Ormond returned to Ireland in October 1648; on arrival, he was met by Inchiquin, who changed sides once more, and on 17 January 1649, agreed an alliance with the Confederation to restore Charles to power. Ormond's Royalists comprised members of the Protestant Church of Ireland, English exiles, many of whom were Catholic, and a small number of Irish Catholics like Clanricarde. Most of the rank and file were locally recruited Protestants, with significant numbers of former English Royalists, many shipped to Ireland by Parliament to remove them as a threat.