Latest / The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History / The Siege of Limerick 1691 and the Treaty That Ended a War
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to the show. So last time we talked about the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 — but that wasn't the end of the war in Ireland. Not even close. The Jacobites retreated west, and the decisive moment came the following summer, at Limerick. Luna: Right — the Boyne was a big defeat, but it didn't break them. Lucas: Exactly. James II fled to France after the Boyne, but the Irish Jacobites under Patrick Sarsfield regrouped behind the walls of Limerick. The city was a natural fortress — wrapped around a bend in the River Shannon, with marshes and water on three sides. The Williamites knew they had to take it to end the war. Lucas: So in August 1690, William himself led the first siege of Limerick. But Sarsfield pulled off one of the most famous raids in Irish military history: he rode out with about 500 men, intercepted the Williamite siege train carrying heavy cannon and ammunition at Ballyneety, and blew the whole thing up. Without artillery, William's assault failed, and he lifted the siege. Luna: That's the famous 'Sarsfield's Ride,' isn't it? About forty miles in a single night. Lucas: That's the one. It bought Limerick another year. But the Williamites came back in 1691 with a new commander, Godert de Ginkel — a Dutch general who knew siegecraft. He brought a fresh army, including Danish and Huguenot regiments, and a proper siege train. The second siege of Limerick began in August 1691. Lucas: This time, Ginkel was methodical. He bombarded the city from across the Shannon, and also from a position on the Clare side. He built a bridge of boats to cross the river and cut off the city's supply lines. Inside, conditions deteriorated — food ran short, disease spread. The French general in the city, the Marquis de Boisseleau, organized the defenses, but morale was fragile. Luna: Was there any hope of relief from France? Lucas: Some French ships did arrive with supplies and a few hundred troops, but not enough. The French commander Lauzun had already left, and the Jacobite leadership was divided — some wanted to fight to the death, others saw surrender as inevitable. By late September, Ginkel had breached the walls near Thomond Bridge on the Clare side, and the city was on the verge of falling. Luna: So the treaty was negotiated while the siege was still ongoing? Lucas: Yes. On the 23rd of September, Ginkel called for a parley. Sarsfield and the Jacobite leaders agreed to discuss terms. The result was the Treaty of Limerick, signed on October 3, 1691. It had two parts: a military treaty that allowed the Jacobite army to march out with full honors and either disband or go to France; and a civil treaty that promised Catholics freedom of religion and protection of property — at least on paper. Lucas: The military part was honored. About 14,000 Jacobite soldiers — known as the Wild Geese — left Ireland for France, where they formed Irish brigades in the French army. Sarsfield himself went into exile, and he was killed two years later at the Battle of Landen, fighting for France. But the civil articles were immediately broken by the Protestant Irish Parliament, which refused to ratify them. That led to the Penal Laws — decades of legal discrimination against Catholics. Luna: So the treaty really was a broken promise. Lucas: Absolutely. The Treaty Stone in Limerick today is a memorial to that agreement — but also to its betrayal. The siege and the treaty marked the end of the Williamite War in Ireland, the final defeat of the Jacobite cause in the country, and the beginning of a Protestant Ascendancy that lasted well into the 18th century. For Irish Catholics, it was a bitter end to a war that had promised so much. Luna: It's interesting — you mentioned the Wild Geese. That's such a romanticized part of Irish history, but it's really about a defeated army choosing exile over submission. Lucas: Precisely. And it's worth noting that not all the Jacobites went to France. Some took Ginkel's offer of land and stayed — but they were often mistrusted. The ones who left became a legend, serving in the French, Spanish, and Austrian armies. Their story is tangled up with Irish identity for centuries after. Lucas: By the way, you know what's interesting about how we talk about this? We're able to dive deep into these stories because we don't have to cut to an ad break every few minutes. We keep the show ad-free intentionally — it lets us focus on the history. If you value that, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just if the work matters to you. Luna: Yeah, it's nice to just let the conversation flow without interruptions. Lucas: So back to Limerick — one of the most tangible symbols of the treaty is the Treaty Stone itself, a limestone block on which the treaty was supposedly signed. It's still there, on the Clare side of Thomond Bridge, a monument to the peace that never quite held. Luna: That stone is still on display, right? Tourists can see it? Lucas: Yes, it's a popular site. But its meaning depends on who you ask. To some, it's a reminder of a broken promise. To others, a symbol of Irish resistance. And for many in Limerick today, it's just part of the city's fabric. But the treaty itself is a key reason why the city of Limerick has such a strong identity — a place that held out longest, and then had to make a painful choice. Lucas: After the siege, the Williamites dismantled the city's defenses to prevent any future rebellion. That's why today you don't see medieval walls in Limerick the way you do in, say, Derry. But the memory of the siege is everywhere — street names, statues, the annual commemorations by the Limerick Historical Society. Luna: I didn't realize the siege had that kind of lasting impact on the city itself. Lucas: Oh, absolutely. The siege also cemented the role of the Shannon as a defensive line. For centuries, control of Limerick meant control of the west. And the treaty's failure to protect Catholic rights set the stage for the next round of conflicts — from the rapparees, the outlaw Irish fighters who continued a guerrilla war into the 1700s, all the way to the United Irishmen in 1798. Lucas: There's one more thing worth mentioning — the role of the French in the siege. The French commander Lauzun had actually declared Limerick indefensible and left, but Sarsfield and the Irish officers insisted on staying. That decision — to trust their own judgment over the French — became a point of pride. It's part of why Sarsfield is remembered as a national hero, even in defeat. Luna: So the Irish Jacobites felt abandoned by France more than once? Lucas: Exactly. And that's a recurring theme — foreign allies who make promises they don't keep. But Sarsfield's loyalty was to Ireland, not to James II personally. He famously said, 'I would rather be a colonel in an Irish army than a king in a country of slaves.' That sentiment echoes down the centuries. Lucas: So the Treaty of Limerick is a hinge point. It ends one era — the Jacobite wars — and begins another: the Protestant Ascendancy, the Penal Laws, and the long road to Catholic Emancipation. It's a story of bravery, betrayal, and the complicated legacy of a peace treaty that was never fully kept. Luna: Thanks for walking us through that. I feel like I understand the siege much better now. Lucas: Glad to hear it. And if you want to see the Treaty Stone for yourself, it's right there on Clancy Strand, just across the river from the city center. A little piece of 1691 still standing.