MacClancy (Cuellar calls him Manglana) decided to fly to the mountains with his people, most likely by a bridlepath still to be traced from the “cattle-booley.” It was two feet wide, and the paving was enclosed by a kerb. He asked Cuellar and eight other Spaniards what they wished to do. After a conference they offered to defend the castle against the Lord Deputy. MacClancy was delighted, and at once made all provision. They then retired to the castle, taking with them the church valuables, three or four boat-loads of stones, six muskets, six crossbows, and other arms.
Captain Cuellar describes the stronghold thus: “The castle is very strong, and very difficult to take if they do not (even though they should) attack it with artillery, for it is founded in a lake of very deep water which is more than a league wide at some parts, and three or four leagues long, and has an outlet to the sea; and, besides, with the rise of spring tides it is not possible to enter it, for which reason the castle could not be taken by water nor by the shore of the land that is nearest to it. Neither could injury be done it, because (for) a league round the town, which is established on the mainland, it is marshy, breast-deep, so that even the inhabitants (natives) could not get to it except by paths.”
As the Spanish captain never mentions the name of the fortress, its identification with Rossclogher has been called in question, chiefly because the measurements are much greater than those of Lough Melvin (a league equalling 3·66 miles), but all the distances in the narrative are greatly overstated. Again, Lough Melvin has not been open to the sea within the historic period. A map, however, of 1609 in the British Museum represents the river which drains it as being nearly as wide as the Erne, and we do not read that Cuellar personally explored its outlet.
In all other matters the castle accurately answers to his description, and no other building has ever been put forward as the probable scene of the siege.
When the Lord Deputy appeared upon the shore (with, Cuellar says, one thousand eight hundred men) he could not get nearer than a mile and a half on account of the marshy ground. From this it would seem that he arrived at the point of Rossfriar on the north-west shore of the lough. He then hanged two Spaniards as a warning, and demanded by a trumpeter the surrender of the castle, promising the garrison a free pass to Spain. This they pretended not to understand.
The siege lasted seventeen days, when a great snowstorm obliged the Deputy to return south.
Upon this episode the State Papers are silent; the Lord Deputy merely giving the following account of his northern expedition. “First, therefore, it may please your lordships, I undertook the journey the 4th November, and finished the same the 23rd of this instant, December, being seven weeks and one day, returning without loss of any one of Her Majesty’s army.”
When the English forces had retired MacClancy returned in great delight and fêted the Spaniards. He offered his sister to Cuellar in marriage, but this was declined. The chief decided to keep the foreigners as his guard, by force if necessary, but they hearing this left secretly. After much hardship Cuellar eventually crossed to Scotland from Dunluce, and from thence to Antwerp.
In 1590 MacClancy’s death is officially recorded as follows: “M’Glannaghe ran for a lough which was near, and tried to save himself by swimming, but a shot broke his arm, and a gallowglass brought him ashore. He was the best killed man in Connaught a long time. He was the most barbarous creature in Ireland, and had always 100 knaves about him. He would never come before any officer. His country extended from Grange beyond Sligo till you come to Ballyshannon. He was O’Rourke’s right hand. He had some 14 Spaniards, some of whom were taken alive.”
Thus in trying to reach Rossclogher fortress MacClancy lost his life, his head being exhibited in triumph.