"Never So Hot A Storm": The 1650 Siege of Clonmel

On the morning of 17th of May, 1650, Oliver Cromwell’s famed New Model Army charged headlong into a breach in the walls at Clonmel, County Tipperary. By day’s end, hundreds of the attackers lay dead— snared in a deadly trap set for them by the town’s defender, Hugh Dubh O’Neill. Through text, images and interactive maps, this StoryMap tells this story of Clonmel's hidden heritage - the Siege of Clonmel, the place where Oliver Cromwell met with the bloodiest day of his military career.

The StoryMap begins in 1641, outlining the history of the conflict that engulfed the island for the next eleven years. Interwoven throughout this narrative is the 1640s experience of Clonmel, its people, and its defences. This sets the scene for the story of the siege itself, and its two main protagonists, O’Neill and Cromwell. Using quotes from the participants, it highlights the events of the siege, as well as the Clonmel locations that witnessed the maelstrom in 1650.

The StoryMap concludes with a multi-stop tour around modern Clonmel, designed to allow visitors to walk in the footsteps of those who experienced the most violent and terrifying weeks of the town’s history.

It is part of a wider project with Clonmel Junction Festival, highlighting Clonmel's hidden history.