Northern Column Fails to Take Hacketstown, Co. Carlow and Returns to Camp at Croghan

Northern column fails to take Hacketstown, Co. Carlow and returns to camp at Croghan. Southern column marches from Slatt to camp at Kilcumney Hill, Co. Carlow.

This entry refers to military maneuvers during the 1798 Irish Rebellion, specifically involving the United Irishmen forces in the southeast. • The northern column, likely made up of Wexford insurgents and Carlow rebels, attempted to storm Hacketstown, a strategically important garrison town. The defenders repelled the attack, inflicting heavy casualties. The rebels were forced to retreat to Croghan Hill, a known rebel stronghold offering good defensive terrain. • Simultaneously, the southern column advanced from Slatt (Co. Laois) and camped at Kilcumney Hill, in preparation for coordinated attacks or as a fallback position. Kilcumney offered a commanding position in the Barrow Valley.

These movements were part of the broader rebel effort to spread the rising beyond Wexford and link up forces across Leinster. However, the lack of coordination, strong loyalist resistance, and poor arms would soon lead to the failure of the campaign in the region.