Timahoe – Kildare Local History . ie

Rebellion Towns & Villages

The United Irishmen under William Aylmer held a large area in the north of the county for almost two months. The rebels encamped themselves in a number of different locations during this period in an effort to avoid detection by Government forces.

Timahoe

The main rebel army in the north of the County marshalled itself under William Aylmer of Painstown in the bogs of Timahoe. Consisting of around 4 to 5,000 rebels, the camp included men who had fought at Prosperous, Clane, Naas and Rathangan.

They attacked Kilcock on the 1st and 4th of June burning the barracks, and on the second occasion, burning the courthouse to the ground and routing the yeomanry under Sir Fenton Aylmer.

General Champagne attacked and dispersed the camp at Timahoe on Friday the 8th of June. Two days later, Aylmer at the head of 500 rebels attacked Maynooth.

On the following Thursday they attacked Maynooth again plundering some of the houses taking a herd of cattle back to camp.

The next day, the 15th of June, Aylmer’s men took a flock of 800 sheep from Richard Griffith at Millicent. On the 19th of June, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Stewart ransacked and burned Prosperous, while Aylmer and his men had 200 of their number killed at the Battle of Ovidstown.

Aylmer and his men ambushed troops and yeomanry on the 4th, 5th and 6th of July near Clane.

On the 10th of July, the Wexford/Wicklow men camped at Timahoe. The two sides disagreed and the Wexford/Wicklow men moved northwards the next morning with a small party of Kildare men, possibly led by Aylmer and John Doorly of Rathangan.

On the 21st of July, Aylmer and his officers surrendered and the camp at Timahoe dispersed.

An artist’s impression of William Aylmer. Formally a Lieutenant of the Kildare Militia, Aylmer commanded the 4000 to 5000 strong rebel army employing guerilla war tactics.

Rebellion Towns & Villages