School: Christian Brothers, Athlone
- Location:
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Brother Meskill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0749, Page 253
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- (continued from previous page)After the capture of Athlone the Jacobites fell back to Aughrim, where St. Ruth determined to hazard all in a single engagement. Ginkle began his attack on St. Ruth's position on July 13th, but so successfully did the Irish repulse the assaults of the enemy that thier Commander at length decided to assume the offensive. At this critical juncture St. Ruth was struck by a cannon ball, and the Jacobites were utterly demoralized; the battle of Aughrim was lost and won. Galway soon yielded to Ginkle; Limerick since held out.
Towards the end of August, 1691, the visitor of Aughrim appeared before Limerick. The City was so hotly bombarded that its defenders soon realized that submission was inevitable. After holding out for a period of about four weeks, the besieged agreed to negotiate for terms of capitulation. Ginkle, who was anxious to finish the war before winter, was only too willing to negotiate. Terms of capitulation were agreed to, and on October 3rd the Treaty of Limerick was signed.
One result of the Treaty of Limerick was, about 12,000 of the Irish Troops left Ireland and took service in France.
The Greeks have preserved a grateful memory of their Three Hundred heroes who defended the Pass of Thermopylae against the invaders of their land. McCauley was inspired to perpetuate in verse how Horatius "Kept the bridge in the brave days of old": but no poem or stately monument preserves the memory of the gallant Colonel Fitzgerald and his little band. So in the absence of such a monument let us note in the concluding lines of O'Callaghan's suggested inscription:
Reader,
If thou art a stranger
Admire and venerate the memory
Of this little band
And their gallant leader.
If thou art an Irishman
Not only admire and venerate those who shed
their blood for Ireland,
But be prepared if necessary
to Go and Do likewise.
