1646, Mar
Naval raid on Dingle
English parliamentarian naval raid on Dingle
Following the defeat of Charles I in the English Civil War, the English parliament realised that, in order to reconquer Ireland, it would have to create a bridgehead in Munster, where it had support from an armed Protestant interest led by Roger Boyle, Lord Broghill and Murrough O`Brien. Both they and Lord Inchiquin were campaigning against the Confederation of Kilkenny, which had become internally weakened by factionalism. An English parliamentary naval squadron was sent to patrol the southwest coast and to intercept Spanish, French or Flemish supplies to the Confederates. The naval squadron landed troops at Bunratty, effectively blockaded Limerick and the Shannon estuary, and then sacked Dingle.
