Donnell O'Donnell

Sir Donal O'Donnell (Irish: Sir Domhnall Ó Domhnaill, died 14 September 1590) was a member of the O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell in modern-day County Donegal. He was the eldest son of Sir Hugh McManus O'Donnell, the Lord of Tyrconnell for much of the reign of Elizabeth I.^[1]

Biography edit

Sir Donal O'Donnell was the eldest son of Sir Hugh O'Donnell, the ruler of Tyrconnell.^[2] Sir Donal was the leading contender in the O'Donnell succession dispute of the 1580s which took place while his father was still alive. His personal authority, with duties similar to a Tacksman to a Scottish clan chief, covered "that part of Tirconnell from the mountain westwards, i.e. from Barnesmore to the river Drowes (i.e. Tirhugh), and also all the inhabitants of Boylagh and Tir Boghaine (i.e. Bannagh)".^[3] His father's primary domain concentrated on Kilmacrenan and Mongavlin, and his cousin Niall Garbh O'Donnell, with similar duties, held sway over the Clan's traditional stronghold of Lifford and eastwards of there.^[4] The Four Masters described him as "a mighty champion and great in battle, and it was never heard that at any time he had turned his back on his enemies" and O'Donovan says he was known "to lead his father's forces".^[5]

Amongst the other leading contenders were his younger half-brother Hugh Roe O'Donnell and his great-uncle Hugh Dubh O'Donnell. Donal received the allegiance of O'Boyle and MacSweeney Banagh, as well as of the English Crown, who felt he had a stronger claim to the Lordship, by primogeniture.^[6] The Dublin government felt that Donal could command more support locally than his brother as Donal's mother was an Ulster woman while Hugh Roe was the son of Finola MacDonald, daughter of James MacDonald, Scottish clan chief of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg and Kintyre.^[7]

Shortly after the Armada shipwreck of 1588, Sir Donal O'Donnell was knighted and appointed as High Sheriff of Donegal by the Lord Deputy, Sir William FitzWilliam.^[8] FitzWilliam also had Sir Eoin O'Gallagher, an influential supporter of Hugh Roe, arrested and imprisoned. In 1589 a force of Irish Army troops were sent into the area under Captain John Connill who assisted Sir Donal against his rivals.

Sir Donal grew stronger in the late 1580s, and took control over much of western Tyrconnell. He was also powerful enough to back his own candidate in the succession dispute in neighbouring Fermanagh, where he established Hugh Maguire as Chief of the Name ahead of his rival Connor Roe Maguire.^[8] Donal also drew strength from his alliance with Sir Turlough Luineach O'Neill, whose daughter he had married.^[9]

Shortly after the Armada shipwreck of 1588, Sir Donal O'Donnell was knighted and appointed as Sheriff of County Donegal by the Lord Deputy, Sir William FitzWilliam.^[8] Faced with the attempted overthrow of her husband, Sir Hugh O'Donnell, and the eclipse with English backing of her son's claim to the succession, Iníon Dubh hired large numbers of Redshank mercenaries and raised those among Donegal's Irish clans which were still loyal to her husband to confront her son's rival. Sir Donal was defeated and killed in action at the Battle of Doire Leathan, near Glencolmcille, on 14 September 1590.

According to the Annals of the Four Masters, "Seldom before that time had his enemies triumphed over him; and the party by whom he was slain had not been by any means his enemies until they encountered on this occasion; and although this Donnell was not the rightful heir of his father, it would have been no disgrace to Tirconnell to have elected him as its chief, had he been permitted to attain to that dignity. In this conflict were slain along with Donnell the three sons of Owen, son of Mulmurry, son of Donough above mentioned, together with two hundred others, around Donnell."^[10]

Legacy edit

After successfully escaping from Dublin Castle two years later, Hugh Roe successfully had himself made The O'Donnell.

