In April 1599, the Earl of Essex landed in Ireland with over 17,000 troops and cavalry to put down the rebellion of Hugh O'Neill and Red Hugh O'Donnell, which had spread from Ulster to all Ireland. To this end, he supported an Irish enemy of O'Donnell's, Sir Donogh O'Connor (O'Connor Sligo), encouraging him to repossess those territories of his in Sligo that O'Donnell had occupied.