by a gun-shot through the chest as he rushed the enemy. Despite his death, the rearguard managed to maintain some semblance of formation and continued to fight on as others fled the field. The English were routed, but the situation was prevented from becoming a complete disaster for them when the commander of the horse, Sir Griffin Markham (with John Harington in his ranks), charged uphill - "amongst rocks and bogs where never horse was seen to charge before" - and temporarily drove the rebels back, forcing MacDermott's musketeers and archers out onto either side of the bog and into the tree-line. As Markham's forces pursued MacDermott's fighters – and English troops fired from the roadside at the gunmen on either side of the bog, Brian Óg led a charge of his own. Emerging from the forest with his gallowglasses he slowly and steadily advanced towards the English cavalry. The English regrouped and began a charge of their own, but on either side of the bog MacDermott's men had regrouped and were now pouring fire transversely on the English cavalry. The gallowglasses supported by the kerne charged the cavalry and routed Markham's forces, causing them to retreat back into the mountains towards the barricade. During the charge, Brian Óg was injured in the hand and the leg. Markham, meanwhile, was shot resulting in a broken bone in his right arm. Though the actions of the English cavalry allowed many of their foot soldiers to escape, Clifford's men were pursued as far as the town of Boyle by 400 of MacDermott's musketeers and gunmen alongside the 160 gallowglasses of Brian ÓG. The fleeing English found shelter in Boyle Abbey. About half of the English forces were killed in the battle. Irish losses were light due to having been firing from prepared positions and then routing a disorganized and demoralised enemy. Aftermath Brian Óg O'Rourke, who had led the soldiers on the ground, ordered Clifford's head to be cut off and delivered to O'Donnell, who had remained nearby, but without taking part in the fight. While the head was brought to Collooney Castle to intimidate its defenders, the trunk was carried by MacDermott to the monastery of Lough Key, where he hoped to use it to ransom his own prisoners. At last, the trunk was given a decent burial in the monastery, and it was noted at the time that Clifford had