At the beginning of May 1643, Murrough O'Brien (Baron Inchiquin), governor of Munster on behalf of King Charles I "drew his forces out of the garrisons, where they were on the point of starving.

The occupants, 20 men, 11 women, and 7 children, were stripped and massacred (against the wishes of Colonel Vavasour who had left the castle to attend a dinner invitation at the house of a Mr Roche in Castlelyons).

"[4] James Tuchet (Earl of Castlehaven) was commanded by the assembly of Irish Confederates to march south from Kilkenny and confront the Royalist armies in Munster.

At Cashel they received intelligence that Inchiquin had abandoned the siege of Kilmallock and moved into Kerry but that Vavasour was at Cloghleagh with "16 or 1700 horse and foot" whereupon "I marched immediately towards him, and before night encamped within 3 miles of him".

Castlehaven - going by the advantage of a large valley came into the plain unseen...I lost no time in the charge, and quickly defeated his horse, who, to save themselves, broke in on the foot, and put them into disorder…This with God's blessing…gave me the victory, with little or no loss.

[7]According to Carte's account in A History of the Life of James Duke of Ormond - Sir Charles…being attacked the next day in his march at Killworth by the Earl of Castlehaven and Lord Muskery.