The Campaign

At beginning of 1689 most of Ireland had remained loyal to James. The exception was Protestant Ulster and Sligo which had declared for William. The war began with the Jacobite forces trying to defeat Williamite forces in Ulster.

In early March a Jacobite force under Hamilton marched north from Dublin to subdue Ulster. The first shots of the war were fired in Dromore, Co Down, where a small Williamite force was defeated. The Jacobite forces swept all before them up to the walls of Derry or Londonderry. So commenced the famous siege.

On the 12th of March James landed in Kinsale Co Cork, with a large force, which included French regulars. There were now only three significant pockets of Williamite resistance in Ireland, Derry, Enniskillen and Sligo. While the garrison at Derry was closed in the city, the Enniskillen forces raided with considerable success into Leinster. They also retained control Sligo and Ballyshannon which gave them access to the sea from which they could be supplied and reinforced.

On May 1st Patrick Sarsfield took Sligo. He advanced to Ballyshannon but retreated without taking the town. In July Lord Mountcashel was defeated at Newtownbutler (Co Fermanagh) as he lead a Jacobite force to attack Enniskillen. On August 4th the siege of Derry was lifted. Shortly after a large Williamite force under the command of the Duke of Schomber landed in Ulster. This Williamite army quickly regained control of Ulster.

As winter set in the armies went into winter quarters.

The campaign of 1690 opened with the Battle of the Boyne.