After leaving Kilkenny, O'Neill marched to Borrisoleigh in Tipperary. Here he received an invitation to visit Clare, and went to Killaloe, whence he detached Rory Maguire to surprise Banagher. He then turned back into Tipperary, and sent another detachment to Nenagh, which was taken by storm. From Silvermines he went to Birr, where he heard that Athy was again closely besieged by Preston, and sent a party to relieve it. Inchiquin, in the meantime, recovered Nenagh by undermining the wall, while his men were sheltered with wooden barriers. The garrison surrendered before the mine was fired, and Inchiquin then went to Banagher, where he was joined by Clanricarde and Taaffe. They were so well posted that O'Neill was unable to raise the siege, and retired by Tullamore to the neighbourhood of Belturbet in Cavan. Athlone was already in Clanricarde's hands, so that the party opposed to Rinuccini had been successful all along the line. O'Neill's object had been to reach Kerry, which had not been devastated and where there were harbours to receive foreign supplies, and mountains suited to his peculiar tactics. He remained inactive in Ulster for the rest of the year.[128] [Sidenote: O'Neill makes advances to Inchiquin,] [Sidenote: and to Michael Jones,] [Sidenote: and denounces the Confederates.] [Sidenote: O'Neill proclaimed traitor, Sept. 30.] Early in September O'Neill employed Rory O'More, the original plotter of the rebellion, on a mission to Inchiquin. He offered to leave him the whole of Munster without any condition but that of non-interference in the other provinces. Adopting Rinuccini's view that anything was better than the Supreme Council, he also entered into negotiations with the governor of Dublin. Jones was represented by his brother, the Bishop of Clogher, while Macmahon, who claimed the same see, was hand-and-glove with O'Neill. The General Assembly declared that 'as Owen Roe and the Bishop of Clogher (Macmahon) mislead those adhering unto them with deep protestations of their loyalty, and desires to advance the Catholic religion, and his Majesty's interests, and his aversion to Jones and his ways; so of the other side Jones with his Protestant Bishop of Clogher, by the same acts and illusions (while they be practisers with Owen O'Neill) endeavours to persuade his officers and soldiers that he intends to prosecute him as a pestilent blood-sucker, and a sworn enemy to the English nation and Government; and we are informed that when despatches come from Owen O'Neill, and the messengers of Vicar-General Edmond O'Reilly are seen at Dublin, Jones gives out that they are sent from the Council at Kilkenny.' In his declaration against the truce with Inchiquin O'Neill denounced the Confederates for surrendering all to Ormonde, 'the great personage whom in their souls they know to be wholly disposed to betray the kingdom to the Parliament.' It is hard to believe that O'Neill thought any such