Editing Killala (section)

=== French invasion ===
{{see also|Battle of Killala}}
Killala was the site of the first engagement, during the [[Irish Rebellion of 1798]], to involve the French force of General [[Jean Joseph Amable Humbert]]. On 22 August 1798, Humbert landed at nearby [[Kilcummin, County Mayo|Kilcummin harbour]], with 1,109 French troops, with the objective of supporting the rebellion.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The French Invasion of Ireland in '98|url=https://archive.org/details/frenchinvasionof00grib_0|last=Gribayedoff|first=Valerian Gribayedoff|publisher=Charles B. Summersby|year=1890|isbn=3337192882|location=New York}}</ref> Humbert's force seized Killala and advanced to Ballina, which was also captured with little trouble. The force then moved further inland and, on 27 August, it won the [[Battle of Castlebar]] against a larger government force commanded by General [[Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake|Gerard Lake]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Gribayedoff |first=Valerian Gribayedoff |url=https://archive.org/details/frenchinvasionof00grib_0 |title=The French Invasion of Ireland in '98 |publisher=Charles B. Summersby |year=1890 |isbn=3337192882 |location=New York}}</ref> [[File:Killala111.jpg|thumb|Account of the French movements after the landing in Killala]] 
The defeat of the government forces at Castlebar caused a panic in Dublin, and the British government sent reinforcements to Ireland. Humbert and his Irish allies were eventually defeated at the [[Battle of Ballinamuck]] in Longford.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://clarechampion.ie/the-1798-battle-of-ballinamuck/ | title = The 1798 Battle of Ballinamuck | publisher = The Clare Champion | website = clarechampion.ie | date = 9 September 2010}}</ref> On 23 September, a government force led by Major-General Eyre Power Trench attacked Killala and ejected the remnants of Humbert's invasion force who were still in the town. The defeat was the last land major engagement of the 1798 rebellion. Killala had remained under rebel control for thirty-two days.<ref>{{cite book | last = Stock | first = Joeseph | title = A Narrative of what passed at Killalla, in the County of Mayo, and the parts adjacent, during the French invasion in the summer of 1798 | place = Dublin & London | date = 1800}}</ref>