County Limerick

Limerick is city famous for its sieges. In 1651 Hubh Dubh O'Neill and his small army of about 1,500 Ulstermen withstood a siege by a much larger army of Cromwellinns led by the Lord Protector's son-in-law Ireton. Finally after about 4 months Hugh Dubh had to surrender the city. Forthy years later Patrick Sarsfield held Limerick for 3 weeks, hoping he'd receive help from France - that didn't arrive in time.. Before the Dublin native yielded to the forces of King William of Orange, he exacted from the English the famous Treaty of Limerick (1691) which provided a large measure of religious freedom for Catholics. But the English shamefully broke this treaty a few years later and religious persecution resumed.