The Catholics of the whole kingdom had joined a confederation, which held its meetings at Kilkenny.

A general assembly was convened for October 23, 1642.

The peerage was represented by fourteen lords and eleven bishops.

Generals were appointed for each of the other provinces, Preston for Leinster, Barry for Munster, and Burke for Connaught.

With the Anglo-Irish portion of the confederacy the war was Catholic, and the object religious liberty.