Edward the Bruce

In 1315, Edward the Bruce, brother of King Robert, landed in Ulster where he crowned himself "King of Ireland" and appealed to the common Celtic heritage of the two nations for a joint effort against their common enemy, the English. This whole Irish adventure is often considered the most curious event in "Wars of the Bruces." However, Robert the Bruce, fresh from his staggering victory at Bannockburn, had many reasons to send his brother to Ireland with over 5,000 veteran warriors.

Edward the Bruce, brother of Robert - King of Scotland, landed with an army in 1315, to set up a united Celtic Kingdom. He was joined by many Irish Chieftains and crowned King of Ireland. At the battle of Ardscull (Co. Kildare) he defeated the army of Justiciar Edmund Butler. The Dubliners 'broke the bridge of Dublin', demolished a number of buildings and used the stone to strengthen the town defences. Lacking a siege train, Bruce could not press his advantage and so, Dublin and the royal administration was saved.

The Scottish dead were buried in the graveyard attached to the Dominican Priory in Athy which occupied the area on the east bank of the River Barrow known today as The Abbey . Amongst those buried were two Scottish chiefs, Lord Fergus Andressan and Lord Walter de Morrey.

More Events from January 26

• January 26, 1699
  The second session of William III's second Irish parliament ends on this date
• January 26, 1699
  The second session of William III's second Irish parliament ends on this date
• January 26, 1716
  Birth of Lord George Sackville (-Germain), soldier, politician and MP for Portarlington
• January 26, 1799
  Thomas Charles Wright, officer in Bolivar's army and founder of Eduadorian navy, is born in Drogheda, Co. Louth
• January 26, 1861
  "One o'clock gun" fired for the first time from Edinburgh Castle.
• January 26, 1871
  Sir Arthur du Cros, pioneer of pneumatic tyre industry, is born in Dublin
• January 26, 1878
  Kirkpatrick McMillan, Scottish inventor of the bicycle, died.
• January 26, 1904
  Birth of Seán MacBride, IRA leader, politician, head of Amnesty International, and recipient of Nobel and Lenin peace prizes
• January 26, 1907
  Synge's Playboy of the Western World is performed for the first time at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; the audience riots because of the bad language and negative perspective on Irish peasant life
• January 26, 1908
  The 1st Glasgow Scout troop was registered, the first to be formed.