The battle of New Ross was a minor engagement fought in 1643, at the start of the Irish Confederate Wars. James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde defeated Thomas Preston and an Irish Confederate army north of the town of New Ross. Ormonde had marched from Dublin to besiege the Confederate garrison there. Having had to lift the siege, Ormonde returned to Dublin via the north west of the Blackstairs mountains, where he was intercepted by Preston. However, Ormonde fought his way through and marched his force back to Dublin. Events January 21 - Abel Tasman discovers Tonga May 14 - Four year-old France upon the death of his father, Louis XIII. May 19 - Battle of Rocroi: French victory over the Spanish at Rocroi, France. ... Irish Confederate Wars began with the rebellion of the Irish of Ulster in October 1641, during which they regained their confiscated lands and murdered hundreds, possibly thousands, of Scots and English Protestant settlers. ... James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde (October 19, 1610 - 1688) was an Anglo-Irish statesman and soldier. ... Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara (1585 - 1655) was a descendant of Sir Robert de Preston, who in 1363 purchased the lands of Gormanston, Co. ... New Ross (Ros Mhic Thriúin in Irish) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. ... Dublins Hapenny Bridge. ...