Clane

Rebellion Towns & Villages

Clane

Between 2 and 3 o’clock on the morning of the 24th of May around 300 rebels attacked the town, but were driven off by Captain Jephsons’s Armagh Militia and some of the local Clane yeoman cavalry. The yeoman commander, Richard Griffith of Millicent, arrived at 3.15 a.m. and took command. The combined military drove the rebels from the village. Some houses were burned by the soldiers and six prisoners were taken (4 were Griffith’s tenants) one of whom was summarily executed.

Some of the Armagh militia had been piked to death in their private billets and at least three of Griffiths corps had deserted, but for the moment the town was secure.

With many of the uniforms and helmets of the Cork Militia and Ancient Britons, a second rebel attack was effected around 5 a.m. with the help of some of the rebels from Prosperous. Griffith and his men made a stand on the commons and dispersed the rebels. The 16 yeoman cavalry then charged and routed them.

Aware of the rebel victory at Prosperous and the large number of rebels in the locality, Griffith decided his position was untenable and retreated in good order to Naas. He was joined by Dr. Esmond, his first lieutenant, but had learned from Phil Mite of his treachery at Prosperous and on entering Naas he had Esmond arrested. The five prisoners taken in the first attack were hanged in Naas. Esmond was tried by court-martial and hanged as a traitor with his yeoman coat turned out, on Carlisle Bridge on the 14th of June.