The Welshmen of Tyrawley

by Graham Barratt

  Emily was soon cast out from her community. Within the week, she was sent to live in a small community in Belleek townland, populated by many Barrett families and lower clans. It took a full day to reach Belleek. On the wet cold and windy trail, she had time to reflect on her life and what would become of her and the baby. She hoped that she would find peace with the Barretts, a peace that she so wanted from her own people but knew that it was not possible.

  Emily decided she would not go to the nuns. She stopped by at an inn and explained that she was of the Clan Bourke and was looking to settle in the townland and take up lodgings and work. In Belleek, there were few places a pregnant woman from the Clan Bourke could find alms and by now, the town knew of her plight. If she left Tyrawley, then the response from other tribes would be even more hostile than it was in Belleek. Time and time again, she was directed to the convent. Maybe for now, the convent would be her only option. Despite the stories she had heard, perhaps there would be some understanding people who might help her.

  She walked to the row of small stone alms houses containing a lesser order of non-ascetic nuns. This devout community of worshippers had been expecting her since Father Conall had spoken with Ceara and the elders some weeks earlier. Although her confession had not been referred to directly, common knowledge and rumour had allowed the priest to explain the full circumstances of her sin to them.

  The nuns of varying ages were living in a row of church alms-houses adjacent to the ruined church. Small doorways had been created within the houses to provide the means to travel from one house to the next internally. This helped them to live as a society in the ways of nuns. It also established a covert worship group in case the English Army or even worse if Priest Hunters should arrive.

  Emily was told that she would be allowed to stay with them for the remainder of her pregnancy and although there was a certain amount of sympathy, her life with the nuns would not be easy. Despite what they told her, she would be expected to study and become a nun. Her penitence would require the eventual taking of solemn vows of devotion. Notwithstanding their belief that good Christian practice determined forgiveness, her sins were too great and now only a lifetime of atonement could save her soul.

  Relationships with the nuns were mixed, some treated her very badly, shouted at her and she was even beaten to “bestow reparation of sins”. Some of the women were much more kind and sympathetic, but she was already starting to toughen up following the months of hardship. Emily had decided she would not bond with any of them and kept her emotions and opinions guarded. The betrayal by Sally was a great lesson in human nature.

  Her treatment was unnecessarily harsh and she was made to suffer cold and hunger, often being forced to eat the leftovers from the plates of others. It was all done to force her into accepting the will of the authority of the church as well as punishment and capitulation to the assumed will of God. She was pressured to follow a strict routine of prayer and work, while being made to swear devotion to the Catholic Church and to pray for forgiveness of sins. Her suffering and mistreatment would test her resolve. Perhaps, it may even help her gain atonement from God.

  The fate of her baby would be the next test of her devotion in the way of the church.

  Cirilo with Duald Lynott

  It was only a few days after the arrival of the Spanish cannons and culverins from Tyrawley and Erris that Cirilo, now named Donovan, had his knowledge on firing cannons put to the test. At the smoky camp of rebels and volunteers, their task was to transfer skills to the new master. Duald Lynott would need to learn everything Donovan knew and more. As much information as possible was to be shared between them. The knowledge and techniques that Donovan did not have would need to be learned and developed quickly if he was to remain a credible instructor. Almost all aspects of weaponry were covered in the discussions and demonstrations with Duald. It was evident that Donovan had learned a great deal during his time with the armada.

  Donovan was a brave and proud man but would need to be tactful and sensitive if he was to instruct the gunners and correct them when mistakes (hopefully not fatal) were made. Because he was a black foreigner, he was often ignored and defied if he showed too much assertiveness. He would therefore need tact and appear as though he only provided gentle hints to Duald if he had erred. He freely shared his vast amount of acquired knowledge with Duald and the new gunners.

