Battle of Rathmines

Battle of Rathmines
Part of Irish Confederate Wars
Battle of Rathmines, 2 August 1649
Date 2 August 1649 Location Rathmines, County Dublin Result Commonwealth of England victory
Belligerents
Commonwealth of England	Royalists Confederates
Commanders and leaders
Michael Jones Robert Venables	Earl of Ormonde Sir William Vaughan † Viscount Dillon Major-General Purcell
Strength
5,200	11,000
Casualties and losses
Low	1,000 to 4,000 killed, wounded or captured

The Battle of Rathmines was fought on 2 August 1649, near the modern Dublin suburb of Rathmines. Part of the Irish Confederate Wars, an associated conflict of 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, it has been described as the 'decisive battle of the Engagement in Ireland.'^[1]

In late July 1649, a combined Irish Confederate/Royalist army under the Earl of Ormond, tried to capture Dublin, held by forces loyal to the Commonwealth, commanded by Michael Jones. Despite their superior numbers, Ormond's troops were routed by Jones' veterans, many of whom were members of the New Model Army. Their victory secured Dublin, enabling another 12,000 troops under Oliver Cromwell to land unimpeded, and begin the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.