Simply final yr, the Irish Mirror reported that excavations to search out the skeletal stays of seventeenth century deceased Earl and revolutionary Irish conflict hero, Patrick Sarsfield, had begun in Belgium. They’ve now been positioned and talks are underway to have them repatriated again to Eire as a part of the Sarsfield Homecoming Undertaking, now in its third yr.
Spearheaded by Dr. Loïc Guyon, the French Honorary Consul in Limerick, and the Head of the Division of French research at Mary Immaculate School, this venture is being carried out in collaboration with Alliance Française de Limerick. Most significantly, the venture has been capable of efficiently set up the precise location of Sarsfield’s burial floor.
The Treaty Stone in Limerick is apparently the situation of the signing of the Treaty of Limerick of which the Irish conflict hero Patrick Sarsfield was a signatory. ( Charles / Adobe Inventory)
Sarsfield Homecoming Undertaking: Finding the Stays of Irish Struggle Heroes
The goal of the Sarsfield Homecoming Undertaking is not only to find and repatriate Sarsfield’s stays. This system additionally plans to deliver consideration to the historic episode of the Flight of the Wild Geese, educating youthful generations about this necessary a part of Limerick’s historical past, Eire’s historical past, and the historic ties between France and Ireland.
By highlighting this chapter of the previous, the venture goals to protect the legacy of Irish conflict hero Patrick Sarsfield and the opposite so-called Wild Geese for future generations. Plans to repatriate his stays will additional support with this goal by bringing the stays of the Irish conflict hero house.
Since its initiation in 2020, the Sarsfield Homecoming Undertaking has been devoted to discovering, confirming and bringing Sarsfield’s stays again to Eire. Dr. Guyon and the workforce have been working tirelessly to make this goal a actuality and pay homage to this necessary determine in Irish historical past, reviews nationwide Irish broadcaster RTE.
The 1690 Battle of the Boyne between James II and William III, by Jan van Huchtenburg. The Irish conflict hero, Patrick Sarsfield was one of many signatories of the Treaty of Limerick which occurred after the Battle of Boyne. ( Public domain )
How Did the Stays of an Irish Struggle Hero Finish Up in Belgium?
Sarsfield was a distinguished determine in Irish historical past as one of many Wild Geese who fled Eire after the defeat of King James II within the Williamite Wars by King William III , Prince of Orange. He’s most well-known for his spirited protection of Limerick in 1690 after the Battle of the Boyne , amongst others. Regardless of lastly being defeated in 1691, he negotiated the Treaty of Limerick, which allowed the remnants of the Jacobite military to stay collectively and journey to France with Patrick Sarsfield and 15,000 different Irish conflict heroes.
The Irish conflict hero was injured whereas serving the French king Louis XIV on the Battle of Landen in 1693 throughout the 9 Years Struggle. He handed away a number of days later from his wounds. Up to date reviews counsel that he was buried a number of days later within the grounds of St. Martin’s Church within the city of Huy, positioned in modern-day Belgium, reviews The Irish Times .
View of the town of Huy in Belgium the place researchers consider they’ve recognized the stays of the Irish conflict hero Patrick Sarsfield. ( bbsferrari / Adobe Inventory)
Discovering Definitive Proof: The Hunt for Patrick Sarsfield
Dr. Guyon wrote to the Mayor of Huy to request his help in finding the traditional burial grounds of St. Martin’s Church. In response to the church data, 24 our bodies had been buried within the church grounds from 1689 to 1795, with ten of them being French officers. Out of those ten, eight are named and two are nameless, with the nameless burials corresponding immediately with the loss of life of Patrick Sarsfield.
Definitive proof that the stays belong to Patrick Sarsfield himself can solely be established as soon as the skeletons themselves are discovered. Sarsfield was an exceptionally tall man, being nicely over six toes tall (6’6 to be exact, or 1.83 m), and Dr. Guyon has traced his household line again to a residing descendant who carries the identical Y chromosome as Sarsfield’s father, offering additional proof.
Dr. Guyon shall be collaborating with Limerick-based firm Aegis Archaeology Restricted to conduct an archaeological excavation of the positioning, which might happen as quickly as this summer season or by summer season 2024, relying on the velocity of acquiring administrative authorization from the Minister for Heritage of the Walloon authorities.
To finance the excavation, a fundraising marketing campaign involving a mixture of crowdfunding and company sponsorship shall be launched within the close to future with the aim of elevating the estimated €90,000 ($96,400) required. As soon as Sarsfield’s stays are discovered, they are going to be introduced again to Ireland for reburial, which might happen in Limerick or Lucan, the place the Irish conflict hero initially hailed from.Prime of Kind
Prime picture: Portrait of the Irish conflict hero Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan. Supply: Public domain
By Sahir Pandey