  He had been placed in a very difficult situation. On one hand, he would be treated as a slave, without privilege, but on the other, he had the important role as a teacher of the appointed gunners and their lives were in his hands. The trainees included Duald, the man who was to become the master gunner. They were operating within a band of rebels and although reasonably disciplined, they were fuelled on Irish passion and grit. More significantly, as long as their purses and bellies were full, they were receptive to orders. Experience had shown that mutiny, revolt and desertion were only two meals away, so the basic needs of the rebels were a priority at all times and O’Rourke had learned this through experience, not least with his gallowglass warriors.

  The rebels were not as militarised as the English, or indeed the Spanish, and lacked essential skills and modern equipment, so the introduction of cannons into O’Rourke’s arsenal was a great asset and a boost to morale. In addition, there was an increasing realisation that he was the best chance the rebels had to mobilise an effective gun force against the English.

  Duald was 21 years old but had already enjoyed a very colourful existence. He had been a prisoner of the Barretts for some time until it was decided by his victims under Brehon law that he would be sent to make up the numbers of clan volunteers for the rebellion. Despite the crime of stealing food from fields when he was hungry, he had earned a great deal of respect from his colleagues. Duald had been promised his freedom in return for serving the rebellion and had been a ceithernach (a Kern foot soldier) for two years. As his crimes were not committed against the people of his own county and clan allies, he was afforded a certain amount of respect by the clan.

  Duald soon proved he had potential as a leader in the field and asserted his authority over them. He knew it was dangerous enough without having the additional burden of gunners who were careless. That aside, he had very little knowledge of firing cannons and so would need to learn quickly if he were to survive in one piece for any reasonable amount of time. It was inevitable that without expert knowledge and advice on firing these weapons, accidents would happen and the price paid would be their own lives and those of the people who might be near to any catastrophe.

  Following the arrival of the demi-culverins, both gunners were placed in charge of developing their firing skills first, before they were to train a new team of ten young kern soldiers, who would “skill up” as gunners.

  Donovan and Duald’s role was not so formal; there were no written procedures or instructions. It was a case of see, do, copy, hope and pray – in that order. Gunners would not usually expect to live long unless they were aware of the risks and dangers and didn’t make mistakes. There were no laid down gunning theories that may be adopted, only hard work and practice. Their life was to depend on getting hands-on experience, through patience and a great deal of luck.

  Donovan went over the steps and precautions needed when firing cannons. He reminded himself of the drills, loading and firing process. He discussed requirements for supplies, tools and kit for the training of the new teams. Tools, including scrapers, rams and shot gauges were needed to be acquired before they could continue to develop the new teams of gunners. Duald knew very little about firing cannon and was in awe of Donovan’s knowledge. He could only agree with the planning that Donovan suggested.

  After many sessions together, Donovan and Duald were required to select the people who would make up the teams of gunners. Selection was based on the individual’s temperament, eyesight and skills. The practice of firing was not an immediate priority, notwithstanding the fact that there was a constant insufficiency of gunpowder. T
he initial training would be theoretic without any shots being fired. Whilst people (particularly un-trained ones) were replaceable, the cannons were indispensable and a barrel burst could not be risked.

  One of the new gunners, “Scabby O’Reilly”, had made no attempt to work safely and took too many risks. It was rumoured that he had been accused of murder after a failed robbery and had been awaiting judgement from the Brehon, before escaping and fleeing to O’Rourke. His plan had been to fight with the rebellion and assuming he survived, would eventually start a new life in a different region. Scabby was of the mind that there was very little that could be done if a halberd or a sword had your name on it. Donovan encouraged Duald to return Scabby to the kern and have him replaced. Duald agreed that he could not trust Scabby and recognised the threat he would pose to the team. He was soon returned to the ranks of kern, while replacing him with a younger and more dependable character. Any man, who could not be relied upon totally, was a risk and had no part to play in a team of gunners. Donovan knew the best gunners were in demand and once skilled, they could attract good pay and conditions in any army. This also encouraged men to volunteer and although the quality was often in question, there were plenty of young men willing to take the chances on the life expectancy of a gunner. Scabby O’Reilly had been a bad experience.

