Battle of Knocknaclashy Boyle had inspired a mutiny among the English Royalist garrison in Cork, causing them to defect to the Parliamentarians. This had outflanked the defences of Irish Confederates and English Royalists, causing them to retreat behind the river Shannon into Connacht, where they held the fortified cities of Limerick and Galway. Henry Ireton went on to besiege Limerick. The only organised Irish forces remaining in south Munster were those of Donagh MacCarthy, Viscount Muskerry, who held out in the mountainous area of west Cork and county Kerry – which was his clan’s native territory. In July 1651, Muskerry set out from
Geography of the Gaelic Games hurling territory in the lush lowlands of east and central Limerick. In County Cork the line also divides east to west starting at Mallow extending downwards towards Cork city and onto the coast, further west beyond the footballing west Cork is the almost entirely footballing territory in County Kerry with only a very small hurling region north of Tralee in Ardfert, Ballyheigue and Causeway. The entire Counties of Tipperary and Waterford are considered to be traditionally hurling regions. In Leinster the traditionally hurling region is located to the south west of the province. The entire of County Kilkenny is considered