Historic March of 1603 
This famous and epic march undertaken by O' Sullivan Bere to Leitrim through the
Counties of Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Offaly, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and
eventually Leitrim arose as a result of the Irish and the Spanish defeat in the
Battle of Kinsale at the hands of the Crown forces. The Battle of Kinsale began
on the 17th of October 1601 with the 3400 Spanish soldiers under the command of
Aquilla supported by O'Sullivan Bere, O'Driscoll and the O'Connors of Kerry.
Aquilla surrendered on the 12th January 1602 and handed over the four Spanish
defended castles along the South West Coast. Donal Cam, chieftain of the
O'Sullivan Bere Clan rushed back to Dunboy and began to fortify the castle
against an attack that started on June 6th and lasted 11 days with the Crown
forces storming the castle and bombarding it with cannon-fire.
 Glengarriff
O'Sullivan the Chieftain of Dunboy castle began his forced march from the woodland of
Glengarriff. After his defeat and retreat from his fortress he sheltered for a
time in the area known as Doire Na Fulla (The Oak Tree of the Blood). Legends
will say that many of the primitive stone shelters encountered in the
mountains, date from this settlement. There is no doubt however that the oak
woodland, more extensive at that time, would have been an ideal base from which
to regroup his forces. He left on December 31st to begin his retreat to Leitrim
and it is said that his wife and young child stayed behind and sought shelter
in a place known as Eagle's Nest.
O'Sullivan past Carriganass Castle, the last of the O'Sullivan castles. He travelled over
the hills onto Gougane Barra. From here he had the last view of the Beara
Peninsula and Bantry Bay, which is family ruled for over 400 years.
Ballingeary
When O'Sullivan Bere made his epic retreat in 1602, his first camp was An
Teampaillin, Augheris, 5km north toward St. Gobnait's shrine in Ballyvourney,
O'Sullivan had his misfortune to lose his horse, known as An Cearc, drowned in
a place known to this day as Poll an Circe (The Hole of the Hen). Only one of
the great many losses that winter.
Ballyvourney
 O'Sullivan Bere rested awhile in St. Gobnait's shrine,
a pilgrimage site which had been
granted a papal indulgence by Pope Clement the 8th in 1601. Here they prayed
for a safe journey northwards but in spite of their best endeavours they were
attacked in Ullanes by a garrison from the Mac Carthaigh castle from nearby
Carrig a Phuca and although the enemy were defeated. The clan lost a lot of
their baggage in the skirmish. Dunhallow From Muskerry, O'Sullivan Bere traveled
north east to ford the river Blackwater at Boinng Ford near
Millstreet and was afforded food and hospitality by O'Keefe at Boinng Castle. Some O'Keefes
attacked them nearby at Flintfield and the McCarthys of Drishane and Kilmeedy
tried but failed too ambush them. They traveled north to Clonfert (Newmarket)
via Maher and Derrinaturbid and were welcomed by Mc Auliffe. On hearing of a
threatened attack by Barrys of Buttevant they swung east to Freemount and to
Ardfinnan and the Glen of Aherlow rather than a direct approach to the River
Shannon.
Ballyhoura
O'Sullivan Bere made his crossing through Ballyhoura country leading west past Kanturk and
Newmarket. Here they fought their first major engagement by an English garrison
assisted by the Barrys when crossing a ford near Liscarroll. The Queen's army
was forced to retire through hunger and fatigue. The column had now to cross the
Golden Vale to get to the safety of the Slieve Felims. At Kilmallock, the White
Knight and his mercenaries attacked. They were then attacked at the rear by the
previous day's assailants but succeeded in avoiding a clash. Chief town of the
Golden Vale is Kilmallock, capital of the Earls of Desmond. Mercenaries of the
White Knight, the Gibbons, men from Limerick City and some Crown forces, in all
making up more a mob than an army, came upon O' Sullivan's host, making for the
mountains. This battle may have been in the region of Knockany, Hospital or
Emly. It was by far the fiercest battle that the refugees had suffered thus
far.
