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The History and Heritage of County Kildare, Ireland

1798 Rebellion in County Kildare

Town/Village Index of the Rebellion of 1798

Timahoe, Kilcock, Maynooth

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 – 5,000 rebels, the camp included men who had fought at Prosperous and Clane, at Naas and Rathangan.

They attacked Kilcock on the 1st and 4th of June, burning the barracks and courthouse to the ground on the second occasion and routing the yeomanry under Sir Fenton Aylmer. General Champagne attacked and dispersed the camp at Timahoe on Friday the 8th June. Two days later, Aylmer at the head of 500 rebels took Maynooth. On the following Thursday, they attacked Maynooth again plundering some of the houses and taking a herd of cattle back to camp.

The next day, the 15th June, Aylmers 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.

On the 10th 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 William Aylmer and John Doorly.

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

 

Published by Kildare County Council , Written by Mario Corrigan .