Read on Twitter
1689, exciting times in Ireland. 1500 men, English, Scottish and Irish were put ashore 12 miles south of Castletownbere by the French Fleet. Among them John Stevens. Their business - war #Boyne
These men were soldiers, supporters of king James II who had fled to France as William of Orange had landed in England. Word was that James had landed at Kinsale and these men were here to support him - they were spoiling for a fight #Boyne
They were not an organized army, a group of individuals who had followed James to France & onward to Ireland. John Stevens was an English catholic - avowed enemy of the Reformed church - it was only a matter of time before the rightful king would be restored - wouldn’t it? #Boyne
As the French fleet departed, the English fleet was spotted approaching and for four hours they were hotly engaged before the English, outgunned, were driven away - a good omen #Boyne
On the 2nd of May 1689 Stevens arrived in Bantry “a miserable poor place, seven or eight little houses, the rest mean cottages”. The place could not accommodate the numbers of troops. He “lay upon dirty straw in a cabin no better than a hog-sty” and was glad if it #Boyne
“Drink, there was none”. The people were so unused to money that they could not give change even when offered gold coin. The next day was spent looking for horses and in the end he managed to get “a little nag” and headed off towards Dunmanway #Boyne
“The road is all mountains, very high, steep and rough with few or scarce any houses along the way”. He spent the night in a barn but the troops had to sleep in a field. They next came up to Enniskeen “a tolerable town, much better than the miserable places before” #Boyne
Next on to Bandon, “a considerable walled town where we found good entertainment”. Bandon was established by Robert Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork - a Planter town. They “had shut out his Majesty’s forces” but now had fled #Boyne
12 miles to Cork. “Not as much as a village [along the way] inhabited by the miserable country people who live only on potatoes and sour milk”. “Soreness of feet kept me in excessive pain and anguish”. It had taken 5 days to walk from Bantry to Cork #Boyne
The main Dublin road headed out by Castlelyons, home of Viscount Barrymore, and on to Kilworth “a small market town”. Clogheen was next “a little town with some good houses” and on to Lismore #Boyne
Phew! We been tweeting for an hour and John Stevens has been walking for seven days and we haven’t even reached Clonmel yet “one of the prettiest towns I have seen”. It a good job that wars can wait. #Boyne
From Clonmel to Callan “in ruins” and six miles to Kilkenny. On to leighlinbridge “ a large stone bridge over the Barrow, two good houses of entertainment and a few small cabins”. Carlow! we can, then as now), rely on you for the craic. #Boyne
“I had difficulty getting a horse from a farmer in Carlow”. Next to Kilcullen Bridge and then into Naas “where were were refused Beds. We broke open the cellar door and took out wine and meat. This was the first violence in my travels” #Boyne
15 days walking (and an hour and a half tweeting) both John Stevens (and myself) are delighted to see Dublin before us. “It is not without shame I (we) enter the town afoot and all covered with dust”- (is a long rambling thread known as TwitterDust?) #Boyne
John Stevens is delighted to hear that the King, James II, is in Dublin. It is only a matter before his gracious majesty is put back on his throne in England and then Ireland will be free - great news altogether ... probably... I think so .. maybe ..er, how does that work? #Boyne
“Rebels?” “Yes, what about them?””They are not good”. “”Very bad if you are a king”. “Who are they?”.“Are you saying that Protestants are rebels” “In seventeenth century they are”. #Boyne
“Meave” said everyone on Twitter “will you hurry up and get the war going”. OK. It’s Dublin 1698 and there’s mighty excitement. The whole of Ireland is for the king except some backwaters called Londonderry and Enniskillen - how easy is this going to be #Boyne
“Londonderry is reputed to be a place of no strength having only a bare wall, the garrison raw undisciplined men”. While confident of “ a speedy conquest”, Stevens has some reservations #Boyne
He saw that the kings Army, gathering at Dublin was not without its faults. “Everyone armed himself with a skein (knife) weapons for plundering the country under the pretense of suppressing rebels” #Boyne
“Our men are newly brought from the mountains, without use of any weapon, most of them had never fired a musket.. a people used only to follow and converse with cows””Wha?” “Yes, difficult to make them understand orders much less obey them” #Boyne
“Are you talking about our troops? How very dare you”. “I’m just writing what John Stevens said”. “Well, how very dare him” said Twitter “It gets worse” #Boyne
“Well, of course” said Twitter” We are a reasonable platform, much given to nuance and views that we don’t agree with .... carry on” #Boyne
“OK” replied John Stevens cautiously “many regiments never fired a shot and it is hard to determine whether their own or the enemy’s fire was most terrible to them”. But “hold on a minute” said most of the Irish troops “is this our fight at all” #Boyne
15 days marching (and two and a half hours tweeting) we are ready to march north to deal with these troublesome rebels. As we approach the north, we are fearful of an ambush (and a twitter pile on) so we will thread carefully. Join me again tomorrow night. Please retweet #Boyne
