A conference entitled ‘Practised in the Art of War: Limerick Sieges, 1642-1691’ will take place at the Absolute Hotel, Sir Harry’s Mall, Limerick, on 3-5 October 2014. The conference is hosted by the Thomond Archaeological and Historical Society and is supported by Limerick City of Culture, the Irish Walled Towns Network and Danske Bank. Papers will focus on the four 17th-century sieges of Limerick. These are the 1642 siege of King John’s castle by the Catholic and Royalist forces of the Irish Confederacy in 1642, the Cromwellian siege of the city by Henry Ireton in 1651, and the two Williamite sieges of the city – failed in 1690 but finally successful in 1691. The conference will explore the transition from medieval to modern siege techniques, the international flavour of the armed forces involved, the logistics of seventeenth century campaigning and the effects of this half century of siege activity on Limerick’s citizens as well as the four sieges themselves.
Speakers include: Damien Shiels, Dr Peter Purton, Ken Wiggans, Col. James Burke, Prof. John Childs, Dr Harman Murtagh, Dr Padraig Lenihan and Dr Alan Smyth.
For further details, please visit http://thomsoc.blogspot.ie.