Garret Barry (soldier)

Garret Barry
Frontispiece of his book "A Discourse ..."
Died	March 1646 Limerick
Allegiance	Spain Irish Confederation
Rank	Captain in the Spanish service, General of the Confederate Munster army
Battles/wars	Eighty Years' War Irish Confederate Wars

Garret Barry, also called Gerat (died 1646), was an Irish soldier and military writer, who fought for Spain in the Eighty Years' War and then for the Irish insurgents in the Rebellion and the Confederate Wars. When young he left Kinsale at its surrender in 1602 for Spain where he took service, first as marine in the Atlantic Fleet and then in the Army of Flanders. While in Spanish service, he fought at the Siege of Breda in 1624/1625. He retired with the rank of captain in 1632. Returning to Ireland he was at the Rebellion appointed general of the insurgents' Munster Army. He took Limerick in June 1642 but was defeated at Liscarroll by Inchiquin in September. He was confirmed as General of the Munster Army by the Irish Catholic Confederation but was in practice superseded by Castlehaven in 1643.