in 1223 and 1224, hugh de lacy waged war to recover his former irish lands, allied himself to áed méith, and soon overran most of ulster. in regard to alan's family during this resurgence, the "annals of ulster" reveal that áed méith destroyed thomas' castle at coleraine. alan wrote to henry in 1224, stating that he had been active in the king's service from june to september, and was about to launch a planned invasion of ireland, but had just received intelligence indicating that a deal had been concluded between hugh and the justiciar; additionally in his letter, alan asked the king for confirmation of such a truce, and requested, in the event that hugh were to be restored to favour, that his own and his brother's lands would be safeguarded by the king. although alan received a royal licence to colonise his irish lands the following year, there is no evidence that he or his brother were able to develop them.