Sir Donal O'Donnell was survived by his only son, Donal Óg O'Donnell.^[11] In a Spanish genealogy of the O'Donnell Dukes of Tetuan, Sir Donal O'Donnell features as a collateral ancestor with the annotation "en 1589 su padre le concedio el titulo de marques - en 1587 se adhirio al pacto de su padre para librar a su hermano (Red) Hugh".^[12]

Family tree edit

Hugh McManus O'Donnell (d. 1600)^[i]^[ii]
- First marriage: an unnamed Irish woman
  - Donnchadh (Scaite)^{^{[citation needed]}}
  - Donnell (d. 14 September 1590)^[iii]^[iv]
    - Married: daughter of Turlough O'Neill^{^{[citation needed]}}
      - Dómhnall Óg^[a]^[v]^[vi]
  - Ruadhri (d. 1575)^{^{[citation needed]}}
  - Siobhán^[vii] (c. 1569^[viii] – c. 1591)^[i]
    - Married: Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.^[ix]
      - Hugh, Baron of Dungannon (1585–1609)^[ix]^[x]
      - Henry O'Neill (1586?–1617×21)^[ix]
      - Margaret (married Richard Butler, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret)^[x]
  - Unnamed daughter (fl. 1579)^{^{[citation needed]}}
  - Nuala (fl. 1592–1629)^[i]^[xi]
    - Married Niall Garve O'Donnell (1569–1626)^[xii]
      - Grania^{^{[citation needed]}}
- Second marriage: Fiona "Iníon Dubh" MacDonald (married 1569) ^[iv]
  - Hugh Roe (1572 – 10 September 1602).^[i]^[xiii]
  - Rory (1575 – 28 July 1608).^[i]^[xiv]
    - Elizabeth^[xv]
      - Married: Luke Plunket, later 1st Earl of Fingall.^{^{[citation needed]}}
    - Married: Bridget Fitzgerald, daughter of the 12th Earl of Kildare^[xvi]
      - Hugh O'Donnell, 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell.^[xv]^[a]
        Married: Anna-Margaret, daughter of Maximilian de Hennin, Count de Bossut.^[xvii]
      - Mary Stuart O'Donnell (fl. 1607–1639).^[xv]^[xviii]
  - Manus (d. 22 October 1600)^[xix]
  - Mairghead (d. 1662)^{^{[citation needed]}}
  - Máire (d. 1662)^{^{[citation needed]}}
    - Married: Tadhg Ó Ruairc, King of West Breifne (d. 1605)
  - Cathbarr (d. 15 September 1608)^[xx]
    - Married: Rosa O'Doherty (c.1588–1660), daughter of Sir John O'Doherty
      - Hugh O'Donnell (d. 1625)^[xxi]

Notes

^ ^a ^b If the Earldom of Tyrconnell had not been attained, then next in line as 3rd Earl of Tyrconnell would have been Dómhnall Óg.^{^{[citation needed]}}

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Burke 1866, p. 409.
^ https://www.dib.ie/biography/odonnell-o-domhnaill-sir-aodh-mac-maghnusa-a6332
^ Annals of the Four Masters: "1590: ...the son of O'Donnell himself, who, being unable to display prowess or defend himself, was slain at Doire-leathan, on one side of the harbour of Telinn, on the 14th of September."
^ ^a ^b O'Byrne, Emmett (2009). "MacDonnell (Nic Dhomhnaill), Fiona (Fionnghuala) ('Iníon Dubh')". Dictionary of Irish Biography.
^ O'Donnell, Francis Martin (2018), The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy, Washington, D.C.: Academica Press LLC, p. 580-581, ISBN 978-1-680534740
^ Hegarty, Roddy. Imeacht Na nIarlí: The Flight of the Earls: 1607 - 2007 (PDF).
^ Canny, Nicholas (2004). "O'Neill, Hugh [Aodh O'Neill], second earl of Tyrone (1583–1616)". In Matthew, Colin; Harrison, Brian (eds.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 41. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 837–845. ISBN 0-19-861391-1.
^ "We know little of Siobhan, who can hardly have been more than one-and- twenty, when she died in 1590."^[13]
^ ^a ^b ^c Canny 2008
^ ^a ^b Dunlop 1895, p. 196
^ O'Donnell, Nuala
^ O'Donnell, Sir Niall Garvach
^ Annals of the Four Masters
^ Bagwell, Richard (1895). "O'Donnell, Rory" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 41. pp. 444–447.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Hugh Albert O'Donnell, born [to Rory and Brigid] about October 1606, was the only son of this marriage, Mary Stuart O'Donnell being born about a year later. Some authorities give an eldest child, Elizabeth, probably illegitimate, who became first wife of Luke Plunkett, first earl of Fingall" (Silke 2006).
^ Webb, Alfred. "Rury O'Donnell", A Compendium of Irish Biography, 1878
^ Burke 1866, p. 410.
^ Casway, Jerrold I. (2004). "O'Donnell, Lady Mary Stuart (b. 1607?, d. in or after 1639)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20557. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ ^[13]
^ "O'Donnell, Caffar". Dictionary of Irish Biography.
^ Casway 1984, pp. 27–28.

