Atlas of Battles

siege, early modern

Sack of Wexford

Sack of Wexford was a siege conducted on 2 October 1649 at Wexford, in what is now Ireland; it lasted 9 days. It was part of the Irish Confederate Wars, which ran from 1641 to 1653. The recorded result: Commonwealth victory. Recorded strength: 6,000 against 3,500 – 4,000.

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Ruins of Selskar Priory (tower on the left, restored in the 19th century), founded in Wexford, Ireland in the 13th century and ruined by Cromwell, and Selskar Church (nave with pinnacles on the right)
Ruins of Selskar Priory (tower on the left, restored in the 19th century), founded in Wexford, Ireland in the 13th century and ruined by Cromwell, and Selskar Church (nave with pinnacles on the right). Danielclauzier, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought2 October 1649lasted 9 days
WhereWexford, Ireland52.334N, 6.457W
OutcomeCommonwealth victory
BelligerentsEnglish CommonwealthagainstIrish Confederates; Royalists
Part ofIrish Confederate Wars1641 to 1653

Where it sits in the Irish Confederate Wars

Battle of Julianstown, 1641Battle of Kilrush, 1642Battle of Glenmaquin, 1642Battle of Liscarroll, 1642Battle of New Ross, 1643Battle of Cloughleagh, 1643Battle of Clones, 1643Battle of Portlester, 1643Siege of Duncannon, 1645Battle of Benburb, 1646Battle of Dungan's Hill, 1647Battle of Knocknanuss, 1647Battle of Rathmines, 1649Siege of Drogheda, 1649Sack of Wexford, 1649Battle of Arklow, 1649Siege of Waterford, 1649Battle of Lisnagarvey, 1649Siege of Kilkenny, 1650Siege of Clonmel, 1650Siege of Waterford, 1650Battle of Tecroghan, 1650Siege of Charlemont, 1650Siege of Limerick, 1651Siege of Galway, 165116411651Sack of Wexford, 1649
25 placed engagements of the Irish Confederate Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date2 October 1649
to 11 October 1649
PlaceWexford, Ireland
52.334N, 6.457W
KindSiege, early modern
Strength6,0003,500 – 4,000
Casualties and losses20 killed; Unknown wounded, or died of disease1,500 – 2,000 killed (including civilians); 3,000 captured
Commanders
  • David Synnot
  • Edward Butler, 1st Viscount Galmoye
Sack of WexfordSack of WexfordSiege of WexfordBattle of Three RocksBattle of Oulart HillBattle of EnniscorthyBattle of Vinegar HillBattle of Three RocksBattle of Oulart HillBattle of EnniscorthyDublinCorkLimerickGalwayKilkennySwansea100 km52.334N, 6.457W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 3 times between 1169 and 1798.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1649

Sack of Wexford is one of 1,470 engagements of the 17th century in the atlas and one of 114 in present-day Ireland.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q815226, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Sack of Wexford, revision 1380929954, 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.