Page 157 - Demo

Chapter Five 157 Kildare. All the north of the country was now in Edward Bruce’s hands, and on May 1st,
1316, at Dundalk, county Louth, he was crowned King Edward 1 of Ireland.
The crowning of Edward Bruce
Initially, Bruce’s victories encouraged the Irish in many parts of the country to rise in arms against the Normans, no more so than in Connacht where the rebellion was led by the young King Phelim O’ Connor. Despite some initial successes, Phelim failed to overthrow the Normans west of the Shannon and at a iercely contested battle fought at Athenry, county Galway, on August 10th, 1316, his Irish army was overcome and cut to pieces by a Norman force under the command of William de Burgh, brother of the Red Earl.
It is told that eight thousand Irish were slain that day, amongst whom was the young King Phelim along with most of the chiefs and princes of the west.
Edward remained inactive in Ulster until the close of 1316, when with his brother King Robert, who had lately joined him in Ireland, they both marched southwards at the head