Sources:

Burke, Sir Bernard (1866), A Genealogical History of the Dormant: Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire, Harrison, pp. 409–410
Canny, Nicholas (January 2008) [2004], "O'Neill, Hugh , second earl of Tyrone (c.1550–1616)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.), Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20775 (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Casway, Jerrold (1984), Owen Roe O'Neill and the Struggle for Catholic Ireland, University of Pennsylvania Press
Dunlop, Robert (1895), "O'Neill, Hugh (1540?-1616)" , Dictionary of National Biography, vol. 42, pp. 188–196
Silke, John J. (May 2006) [2004]. "O'Donnell, Rury , styled first earl of Tyrconnell (1574/5–1608)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20559. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

Notes edit

^ *O’Donnell, Francis Martin (2018), The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy, Washington, D.C.: Academica Press LLC, ISBN 978-1-680534740
^ *Lennon, Colm (1994), Sixteenth Century Ireland – The Incomplete Conquest, Volume 2 in the New Gill History of Ireland, Dublin: Gill & MacMIllan Ltd, ISBN 0717116239
^ *Annals of the Four Masters (1998), Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annala Ríoghachta Éireann) from the earliest period to the year 1616 (compiled during the period 1632-1636 by Brother Michael O'Clery et al., and translated and edited by John O'Donovan in 1856, Dublin: De Burca, ISBN 0946130-06-X
^ O'Donnell 2018, p. 576.
^ Four Masters 1998, p. 1875 (Volume VI).
^ Four Masters 1998, p. 1891 (Volume VI).
^ Morgan 1999, p. 124.
^ ^a ^b ^c Morgan 1999, p. 130.
^ Morgan 1999, p. 107.
^ The Annals of the Four Masters, 1590
^ O'Donnell 2018, p. 580-581.
^ O'Donnell 2018, p. 575 (see also Dossier 239, O'Donnell Archives of Rupert O Cochlainn, Lifford Heritage Centre, County Donegal).
^ ^a ^b The Irish ecclesiastical record

References edit

Four Masters (1998), Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annala Ríoghachta Éireann) from the earliest period to the year 1616 (compiled during the period 1632-1636 by Brother Michael O'Clery et al., and translated and edited by John O'Donovan in 1856, Dublin: De Burca, ISBN 0946130-06-X
Lennon, Colm (1994), Sixteenth Century Ireland – The Incomplete Conquest, Volume 2 in the New Gill History of Ireland, Dublin: Gill & MacMIllan Ltd, ISBN 0717116239
Morgan, Hiram (1999), Tyrone's Rebellion, Boydell Press
O'Donnell, Francis Martin (2018), The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy, Washington, D.C.: Academica Press LLC, ISBN 978-1-680534740

[3rd_Earl_of_Tyrconnell-17] If the Earldom of Tyrconnell had not been attained, then next in line as 3rd Earl of Tyrconnell would have been Dómhnall Óg.^{^{[citation needed]}}

[Burke_1866,_p._409-13] Burke 1866, p. 409.

