Ireland, Issues of the City of Cork 1646 Farthing, Youghal, YT and branch

Ireland, Charles I (1625-49), siege money, Youghal, copper Farthing on square flan, undated, Y.T for Youghal town, branch above, rev. galley ship in double circle, weight 0.68g (DF 323; S.6564). Toned with a light patina of corrosion, poor to fair and a rare survivor of this siege town, very rare.

Munster town Youghal was one of four locations in the county that held out for the Parliamentarians against the armies of the Confederated Catholics who were headquartered in Kilkenny. The other places were Kinsale, Bandon and Cork all further to the west. Such Youghal pieces first came to modern light in 1816 with the discovery of a few near the town walls and an account of examples then known were written up by the Reverand Samuel Hayman in the Journal of Kilkenny and South East of Ireland Archaeological Society, volume 2, number 1 of 1858 p.222-232. He attributed these pieces to issue under the authority of Lord Roger Broghill, the bird (a crude martlet even) perhaps being a cadence on Lord Broghill being one of the younger sons of Richard the Earl of Cork. Lord Broghill otherwise known as Roger Boyle was later Earl of Orrery born art Lismore on 26^th April 1621. He studied at Trinity College and travelled with his brother in Europe. He married a daughter of the Earl of Suffolk in 1640 and returned to live at Lismore on the day Irish hostilities broke out, fortifying his Father's house and subsequently distinguishing himself in several engagements with the Confederates. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Liscarroll in 1643 but was soon rescued. Also that year he opposed the cessation of arms and in 1644 joined in a letter to the King with Lord Inchiquin and others praying that no peace should be concluded with the Irish. The answer from the King was deemed so unsatisfactory that he and Lord Inchiquin placed themselves under the protection of Parliament and Lord Broghill now acted for Inchiquin at Castle Lyons Youghal and elsewhere. In 1646 the year of this siege coin, he took Blarney Castle from Lord Muskerry. Later after the execution of Charles I Broghill settled in his estate in Somerset but was pressed into the service of Oliver Cromwell after his involvement on a plot on the continent to restore the Stuart lineage. He proved useful to Cromwell and became a firm trusted ally and was made Governer of Scotland for a while. However, after Cromwell died, Broghill found Richard Cromwell a weak successor though he served on his council and favoured the restoration of the monarchy. Returning to Ireland and joining with others he seized a number of southern towns for the King including Youghal and helped end Parliamentarian rule in Ireland, becoming Lord-Justice and President of Munster. He built a mansion in 1661 at Charleville for his presidency and split his time between there and London, finally settling in Ireland for good from August 1676.He died on 16^th October 1679 aged 58 and is buried in the Collegiate Church of Saint Mary in Youghal where there is a monument to him.