The Battle of Ardnaree, was an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 battle fought in County Mayo

County Mayo

County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...

 on 23 September 1586. The result was a victory for the English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 over the Mac Philbins

McPhillips (surname)

Although some historians claim the McPhillips surname is of Scottish origin, the surname is found predominantly in Ireland, in the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh and Monaghan. In Ulster, the McPhillips are in Gaelic MacPilib or MacPhilib...

 and Burkes. The conflict was a part of the political and military struggle, involving the English and occasionally the Scots, for control of northern Ireland.

The Mac Philbins and Mayo Burkes were in rebellion against the brutal English rule. An Irish-Scottish mercenary army, led by Donnell Gorm MacDonnell of Carey

Donald Gorm MacDonald of Carey

Donald Gorm MacDonald of Carey was a son of James MacDonald, 6th of Dunnyveg and Agnes Campbell, daughter of Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll. Donald obtained the barony of Carey in Antrim by patent on 18 September 1584. He was killed during the battle of Ardnaree, Ireland in 1586 against the...

 and Alexander Carragh MacDonnell of Glenarm

Alexander Carragh MacDonald of Glenarm

Alexander Carragh MacDonald of Glenarm was a son of James MacDonald, 6th of Dunnyveg and Agnes Campbell, daughter of Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll. Alexander, obtained possession of the barony of Glenarm...

, sons of the deceased James MacDonald, 6th of Dunnyveg

James MacDonald, 6th of Dunnyveg

James Mac Domhnaill or MacDonald in Scotland, 6th of Dunnyveg , a Scoto-Irish chieftain, who was the son of Alexander MacDonald, lord of Islay and Kintyre , and Catherine MacDonald, daughter of the Lord of Ardnamurchan....

, were invited into Connacht by the Burkes to attack English settlements and forces. The mercenary army was fronted at Sligo

Sligo

Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...

, Coolony

Collooney

-Transport:Collooney is located just off the N4 and N17 roads, having been bypassed twice, by the N4 in 1998, and the N17 in 1992, and is the meeting point of both roads. The town was a significant railway centre, with no less than three railway stations...

 and Ballingafad

Ballinafad

Ballinafad is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. There is also a village Ballinafad in Connemara, County Galway.Ambrose O'Higgins, who became governor of Chile and viceroy of Perú, was born in this area. Ambrose was father of Bernardo O'Higgins, leader of South American emancipation....

 by English forces for over fourteen days.

Sir Richard Bingham, governor of Connacht, followed the mercenary force to Ardnaree, where the mercenary force had camped by the banks of the river Moy in County Mayo. Bingham's forces surrounded the camp at night and attacked the occupants. During the battle 1,000 mercenaries were killed, including Donnell Gorm MacDonnell of Carey and Alexander Carragh MacDonnell of Glenarm. Also slaughtered were some 1000 men, women and children in the camp.

Richard Bingham went on to hang the leaders of the Burkes, with the former lands of Mac Philbins and Mayo Burkes given to English settlers.