[14] ttps://www.dib.ie/biography/odonnell-o-domhnaill-sir-aodh-mac-maghnusa-a6332

[15] Annals of the Four Masters: "1590: ...the son of O'Donnell himself, who, being unable to display prowess or defend himself, was slain at Doire-leathan, on one side of the harbour of Telinn, on the 14th of September."

[fiona-16] O'Byrne, Emmett (2009). "MacDonnell (Nic Dhomhnaill), Fiona (Fionnghuala) ('Iníon Dubh')". Dictionary of Irish Biography.

[18] O'Donnell, Francis Martin (2018), The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy, Washington, D.C.: Academica Press LLC, p. 580-581, ISBN 978-1-680534740

[19] Hegarty, Roddy. Imeacht Na nIarlí: The Flight of the Earls: 1607 - 2007 (PDF).

[20] Canny, Nicholas (2004). "O'Neill, Hugh [Aodh O'Neill], second earl of Tyrone (1583–1616)". In Matthew, Colin; Harrison, Brian (eds.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 41. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 837–845. ISBN 0-19-861391-1.

[22] "We know little of Siobhan, who can hardly have been more than one-and- twenty, when she died in 1590."^[13]

[Canny,_2008-23] Canny 2008

[Dunlop,_1895-24] Dunlop 1895, p. 196

[25] O'Donnell, Nuala

[26] O'Donnell, Sir Niall Garvach

[27] Annals of the Four Masters

[28] Bagwell, Richard (1895). "O'Donnell, Rory" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 41. pp. 444–447.

[Silke_2003-29] "Hugh Albert O'Donnell, born [to Rory and Brigid] about October 1606, was the only son of this marriage, Mary Stuart O'Donnell being born about a year later. Some authorities give an eldest child, Elizabeth, probably illegitimate, who became first wife of Luke Plunkett, first earl of Fingall" (Silke 2006).

[30] Webb, Alfred. "Rury O'Donnell", A Compendium of Irish Biography, 1878

[31] Burke 1866, p. 410.

[32] Casway, Jerrold I. (2004). "O'Donnell, Lady Mary Stuart (b. 1607?, d. in or after 1639)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20557. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[33] [13]

[34] "O'Donnell, Caffar". Dictionary of Irish Biography.

[35] Casway 1984, pp. 27–28.

[1] *O’Donnell, Francis Martin (2018), The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy, Washington, D.C.: Academica Press LLC, ISBN 978-1-680534740

[2] *Lennon, Colm (1994), Sixteenth Century Ireland – The Incomplete Conquest, Volume 2 in the New Gill History of Ireland, Dublin: Gill & MacMIllan Ltd, ISBN 0717116239

[3] *Annals of the Four Masters (1998), Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annala Ríoghachta Éireann) from the earliest period to the year 1616 (compiled during the period 1632-1636 by Brother Michael O'Clery et al., and translated and edited by John O'Donovan in 1856, Dublin: De Burca, ISBN 0946130-06-X

[FOOTNOTEO'Donnell2018576-4] O'Donnell 2018, p. 576.

[FOOTNOTEFour_Masters19981875_(Volume_VI)-5] Four Masters 1998, p. 1875 (Volume VI).

[FOOTNOTEFour_Masters19981891_(Volume_VI)-6] Four Masters 1998, p. 1891 (Volume VI).

[FOOTNOTEMorgan1999124-7] Morgan 1999, p. 124.

[FOOTNOTEMorgan1999130-8] Morgan 1999, p. 130.

[FOOTNOTEMorgan1999107-9] Morgan 1999, p. 107.

[10] The Annals of the Four Masters, 1590

[FOOTNOTEO'Donnell2018580-581-11] O'Donnell 2018, p. 580-581.

[FOOTNOTEO'Donnell2018575_(see_also_Dossier_239,_O'Donnell_Archives_of_Rupert_O_Cochlainn,_Lifford_Heritage_Centre,_County_Donegal)-12] O'Donnell 2018, p. 575 (see also Dossier 239, O'Donnell Archives of Rupert O Cochlainn, Lifford Heritage Centre, County Donegal).

[:manus-21] The Irish ecclesiastical record

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