Battle of Ballymore-Eustace

On 23 May 120 soldiers were recalled, leaving a garrison of around 80 men. At around 1 a.m. on 24 May, the rebel force of approx. 200 attacked the town. As in the attacks on Naas and Prosperous, the rebels sought to surprise and overwhelm the garrison by coordinated attacks before it could react and rally against them. The houses containing troops of the 9th Dragoons and the Tyrone Militia were to be attacked simultaneously.

However, the attack on garrison headquarters was miscarried due to lack of coordination and numbers so that the building became a rallying point for the Government troops. Captain Beevor was attacked in his own bedchamber by two rebels. Lieutenant Parkinson and some dragoons came to his aid and both rebels were slain. Other isolated billets were attacked but some units managed to cut themselves free and fight their way through the streets to the headquarters. A number of properties, including the Protestant church, were set on fire.

For two hours, the rebels attacked the strongpoint but without artillery, were unable to take the building and lost many men in the process. The momentum had by now slipped away from the rebels and they drew off their attack leaving behind around 50 dead but at a cost to the garrison of at least 12 dead and 5 wounded.

The battle led directly to the Dunlavin Green executions, in which fears of a possible rebel attack on the garrison at nearby Dunlavin led to the summary execution of rebel prisoners.