November Irish Heritage Group Report

Written by Nicky Getgood on Saturday, November 28th, 2009 ( One response )
Tags: Irish Club, Irish Heritage Group, john macintyre

Here’s a report by John Macintyre on the last Birmingham Irish Heritage Group’s last meeting, at which Adam Lyons told the Story of the Wild Geese.  I unfortunately didn’t arrive until the questions and answers at the end, but I did manage to get a short Audioboo chat with Adam afterwards, which you can listen to.  I also managed to take some photos of the display boards there, which I thought were pretty interesting.

The next Irish Heritage meeting is this coming Wednesday 2nd December and is a special Christmas quiz and buffet – get down to the Munster Room at The Irish Centre for 7pm for food and prizes!

Story of the Wild Geese

Young aviator Adam Lyons enthralled nearly fifty patrons with the story of Wild Geese, at the November Event of The Birmingham Irish Heritage Group. If you missed this interesting evening followed by great conversation, do remember everybody is welcome free of charge upstairs in the new luxurious Irish Centre at these heritage Events,  on the first Wednesday of every month at 7 pm.

Adam explained that they were founded in November 1691 by Jacobite Patrick Sarsfield who was permitted to leave Ireland with 12,000 troops, after the treaty of Limerick. This was agreed by Dutch King William Third who had deposed his father in law James Second (Jacobus 2) and defeated the Jacobites in Ireland at Derry, Enniskillen, Boyne, Aughrim and Limerick. The name came from the Wild Geese on the River Shannon flying south for the winter. Most Irishmen sought military service with the Monarchs of France, Austria, Russia and Austria who were the most powerful in 17^th Century Europe.

The death of the 39 year old Spanish King Carlos Second, led to the 17 year old Grandson of Louis Fourteenth of France ruling Spain for 46 years as Felipe Fifth. However the Austrian Emperor did not recocgnise Felipe V and started the War of the Spanish Succession in 1701.

Villeroy’s French Army in Italy in 1701 comprised four Irish Regiments- Duke of Berwick’s (James 2nds Natural son), Lord Gamoy’s, Colonel Bourk’s, Colonel Dillon’s plus Colonel Sheldon’s squadrons. They fought at Chiari in 1701 and in 1702 at Cremona where Irishman Captain Francis McDonnell of the Austrian Army captured Villeroy, but refused to be bribed by the French, The Austrians tried to bribe the Bourkes and Dillons at the River Po gate, they refused suffering 350 casualties, but saved the French Position.

Louis Fourteenth of France personally rewarded Major Daniel O’Mahoney (who was knighted by the Old Pretender James Third, and increased the pay of all Irish Regiments for bravery.

The Wild Geese fought at Luzzara in 1702, but sadly were deployed to subjugate the French Protestant Camisards in 1703 and 1705. French Protestant Huguenots had been protected by the Treaty of Nantes in 1598 by Henri of Navarre a former Protestant who converted to Catholicism in 1589 to gain the French Throne. However his grandson Louis Fourteenth repealed this in 1685 and persecuted the Huguenots.

The Duke of Berwick’s Brother in Law, John Spencer Churchill became Duke of Marlborough following his exploits of 1704; his Anglo Dutch Austrian forces saved Vienna when Irishman Cadogan marched 250 miles in 20 days pulling cannons. Later at Blenheim Marlborough won an epic victory, although Charles O’Brien was praised by Louis Fourteenth for covering the subsequent retreat, against the Anglo Dutch Austrian forces of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Dubliner Captain Richard Molesworth gave Marlborough his horse and saved his life.

At the French Defeat at Ramillies in 1706, Charles O’Brien (Lord Clare) bravely defeated parts of the Dutch, Scots and English forces, but then lost his life. Ramillies was the place Dublin woman Catherine Welsh posing as Mr Christian Welsh in order to find her husband, was injured, she later served very bravely that year at Menin in Belgium and Tournai in 1709 where she hit a French windmill with a cannon shot. Adam Lyons enthralled the audience, recounting the remarkable deeds that this Dublin woman performed under several names- Hugh Jones, Christian Davies, Christian Welsh. She was finally rewarded as a Chelsea Pensioner under the name of Mother Ross and given a British Pension.

The Wild Geese performed bravely at Oudenaaarde and Malplaquet in 1709 where the 0’Donnell cavalry were heroic, and Colonel Robert Parker in the British Service wrote his account of this battle, where the two Royal Regiments of Ireland fought against each other under the French and British Crowns. This was described excellently by Adam, who also explained that Daniel Defoe mentioned Mother Ross/Christine Welsh.

Our speaker said that Lord Berwick perished at Phillisburg serving the French, and that the Irish Duke of Ormonde first served the Anglo-Dutch but switched to the French in 1715, and that all sides treated the Wild Geese less favourably than their own nationals. The War of the Spanish Succession finished in 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht.  Both Queen Anne of England and Louis Fourteenth died in 1714, although Felipe Fifth ruled Spain until 1746, he later switched sides and fought against his younger cousin Louis Fifteenth of France.

After the Presentation, everyone enjoyed complimentary beverages.  Birmingham Irish Heritage Events are held upstairs at the Irish Centre on the first Wednesday of every month at 7pm.  Visitors very welcome, Admission + Refreshments Free.

Sean Mac An T-Saor