Overview
Sir Edmund Butler (1534 – c. 1585) of Cloughgrenan (and the Dullough), was an Irish noble and the second son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and Lady Joan Fitzgerald. He was a scion of the House of Ormond, and a rebel against the Tudors.
Life and career
In 1562, was in commission for presentation of the peace in County Carlow, during the Deputy's absence in the North against Shane O'Neill. He was knighted in 1567 and had a grant for the return of all Writs in the cantreds (baronies) of Oremond (Ormond Lower and Ormond Upper), Elyogerth (Eliogarty), and Elyocarrol (Ikerrin) in Tipperary.
Battle of Affane
During the Battle of Affane in 1565, Edmund wounded Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond in the right hip with a pistol-shot, cracking his thigh-bone and throwing him from his mount. With their leader fallen, the Geraldine troops were routed and the Butlers, led by Edmund's brother Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, pursued them to the riverbank killing about 300 Geraldines.
Butler Revolt
His father died in London in 1546 when Edmund was about 12 years of age. By his father's will, he received the Dullough - the western part of the barony of Idrone, which, with the Roscrea property, was considered to be worth £400 yearly. The 9th Earl had purchased the Dullogh from the Kavanaghs who had been in occupation of the land since before the Norman invasion of Ireland. Sir Peter Carew put forward his claims in right of his ancestors, the lords of Idrone. It was in defence of this property that Sir Edmund came into conflict with the Government.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
