The Siege of Smerwick, during the Desmond rebellions, took place at Dún an Óir in 1580 leading to one of the most infamous massacres in 16th century Ireland. James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald landed a small Papal invasion force in July 1579, initiating the second Desmond rebellion, but was killed only a month afterward. This unleashed a war that lasted three years.

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  • The Siege of Smerwick, during the Desmond rebellions, took place at Dún an Óir in 1580 leading to one of the most infamous massacres in 16th century Ireland. James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald landed a small Papal invasion force in July 1579, initiating the second Desmond rebellion, but was killed only a month afterward. This unleashed a war that lasted three years. On 10 September 1580 600 Italian and Spanish Papal troops commanded by Sebastiano di San Giuseppi landed in Smerwick, near the same point where Fitzgerald had landed the previous year. They had been paid for and sent by Pope Gregory XIII to aid the rebellion. Desmond, Baltinglass and John of Desmond made an effort to link up with the expeditionary force but English forces under Ormonde and Earl Grey blocked them and prompt naval action by Richard Bingham blockaded the Papal force’s ships in the bay at Smerwick. San Guisseppi had no choice but to retreat to the fort at Dun an Oir. In October 1580, Earl Grey with some 4000 troops arrived at Smerwick and laid siege to the garrison. The invading forces were geographically isolated on the tip of the narrow Dingle Peninsula, cut off by Mount Brandon, one of the highest mountains in Ireland, on one side, and the much larger English force on the other. In addition, the English had brought up heavy artillery by sea, which rapidly broke down the improvised defences of Dun an Oir. After a three-day siege, commander di San Giuseppe surrendered on 10 October 1580. Earl Grey ordered the massacre of the invading forces, sparing only the commanders. Italian and Spanish troops, and Irish men and women, were beheaded and their bodies thrown into the sea. According to folklore, the English spent two days decapitating their victims, lining them up one by one in a nearby field. Some of the corpses were used for target practice, and most were tossed into the ocean. Among the soldiers who took part in the massacre was Richard Bingham future commander of Connaught. The adventurer Walter Raleigh and poet Edmund Spenser are also alleged to have been present. Today the field is known locally as Gort a Ghearradh (the Field of the Cutting) while the field where the heads were buried is bears the name Gort na gCeann (the Field of the Heads).
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  • 10 October 1580
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  • 600 (at least)
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  • Siege of Smerwick
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  • The Siege of Smerwick, during the Desmond rebellions, took place at Dún an Óir in 1580 leading to one of the most infamous massacres in 16th century Ireland. James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald landed a small Papal invasion force in July 1579, initiating the second Desmond rebellion, but was killed only a month afterward. This unleashed a war that lasted three years.
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  • Siege of Smerwick
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