Page 219 - Demo

Chapter Seven 219
While the proceedings which resulted in the establishing of the Confederation of Kilk- enny were in progress, two experienced and distinguished veteran oicers of the Spanish army arrived in Ireland from the Continent-Colonel Eoghan Ruadh O’Neill and Colonel Thomas Preston. The more important and more distinguished of these two leaders was Eoghan Ruadh O’Neill, whom we alluded to earlier. Known in Spain as ‘Don Eugenio’ and described as being “a cautious, capable, experienced commander,” O’Neill was ifty years of age at the time of his arrival at Doe Castle, county Donegal, in July 1642. The other, Thomas Preston, belonged to a well-known Anglo-Irish family of the Pale, he was the younger son of the fourth Viscount of Gormanstown.
Initially, and as many thought, in a temporary measure, O’Neill was given command of the Confederate army of the north, the forces hitherto led by his relative, the incompetent Sir Felim-the command of the Leinster Confederates was given to the Anglo-Irish backed Preston. Another Irish oicer in the army of Spain, Colonel Gerald Barry, was appointed to command the forces of Munster, while John Burke commanded in Connacht. About two hundred other Irish oicers from Continental armies also arrived in Ireland about the same time, and set about organizing the Confederate forces into a disciplined army. One contemporary commentator informs us that ‘O’Neill and Preston spent the winter of 1642 in ‘disciplining their levies of Irish kerns,’ he left the following description:
“The soldiers of Ulster, and, in some parts, those of Connaught, naturally accus- tomed to sufering, and habituated to the frosts of that northern climate, have few wishes and few wants. Caring but little for bread, they live upon shamrock and but- ter. Their drink is milk, and, as a great luxury, usquebagh [uisce beatha-‘whiskey’]. Provided they have shoes and a few utensils, a woollen cloak serves for their covering — more zealously careful of their sword and musket than of their personal comfort. They seldom touch money, and therefore complain but little about it.”
From the outset the Confederate Council failed to display the leadership and unity of purpose that the situation demanded, and as time went on diferences became more acute. The Anglo-Irish, who were in the majority, were anxious to come to terms with the King at the earliest opportunity, a proposal to which the Old Irish were opposed. Furthermore, the Council was too big, unwieldly and laborious, and consequently too slow in resolving military matters with any speed, added to which, petty jealousies often inluenced their decisions. For example, instead of placing all their forces at the disposal of their only truly