O'Sullivan Bere Walk Through the Slieve Felim Area
 After their heavy losses O'Sullivan and his men reached
Slieve Felim, where the
Twelve Peaks are seen. They camped at Solohead (sulchoik, the Sallow Wood) - a
famous place, made famous by Brian Boru, Dan Breen and Sean Treacy. Here they
recovered themselves and set off for Donohill (Dun Eochaille, fort of the Yew
Wood) there was a considerable store of food. Their hunger gave them the
courage to storm the place and gain access to the food-supplies. Onwards
towards Cappawhite. So numerous were their attackers that the fugitives feared
complete destruction. Ormond left them no choice but to defend themselves by
attacking. This they did with some success, but also with some losses. Out of
O'Sullivans one thousand followers only two thirds now lived. On the way they
marched the road which climbs the side of Knockafine, and on to the peak of
Slieve Kimalta (Sliabh Coimealta, Keeper Hill) which is nearly the highest
summit seen in all the march. That night they camped at Latteragh. Then onto
Knockshegowna, Lackeen and towards the river Shannon where it enters Lough
Derg.
Shannon Crossing
 When O'Sullivan reached the Shannon Crossing, there was no boat to be found.
O'Sullivan decided to kill his horses, which he ate and used the skins of the
horses to make currachs. Two currachs were made. One by the Beara men, which was
long and thin. The second by the Connaught men which was a little tubby craft.
The Connaught boat sank on its first crossing. O'Sullivan got most of his
followers across but was attached by MacEgan (Redwood Castle) on the Tipperary
side and lost some of his followers who were drowned in the river.
East Galway
O'Sullivan fought his way up to Aughrim, raiding villages along the way for food.
O'Sullivan was attached north of Aughrim and was outnumbered three to one but
his soldiers were well trained and fought a daring battle and won the day.
O'Sullivan Bere's March Through The Suck Valley
 The River Suck Valley-Galway/Roscommon Border........
At nightfall on January 11th 1603 O'Sullivan and his followers arrived on the
Southern slopes of Sliabh Mhuire (Mt. Mary) between Ballygar and Creggs, tired
and battle weary after their encounters at Aughrim they decided to set up camp
for the night. When they awoke the following morning the whole area was covered
in a thick blanket of snow. Many of his followers were to stay behind on the
mountain while others died of exposure and exhaustion. The following day as
O'Sullivan Bere and his followers moved Northwest to Glens castle they had
hoped to get help from the locals but found that the landlord McDavid Burke had
organised his people against him. They approached Glinsk Castle only to be
turned away but later returned with flags and drums captured at Aughrim, but
the Burkes were not to be fooled and O'Sullivan and his men were chased to
Sliabh O'Flynn near Ballinlough.
North Roscommon
 O'Sullivan passed Lough Gara, travelled over the Curlew
mountains and the Bricklieve
mountains and on around Lough Arrow down to Knockvicar. It is claimed that
O'Sullivan Bere found the people of the Northwest friendly and more neutral
than the people from other regions through which he had already passed.
O'Sullivan passed through the village of Knockvicar, passing by Lough Key - an
area which Arthur Young referred to as the Killarney of the West -"It is
one of the most delightful scenes ever beheld - a lake of circular form,
bordered very boldly by mountains...." At Knockvicar O'Sullivan's people
rested for the last time and from here the warriors made their way through
forested areas en-route to their final destination.
Leitrim
The last part of O'Sullivan's long voyage took him from Knockvicar to Leitrim where
he hoped to meet with O'Rourke in O'Rourke's Castle. However by this time only
thirty-five of the original one thousand men had survived the journey. A stone
has been erected on the ruined wall of the Castle with the O'Sullivan and
O'Rourke coat of arms the inscription reads - "Here on January 4th 1603,
arrived Donal O' Sullivan Bere and his followers after the epic march from
Beara Peninsula in fourteen days....".
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