Rathmullan to Quilleboeuf

For a detailed eye-witness description of this leg of the journey see, Tadgh O'Cianáin's account.

The earls intended to travel to Spain. However, the voyage was marred by several fierce storms during which the vessel was thrown off course. Running out of supplies, and uncertain of their exact location, the ship could make no further progress against a head wind. It was then decided to make for Brittany on the French coast. Tantalisingly, it was later discovered that they had come within 30 miles of reaching their original destination, Corunna, Spain. Had the earls reached Spain the subsequent course of Irish history could have been very different.