Edward Fitzgerald, the Earl of Kildare, Goes to Connacht and Defeats Burke at Knockdoe

Section: Edward Fitzgerald, the Earl of Kildare, goes to Connacht and defeats Burke at Knockdoe

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Edward Fitzgerald, the Earl of Kildare, goes to Connacht and defeats Burke at Knockdoe

Edward Fitzgerald, the Earl of Kildare, Goes to Connacht and Defeats Burke at Knockdoe

After Ulick Burke of Clanricard seizes control of Galway City, Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare and Lord Deputy of Ireland, marches to Connacht and defeats Burke at the Battle of Knockdoe in 1504. The clash is considered the largest battle ever fought solely between Irish forces, involving around 10,000 men and resulting in an estimated 2,000 fatalities. Though FitzGerald is victorious, the battle highlights the enduring power struggles between rival Gaelic and Anglo-Irish lords in late medieval Ireland.