Garret Barry
Encyclopedia
Garret Barry was an Irish soldier of the 17th century who served in the Eighty Years' War and the Irish Confederate Wars
.
He came from an old landed Hiberno-Norman
family, the De Barry family
, in County Cork
in southern Ireland. Like many Irish Catholic gentlemen of his generation, particularly younger sons, he left Ireland to pursue a military career in Catholic Europe. He served for almost thirty years in the Irish regiment of the Spanish Army of Flanders
against the forces of the United Provinces of the Netherlands.
He returned to Ireland in 1640, hoping to recruit men for the Spanish Army. However his enterprise was interrupted by the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1641
- an uprising of Irish Catholics against English Protestant rule. Barry sided with his fellow Catholics, organised in the Confederate Catholic Association of Ireland
, who made him general of their forces in Munster
. Barry took Limerick
for the Confederates through skillful use of the siege techniques he had learnt in Flanders
- in particular under-mining of the walls of the castle there (see Siege of Limerick 1642). However, Barry failed to take Cork
and was driven off in disorder at the battle of Liscarroll
when his forces advanced on the city. Discredited, Barry took little further part in the war and died in Limerick in 1647.
Barry was also a prolific author on military matters, writing several handbooks on how to train and discipline troop and how to handle them in battle.
Irish Confederate Wars
This article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
.
He came from an old landed Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
family, the De Barry family
De Barry Family
The de Barry family is an ancient family of Cambro-Norman origins which once had extensive land holdings in Wales and County Cork, Ireland. The founder of the family was a knight who assited in the Norman Conquest of England and Wales during the 11th century...
, in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in southern Ireland. Like many Irish Catholic gentlemen of his generation, particularly younger sons, he left Ireland to pursue a military career in Catholic Europe. He served for almost thirty years in the Irish regiment of the Spanish Army of Flanders
Army of Flanders
The Army of Flanders was a Spanish Habsburg army based in the Netherlands during the 16th to 18th centuries. It was notable for being the longest standing army of the period, being in continuous service from 1567 until its disestablishment in 1706...
against the forces of the United Provinces of the Netherlands.
He returned to Ireland in 1640, hoping to recruit men for the Spanish Army. However his enterprise was interrupted by the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
- an uprising of Irish Catholics against English Protestant rule. Barry sided with his fellow Catholics, organised in the Confederate Catholic Association of Ireland
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
, who made him general of their forces in Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
. Barry took Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
for the Confederates through skillful use of the siege techniques he had learnt in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
- in particular under-mining of the walls of the castle there (see Siege of Limerick 1642). However, Barry failed to take Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and was driven off in disorder at the battle of Liscarroll
Battle of Liscarroll
The Battle of Liscarroll was fought in County Cork in July 1642, at the start of the Eleven years war. An Irish Confederate army around 6000 strong and commanded by Garret Barry – a professional soldier - was defeated by an English force commanded by a Protestant Irishman, Murrough O'Brien, Baron...
when his forces advanced on the city. Discredited, Barry took little further part in the war and died in Limerick in 1647.
Barry was also a prolific author on military matters, writing several handbooks on how to train and discipline troop and how to handle them in battle.