountains, near the modern border of County Roscommon and County Sligo. It's close to the River Suck, which was a traditional boundary. The name 'Tochar' means a causeway or raised path — so it was a strategic route through boggy terrain. Ruaidri chose his ground carefully. He knew the Burkes would have to come through that pass. Luna: And he had gallowglass, didn't he? Lucas: He did. The Annals of the Connacht mention that Ruaidri employed a large force of gallowglass — heavily armed Scottish mercenaries who fought with long axes and mail armor. That's a key detail, because gallowglass were expensive and not always available. It tells you how serious the fight was. The Burkes also had gallowglass, plus their own Norman-style knights. Luna: So it was a clash of two military traditions — Gaelic and Anglo-Norman, but with both sides using similar tactics. Lucas: Exactly. And the outcome hinged on terrain. The Annals say Ruaidri's forces ambushed the Burkes in the pass. The narrow ground neutralized the Burke cavalry. The gallowglass on both sides did most of the fighting — brutal, close-quarters combat with axes. Sir William de Burgh was killed, along with many of his men. It was a decisive victory for Ruaidri. Luna: What happened after? Did it settle things? Lucas: For a while. Ruaidri held onto his kingship for a few more years. But the Burkes didn't disappear — they regrouped under Sir William's son, and the feud continued. The real significance, I think, is what it shows about Irish warfare in the late Middle Ages. This wasn't a Gaelic vs Norman ethnic conflict; it was a power struggle where both sides were deeply intertwined. The Burkes had Irish allies, the O'Connors had Norman allies. And the gallowglass — these Scottish mercenaries — were the decisive factor, just as they were in many Irish battles of that era. Luna: Were there long-term consequences for Connacht? Lucas: Yes, but not a clean one. The O'Connors remained a force in Connacht for another century, but internal divisions weakened them. By the time the Tudors came in the 1500s, Connacht was a patchwork of warring lordships — O'Connors, Burkes, O'Kellys, O'Rourkes — none strong enough to unite against Dublin. That fragmentation made the Tudor conquest of Connacht relatively quick, compared to Ulster. Luna: It reminds me of the O'Neill situation in Ulster — before Hugh O'Neill, the O'Neills were always feuding among themselves too. Lucas: Exactly the same pattern. The Gaelic lords' inability to unite — or the unwillingness of any one clan to accept another's supremacy — is one of the main reasons the English eventually won. And battles like Tochar Cruacha, as impressive as they were in the moment, didn't change that underlying dynamic. Luna: It's a bit sobering, isn't it? All that bloodshed for a short-term victory. Lucas: That's a really good way to put it. And honestly, if today's episode gave you something to think about — if it was worth a coffee to you — there's a link at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, but listener support is what keeps this show ad-free and lets us dig into these lesser-known stories. Luna: Yeah, it's a small way to say 'more of this, please'. Lucas: Exactly. So, back to Connacht — the O'Connors did hold on for a while, but by 1500, the Burkes had the upper hand again, and the great O'Connor kingdom was effectively broken. The next time we see the O'Connors as major players is during the Nine Years' War, when they ally with Hugh O'Neill — but that's a story for another episode. Luna: I look forward to it. And maybe next time we can talk about the O'Kellys or the O'Rourkes — there's so much we haven't covered. Lucas: Absolutely. The late medieval period in Ireland is full of fascinating local conflicts that shaped the country. Tochar Cruacha is just one window into that world. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.