He fought in the Nine Years' War and then in the suppression of O'Doherty's rebellion at the Siege of Tory Island.

[12][13] In 1603 he was commissioned to develop a township adjacent to Ballyshannon Castle in the south of County Donegal, Ulster.

In 1608 he commanded troops in the suppression of O'Doherty's rebellion and successfully captured or killed some of the rebels during the Siege of Tory Island.

He was created Baron Folliott, of Ballyshannon in the County of Donegal, in the Peerage of Ireland on 22 January 1620.

Lord Folliott, as he was now, acquired salmon fisheries and over 3,000 acres (12 km2) of land in County Donegal from Francis Gofton.