July to September 1588

The Spanish Armada has attempted to rendezvous with its army and invade England to depose the heretic Elizabeth I. The Armada waited in vain for the Duke of Parma's army to arrive at Calais. Elizabeth I addresses her troops as they wait at Tilbury for the Armada. Meanwhile, in Ireland, the Irish Pirate Queen Grainne was losing her hold over the waters of Cley Bay to the English and was traveling to England for an audience with the Queen, hoping to regain her rights.

What ifs:

What if Duke Alonso Perez de Guzman did not escape into the North Channel and follow King Phillip’s plan to invade England, only to run into the Privateer, Sir Francis Drake, who was there to try to stop him?

What if the Pirate Commander, Grainne Ui Mhaille, seeking release of her hostage-son and her ships, came to present her case before Elizabeth I and instead found herself in the middle of a war? (What could a pirate do?)

What if The Three Commanders had been able to deploy Grappling Hooks, thus allowing fighters and archers from each ship to fight on decks and gangplanks with the treacherous ocean waiting to swallow them up?

What if the Spanish Armada and Grainne assaulted the English Castle from their ships using archers and siege weapons?

And what if they landed and all Three Commanders met in an open field battle?

Then we could have the Battle of 3 commanders!

The English Privateer Commander ~ Sir Francis Drake ~ HE Don Robert MacPharland, OP

The Irish Pirate Commander ~ Grainne Ui Mhaille ~ HE Druinne de Salesberie, OP

The Spanish Armada Commander ~ Duke Alonso Perez Guzman ~ HE Don Iago Cabrera de Cadiz

Choose your commanders. Prepare your Bardic and A&S entries; the theme is Pirate, Privateers; the Sea, the Irish, the English and the Spanish.

Prepare for battles with: Rapier, Chivalric, Combat Archery, Siege Weapons, Equestrian (will there be mounted combat?) and target shooting for Archers.

There will be a quest for the children aged 6-12 years, with no limit on number of entrants.

You can help your Commander by volunteering for service.

All participants should donate to the War Chest which will be presented to the winning Commander.

Merchants are welcome with a donation to the War Chest appreciated.