Siege in Ireland 1641-53
Blood and Stone
Pádraig Lenihan
“Siege, not pitched battle, was the predominant military tactic used by all sides during the Irish Confederate Wars, the conflict that devastated Ireland between 1641 and 1653. [...] Indeed, some of the key events and figures encountered in this outstanding new book from Pádraig Lenihan are seared in Ireland’s collective historical and cultural memory. [...] It is important to note that atrocities were committed by every side in this bitter conflict. Therefore, it is testament to Lenihan’s professionalism as a historian that he does not shrink from discussing this uncomfortable truth. A retired university history lecturer, former Irish army artillery captain and highly respected scholar with an intimate knowledge of early modern Irish society, culture, warfare and fortifications, Lenihan is well placed to tell this story. He aims to put the reader at the centre of the siege experiences by using first-hand accounts of the people involved. A gripping and, at times, unnerving read, Lenihan’s forensic approach to historical detail, military logistics and everyday practicalities shows that, if anything, the reality of Irish siege warfare was even more brutal than we could possibly have ever imagined.” Chris Doyle, the Irish Times, February 2026
“Despite their dominance during the British Civil Wars, it is only relatively recently that historians have started to pay proper attention to the sieges and fortifications. In Ireland, sieges equally dominated fighting … yet there hasn’t been a dedicated study of Irish sieges until now and the publication of Pádraig Lenihan’s Siege in Ireland 1641-53 ... The author does not provide a chronological history of Irish sieges, instead he takes the reader through the tactics and methods used during their conduct … The author sets out the moral context of the sack and slaughter that followed a successful storm, including a thoughtful study of the storm of Drogheda ... He uses comparisons with England – storms ‘were restrained affairs’ – and Scotland – ‘where the storm was more brutal’. In Ireland, warfare ‘was the most brutal of all’ … the book is supplemented by nearly forty illustrations … In addition to the illustrations, there are a number of tables, several of which – such as the ratio of attackers to defenders, and attackers killed in storms – make fascinating reading. This long-overdue study really is first rate and is certainly my book of the year for 2025.” David Flintham, Battlefields (the Magazine of the Battlefields Trust and Scottish Battlefields Trust)
