Massacre at Smerwick, Co Kerry

Madam, - With reference to the letters of Rev Joseph O'Leary (September 23rd) and Leo Enright (September 27th), may I point out…

Madam, - With reference to the letters of Rev Joseph O'Leary (September 23rd) and Leo Enright (September 27th), may I point out that both writers have made a historical mistake which should not be allowed to pass without challenge?

Rev O'Leary makes an oft-repeated error in claiming Sir Walter Raleigh carried out the massacre at Smerwick. He did not. It was known that Raleigh opposed Lord Grey's iron-fisted tactics in dealing with the Irish and there was bad blood between the two. Grey refused to have Raleigh present in his army. Raleigh, as recorded by the State Papers (1574-85) was left behind in the army's main camp in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, while Lord Ormond (Black Tom Butler) and Sir William Stanley left to join Lord Grey at Smerwick.

Leo Enright recounts further inaccuracies of this massacre. The battle lasted only a few hours - not three days. The Italians and Spanish were massacred in Fort Dún an Óir by men led by Edward Denny (Ward of the Day) together with sailors from the English naval ships lying off-shore under Admiral William Winter. During the 16th-century world, the usual end to the taking of a town or castle was a complete massacre of the inhabitants. In this case, Smerwick was a remote, isolated place, already decimated by famine and fever.

There were no women massacred at Smerwick, as there were none present. Perhaps this was because of the distance and the grilling speed at which Grey drove his men from Dingle and possibly the presence of six naval ships, with tenders, moored in the vicinity.

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It is a great mistake, in historical writing, to claim "folklore" as a basic record, especially when data are available in original sources.

A detailed account of this massacre, together with a vindication of Sir Walter Raleigh, was given in a recent publication of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Journal - Series 2, Vol.4, 2004. - Yours, etc,

VALERIE BARY, Miltown, Co Kerry.