  Initially, Donovan had no status and was regarded with suspicion by his students. Although he was now fluent in Irish, he had not yet earned the respect he deserved, or indeed needed in order to instruct and train the new gunners. Many men were so aggressive to newcomers or those who were different, that they would never accept Donovan as an equal under any circumstance. He would have no status and there was also some question as to whether he would be able to sustain the required respect as an instructor. Many rebels were individuals, concerned with their own motives, and as long as they were being paid and fed, they had no intentions of being told what to do by a slave. More importantly, bullying was common and any attempt by Donovan to resist or fight back would ultimately result in his death. Authority would need to rest on the shoulders of Duald, the newly trained Irish instructor, if he lived that long. The process of training up new gunners would be the greater challenge since they would not want Donovan to be seen to be instructing them.

  Duald needed a way of uniting the gunners and making them proud. Both he and Donovan had joined the rebels in a small party which had travelled from Crossmolina to Sligo. They had both come from Mayo along with many other young people. Now that Scabby had been dropped, they all included young men of the Barretts, Bourkes, Lynotts and lower clans such as the Welsh. Duald decided that in order to unite the gunners and improving their teamwork, loyalty and sense of belonging, he would give them a unique name. As all his gunners were to be handpicked from the clans of Tyrawley, Duald adopted the collective name as the “Welshmen of Tyrawley”. The gunners had been recruited on the basis of their clan and barony and were comprised of volunteers with various degrees of aptitude and character. They had to be hard working, of the right temperament and trustworthy, and united through clan ethics and a sense of collective purpose. Word of the Welshmen of Tyrawley within the rebel community spread quickly. Duald and Donovan hoped that it would be the same with their reputation as experts.

  Donovan had seen cannons being loaded and fired, but there were some aspects he was not so sure about. He needed to understand the internal pressure within the barrels and how they were affected by the size of cannonballs and the shot charge. It was Donovan’s role to explain how best to charge and fire the cannon and how to target it to greatest effect.

  His involvement with gunners on board the Rata would now have to be built on through experience, practice and proficiency. Many mishaps could take place. What could go wrong? And how was catastrophic failure to be avoided? Without discipline and respect for the trainers, it would probably mean that an accident or incident would need to happen before any emphasis was put on listening to his wisdoms. Ultimately though, his success or failure would depend on previous experience, understanding and intelligence. He was under no illusion that compared to the people he was to educate, he was an expert. He would therefore need to be shrewd, astute and convincing if he and his team were to survive.

  At first, only small amounts of gunpowder were available, most being imported from the west of Scotland as well as sporadic seizures or thefts from the English. Indeed, one of the aims of the frequent ambushes against the English was to relieve them of their burden of arms, powder, lead and shot, whilst using smaller amounts to obtain it. The limited supplies were built up into larger ones and at least, for now, there was enough to set up the teams and commence the practice of skills and techniques.

  The success of an ambush or raid was measured in the amount of munitions recovered as well as the change in direction of the English forces. O’Rourke knew that a high death count was not going to help their cause once the news was relayed to Queen Elizabeth. The rebel ambushes were therefore aimed at causing great uncertainty and making the occupation difficult and long-winded as well as obtaining powder and shot of good calibre and quality.

  If the shot calibre was too small, it wasted gunpowder, while affecting the accuracy and potency of the shot. If the calibre was too large or not a uniform shape, then it risked jamming in the barrel as it cooled, which could lead to a barrel burst. It needed to be understood that cold shot would expand when it heated up, and a warm barrel would contract as it cooled down.

