 O'Byrne was joined by James Eustace, Viscount of Baltinglass, an Old English marcher lord of the Pale, who was motivated primarily by his devout Catholicism.In August, John of Desmond and Nicholas Sanders met Baltinglass in Laois to try to co-ordinate their forces, but aside from limited co-operation in the Barrow valley region, they were unable to forge a common strategy.Nevertheless, the outbreak of rebellion so close to the centre of English government in Dublin was of grave concern to the English.