Battle of Prosperous
Battle of Prosperous
The Battle of Prosperous happened on 24 May 1798 during the Irish Rebellion in the town of Prosperous, County Kildare. About 200 United Irishmen led by John Esmonde attacked Prosperous, which was defended by roughly 150 troops from the Royal Cork City Militia and a Welsh fencible regiment called the Ancient Britons, commanded by Captain Richard Swayne.
The rebels, aided by a small vanguard and possibly local sympathisers, breached the town gates and quickly surrounded the barracks. Swayne was surprised in bed and killed; his body was burned in a tar barrel. The rest of the garrison were trapped on upper floors as the barracks were set on fire. They jumped to the ground and were killed with pikes. The rebels had no known casualties, but about 100 garrison soldiers were killed.
Ten garrison members escaped to Dunlavin, County Wicklow, where they took part in the Dunlavin Green executions on 26 May. Esmonde, who had previously joined a local yeomanry unit, was betrayed by an aide, captured in Dublin, and executed for desertion on 14 June at Carlisle Bridge.
Prosperous remained in rebel hands until 19 June, when a detachment of the 5th Dragoon Guards recaptured it.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:09 (CET).