Battle of Áth an gCeap

The Battle of Áth-an-gCeap, or 'Áth Cip' ("Ath-an-cip, Ath-an-chip, AthanKip") was a battle fought in 1270 between armies of the Kingdoms of Connacht and England at county Leitrim in Ireland. The result was a decisive Irish victory. The battle site was at Drumhierney townland at Leitrim village, the "Athancip" river crossing being now named "Battle bridge".

Background
Fedlimid Ó Conchobair was King of Connacht during the Norman invasion of Ireland. He initially attempted to arrest the expansion of Norman settlements in Connacht he eventually capitulated to King Henry II. His son, Aedh mac Felim Ua Conchobair, did not favor the diplomatic approach. Even during his father's reign Aedh conducted raids on Norman settlements. In 1249 he ambushed Piers de Bermingham, who at the time held the wardship of the de Burgh lands. This ambush led to all out war and resulted in Fedlimid being deposed. He regained his throne in 1250, but was much weaker as a result.

Battle
Aedh became king after his father's death in 1265. He continued to raid settled lands in his kingdom. In 1269 Robert d'Ufford, the new justiciar in Ireland, began building a royal castle in Roscommon. D'Ufford sent his deputy across the River Shannon to join his ally, Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster. The combined forces met with Aedh to negotiate, but to no avail. The forces under de Burgh retreated and attempted to forde the Shannon at Áth-an-Chip. Aedh routed the army and destroyed the castle at Roscommon.

Aftermath
The Death of de Burgh in 1271 ended all effective resistance to Aedh's rule in Connacht. Aedh continued to raid as far east as Granard and even burnt Athlone, destroying the bridge there. The raiding came to an end with Aehd's sudden death on 3 May 1274. The Kingdom of Connacht became embroiled in Civil War with thirteen kings during the period between 1274 and 1315. This instability left Connacht vulnerable to Norman settlement.

Battle site


The battle occurred at Maigh Nissi, now the barony of Leitrim. Connellan states "". Moynish was the Gaelic place name for the flat, unforested part, of medieval barony of Leitrim bordering the shannon.

The Irish Annals describe the Anglo-Normans crossing Ath-Cara-Conaill ("Carrick-on-Shannon") before marching onward to Ath-an-cip. Places named "Ath-na-cip" (Áth na gCeap and Áth Cip) were fords built from "stocks or trunks of trees". Ath-an-Cip was clearly a ford on the River Shannon.

MacNamee states "". At Leitrim village the R284 road crosses the Shannon at "Battle-bridge" (Béal Átha an Chatha, "the ford/mouth of the battle"). The townland at this bridge is Drumhierney (Droim Thiarnaigh, meaning the ridge of the "master", "lord", or "the domination"). Without certainty the battle-site was Drumhierney townland in county Leitrim.