  The weapons were mainly demi-cannon and culverin, having calibres ranging from around 18 to 36 pounds. Higher calibre cannons were to slow and unwieldy for the Irish roads and less compatible with rebel tactics of ambush and harassment. Many of the roads were beaten tracks, which became very muddy for much of the year. Less busy tracks were boggy and often horses could not cope with the terrain. The wheels of heavy cannons and carts would frequently get stuck. Full size cannons and demi-cannons were therefore destined for static emplacements at the tower houses. Here they would act as status symbols as well as icons of power in peacetime. They would also serve to deter a clan attack if needed. In reality, though clan skirmishes were far less now, that they had a common enemy. The demi-culverins were more mobile and would be used on the battlefield, as long as they could be transported quickly enough. If the advance of the rebels slowed because of having to wait for the demi-culverin, then their use on the battlefield would be limited and the gunner’s lives along with the accompanying kern would be further put at risk.

  Donovan was required to convert Duald into a competent gunner quickly, and a man who would be an effective leader and trainer. Since gunning was a skill acquired through time, effort and luck, this was a tall order. Furthermore, the gunpowder would need to be conserved. Several days of intense dry practice were followed by the firing of live demi-culverins. Duald was at last in a position to give the orders to the young men selected from the kern to become gunners. Battle conditions would be very different though. They had yet to experience harsh weather conditions, damp powder, heavy fighting and the hazards of hot barrels.

  Eventually the skills gained by Duald were to be imparted on the novices. It was important for the cohesion of the teams that Duald should be seen to be performing the instruction, with Donovan only providing the hints and guidance. In practice, at first anyway, Duald looked towards Donovan constantly for the nod of approval or an oddly raised eyebrow of qualm. Donovan’s presence was somehow calming for him and so with time and practice, his encouragement gave him the confidence he needed. With every day, the trust, loyalty and competence of all the gunners grew. Soon, they would be expected to put their new skills into practice in battle; however, they were aware of the hazards they faced and appreciated that their life expectancy was not high, perhaps lower than that of a kern, but hopefully, it would be significantly higher than their adversaries.

  Donovan appreciated his relative good fortune and accepted that he was once again in a privileged position for a slave. During quiet time
s, he would reflect on his Spanish master Dominic with whom he has such a strong bond. He wondered what he would say if he knew his slave was now helping the Irish to fight a new war against the heretic English. On the other hand, hundreds, maybe thousands of Spanish from the beleaguered armada had been killed on the beaches by the Irish. What would Dominic make of that? And had he become one of them?

  Unknown to Donovan, on the 29th December in 1588, a man named James Machary had testified to the Lord Deputy that Don Alonso and the crew of the Rata had successfully boarded the galleass Girona. The Girona had subsequently been reported to have been dashed against rocks, killing almost all on board. In addition, the Lord Deputy himself ordered the execution of all Spanish discovered on Irish shores. Cirilo had no idea that Dominic had perished with De Leiva on the Girona some weeks earlier. For now though, it was clear in his mind that if he was to survive, there would be only one case to prove. He would remain loyal to the Catholic Irish and fight the good cause.

  The Gallowglass MacSweeney

  The rumours of Emily’s expulsion were varied and widespread throughout Tyrawley. Amongst the community, there were many stories, including the true version, which for most people seemed too absurd to be true.

  Walters’ trust had been broken by the betrayal of Emily through her pregnancy and affair with Cirilo. He had disowned his only daughter and the clan had been disgraced. Although Ceara had seen things from a different angle, there was no question that she would have to support Walter’s decision. To have opposed him could have meant the end to their relationship. Emily and her baby would only escape this disgrace with their lives by agreeing to the false account of the rape of Emily by the black man. That aside, the Bourkes knew the truth and so she was banished from Crossmolina and would never again be welcomed. Walter declared that he rejected his daughter and she should live her life estranged from the Lochtar Bourkes in Mayo, the place that that she had once called home. Despite his compelling anger and dogged rebuff of Emily in the company of others, the proud leader and his wife had broken hearts and longed for their daughter. Walter still loved her and had been a devoted father for all her life, but to him and his clan, this was an unspeakable betrayal. To be pregnant outside of wedlock was a great sin but to be pregnant by a foreign black Spanish slave was too much to accept by any Irishman in any situation. The townlands were small, the communities close and there would be very little sympathy for Emily let alone a fugitive slave in Ireland.