225th Commemoration weekend event: Keeldra lake march takes place on September 9

As part of the official commemoration of the 225th Anniversary of ‘The Battle of Ballinamuck’, anyone with an interest in walking and being part of a celebration of local history is invited to take part in the march, from Keeldra lake to our re-enactment site on Kiltycreevagh Hill, on September 9. 

The march, which is approximately 8km in length, takes place to signify and remember that fatal day when General Humbert marched his men from Cloone in 1798. They marched with such bravery to support the Irish in The Battle of Ballinamuck.

This re-enactment march will include horses, uniformed personnel, carts and all who to wish to take part. All who wish to participate must register for this free event through the link on our website as buses will transfer people over to Keeldra Lake from Ballinamuck on the day.

The march is also a chance to be dressed in period costume too and we are urging as many people as possible to log on to our website for information on the costume requirements so that the enactment looks as authentic as possible. The march will be recorded for a documentary like many of the events taking place over the commemoration weekend.

For more details, please visit BattleofBallinamuck.ie and check out the Walk Registration and Costume Information pages.

Parking will be available for walkers in Ballinamuck, before bus transfer from the village to Keeldra Lake amenity from 9am, please arrive early to ensure smooth running of this event.

Historical background information

It was the last major engagement of the 1798 rebellion. Twelve days earlier, with 1,100 French troops and 1,500 Irish, Humbert had beaten a much larger force under General Lake at Castlebar. With Lake in pursuit, joined by Lord Cornwallis' 20,000 troops from Dublin, he tried to join up with surviving rebel forces. After an overnight chase, Lake caught up with him just north of here. Caught with his forces strung out on the road, Humbert regrouped, but was soon outflanked and forced to surrender. The day ended in a massacre of the Irish rebels, effectively ending the rebellion.

Humbert had planned to join forces with 3,000 United Irishmen he believed to be near Granard. On the night of September 7th they stopped at Cloone for four hours' rest. Lord Cornwallis marched to Ballinalee, to cut them off, sending orders to General Lake to attack from the rear. Lake’s advance guard arrived in Cloone, to discover that the French had left only an hour before.

Humbert’s men were spread out along the road. While Humbert waited for them in Ballinamuck, his rearguard of 200 men, under Gen. Sarrazin, surrendered after a brief skirmish at Kiltycrevagh (Croppies Gap).

Humbert moved up Shanmullagh Hill with 400 men, while General Blake with a battalion of pikemen and a company of French grenadiers under Capt. Jobit took up position along the road. Jobit ordered his grenadiers to attack across the bog, but they sank into it and were forced to surrender.

General Lake now arrived in the valley with large forces and attacked the left flank of Shanmullagh Hill . This was repeatedly repelled by a detachment of pikemen.  Meanwhile, Lake sent a large detachment of cavalry and infantry around the hill, undercover to attack Humbert from the rear. Humbert was surprised by cannon fire followed by a cavalry charge and forced to surrender in minutes.

On the roadway, cannon fire was exchanged, and Lake’s cavalry were repulsed repeatedly by Blake’s pike men and Magee’s cannon. Blake led his men along the foot of Shanmullagh Hill for a flank attack on the road, but when he got there, Humbert had surrendered.  The rebels fought with the courage of desperation, as they realised that they were to be shown no mercy. 

Many fled into the bog , where the cavalry could not follow, but they were surrounded by muskets and slaughtered.
The Irish battalions on the top of the hill watched, as the French were treated with all the civilities of a formal surrender but were themselves then set upon and slaughtered without mercy.  500 are believed to have been buried in mass graves on the hill.

For further information, or if you wish to donate to the running costs of the commemoration weekend please follow Battle of Ballinamuck on social media or check out www.battleofballinamuck.ie.