Atlas of Battles

battle, early modern

Battle of Curlew Pass

Battle of Curlew Pass was a battle fought on 15 August 1599 at Boyle, in what is now Ireland. It was part of the Nine Years' War, which ran from 1593 to 1603. The recorded result: Irish victory. Recorded strength: ~1,700; 1,500 infantry; 200 Cavalry against ~2,500; 1,500 Infantry; 250 Light Cavalry; 600 musketeers; 160 Gallowglasses.

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Gaelic Chieftain_overlooking_Curlew_Pass.jpg - Maurice Harron sculpture 1999 to mark Battle of Curlew Pass 15 August 1599 Camera Phone Own work Peter Gavigan May 2007
Gaelic Chieftain_overlooking_Curlew_Pass.jpg - Maurice Harron sculpture 1999 to mark Battle of Curlew Pass 15 August 1599 Camera Phone Own work Peter Gavigan May 2007. Gavigan 01 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought15 August 1599
WhereBoyle, Ireland53.998N, 8.312W
OutcomeIrish victory
BelligerentsEnglandagainstIrish alliance
Casualties and losses850 killedandLow
Part ofNine Years' War1593 to 1603

Where it sits in the Nine Years' War

Battle of Belleek, 1593Siege of Enniskillen, 1594Battle of the Ford of the Biscuits, 1594Battle of Clontibret, 1595Battle of Carrickfergus, 1597Battle of the Yellow Ford, 1598Siege of Cahir Castle, 1599Battle of Curlew Pass, 1599Battle of Moyry Pass, 1600Battle of Lifford, 1600Siege of Donegal, 1601Siege of Kinsale, 1601Battle of Castlehaven, 1601Siege of Dunboy, 160215931602Battle of Curlew Pass, 1599
14 placed engagements of the Nine Years' War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date15 August 1599
PlaceBoyle, Ireland
53.998N, 8.312W
KindBattle, early modern
Strength~1,700; 1,500 infantry; 200 Cavalry~2,500; 1,500 Infantry; 250 Light Cavalry; 600 musketeers; 160 Gallowglasses
Casualties and losses850 killedLow
Commanders
  • Sir Conyers Clifford
  • Sir Griffin Markham
Battle of Curlew PassBattle of Curlew PassBattle of Áth an ChipBattle of CollooneyBattle of Magh SlechtBattle of BallinamuckBattle of Creadran CilleBattle of CollooneyBattle of Magh SlechtBattle of BallinamuckBattle of Creadran CilleDublinBelfastLondonderry/DerryGalwayDroghedaOmaghDonegal100 km53.998N, 8.312W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1599

Battle of Curlew Pass is one of 1,390 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 114 in present-day Ireland.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1459058, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Curlew Pass, revision 1370109415, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.