At the end of May County Monaghan celebrated the 400th anniversary of the battle of Clontibret where Hugh O’Neill first impressed the world with his skills of generalship by harrying and nearly destroying the army of Marshal Bagenal. Like the original undertaking, the commemoration was a triumph of local organisation. An evening of lectures on the battle was well attended. The following day a stone was unveiled to mark the site of the fiercest action, marching bands played and local lads in motley uniforms staged a mock battle for the TV cameras. Unusually in the history of Irish battle commemorations, the event ended with an anti-war speech from Green MEP Patricia McKenna and an ecumenical church service. A booklet on the battle can be obtained from Frank McManus, Fontview, Lisaginny, Castleshore, County Monaghan.
