The Battle of Kilthomas took place on 27 May 1798 when combined Loyalist Forces defeated a gathering of several thousand rebels in the greater Ferns/Carnew area, in one of the primary actions of the rebellion in County Wexford.
Daniel Gahan describes this rising as a 'crescent of United Irish mobilisation',[1] with the western parishes to converge at Kilthomas Hill on the morning of 27 May.
Taylor goes into more detail here and indicates that the rebels had originally assembled in the area of Charlesfort (Tombrack) and Ballingale (Ballycarney), where he notes an attack on protestant residences at both locations.
Hay accounts for significant travels by Michael Murphy on the Sunday morning, culminating in him joining the rebel force at Kilthomas.
[6] Musgrave continues that a detachment of the Shilela (Shillelagh, or sometimes referred to as the Carnew or Coolatin-) Cavalry, under the command of Captain Wainwright, had been driven back by rebels in the afternoon.
It would appear that on the morning of 28 May 1798 this group met with the Oulart Rebels (who encamped at Carrigrew), on their march towards Scarawalsh Bridge, from where the combined force paused at Ballyorrill, before attacking the town of Enniscorthy that afternoon.