Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare (1561-1618) commanded the Munster forces at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.
Later, after the fall of Dunboy Castle, Donal Cam battled on, seizing at least six castles around West Cork. By the winter of December 1602, Donal Cam and his followers had reached Glengarriff. They had stationed there for the winter, when Wilmot, leading the crown’s forces, attacked and seized Donal Cam’s 4,000 cattle and 2,000 sheep.
With starvation a real prospect, Donal Cam began a retreat march with 1,000 followers from Glengarriff to Leitrim. He led his troops past Carriganass and up into the foothills immediately north of the castle where there is a leacht or memorial cairn marking the death of one of the group.
Donal Cam later went into exile in Spain where he was made the Knight of Santiago by King Philip III. He was murdered in Madrid in 1618.
