Hugh Roe O'Donnell facts for kids

Hugh Roe O'Donnell (in Irish: Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill), also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell (born October 30, 1572 – died September 10, 1602), was an important Irish leader in the sixteenth-century. He became the leader of the O'Donnell clan and ruler of Tyrconnell in 1593. This happened after a long family argument about who should lead, and after he escaped from five years of unfair imprisonment in Dublin Castle.

Along with his ally Hugh O'Neill of Tyrone, Red Hugh led Irish clans together in the Nine Years' War against the English government in Ireland. He led an Irish army to victory in the Battle of Curlew Pass. After a defeat at the Siege of Kinsale, he traveled to Spain to ask for help from King Philip III. He didn't get the help he needed and died in Spain. His younger brother, Rory O'Donnell, took over after him. People sometimes call him Aodh Ruadh II or Red Hugh II, especially in his home county of County Donegal.

Biography

"The Gaelic Chieftain", a modern statue that remembers O'Donnell's victory at the Battle of Curlew Pass in 1599.

Early Life and Imprisonment

Hugh Roe O'Donnell was born in 1572. His father was Sir Hugh O'Donnell, the leader of the O'Donnell clan and ruler of Tyrconnell. His mother was Fiona MacDonald, whose father was a Scottish leader. Hugh Roe was raised by other families, like the MacSweeneys and O'Cahans, and other parts of the O'Donnell family.

Hugh Roe had many brothers and sisters, including Donnell, Rory, and Cathbarr. His father, Sir Hugh, was a long-time friend of the English Crown. He tried to balance the power of Shane O'Neill and Sir Turlough Luineach O'Neill, who were leaders of the O'Neill clan.

As Sir Hugh got older, a big argument started about who would be the next leader. Red Hugh's mother, Iníon Dubh, wanted him to be the next in line. But his older half-brother, Donnell O'Donnell, became the main choice. The English Crown supported Donnell because they thought he would be the least threatening leader. This was partly because Donnell's mother was Irish, while Red Hugh's mother was Scottish.

There were other people who also wanted to be the O'Donnell Chief, including Hugh Roe's great-uncle Hugh Dubh O'Donnell.

Kidnapping and Escape

In 1587, when he was fifteen, Red Hugh was either married or promised to Rose O'Neill, the daughter of Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone. This helped to strengthen the growing friendship between their two clans. In the same year, Sir John Perrot, who was the English ruler of Ireland, kidnapped him. This was an attempt to stop the O'Donnell and O'Neill clans from becoming allies.

At Rathmullan, O'Donnell was invited onto a ship from Dublin to drink wine. But it was a trick, and he was taken away as part of a plan.

Meanwhile, Donnell O'Donnell's position as leader became stronger when English soldiers from Dublin Castle arrived. Red Hugh's mother, Fiona MacDonald, fought back by hiring many Scottish soldiers. She then defeated and killed her stepson, Donnell, at the Battle of Doire Leathan in 1590. This happened while Red Hugh was still a prisoner in Dublin.

The 13th-century Bermingham Tower at Dublin Castle, where important prisoners were kept during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.

Red Hugh was held in Dublin Castle. He briefly escaped on Christmas Day in 1591 but was caught again within a few days.

His successful escape happened in January 1592. He was helped by Hugh O'Neill's cousins, Art and Henry O'Neill. They planned his escape from Dublin into the Wicklow Mountains during the cold winter. It is thought that bribery helped him escape, and that the English ruler, William FitzWilliam, secretly helped him.

O'Donnell reached a safe place with Fiach McHugh O'Byrne, another ally of O'Neill, at Glenmalure. He found safety there, but he had lost both of his big toes to frostbite. His friend and fellow escapee, Art O'Neill, died from the cold on the slopes of Conavalla. Hugh O'Donnell and his two friends, Art and Henry (Hugh) O'Neill, were the only prisoners who ever successfully escaped from Dublin Castle.

Leading the Nine Years' War

When Red Hugh returned to Ulster, he became the leader of the O'Donnell Clan. At the "Rock of Doon," near Termon, he was named "The O'Donnell," the leader of the clan and ruler of Tyrconnell. This happened after his father gave up his position to him later that year.

In 1593, he successfully led two attacks against Turlough Luineach O'Neill. This forced Turlough O'Neill to give up his leadership to Hugh O'Neill. At this time, O'Neill did not openly join O'Donnell in war, but he secretly supported him. This was to help them get better deals with the English. O'Neill was also talking to Philip II of Spain to ask for military help.

In 1594, O'Donnell openly rebelled against the English. By 1595, O'Donnell's forces had taken control of Connacht, from Sligo to Leitrim. O'Donnell personally put his ally, Tiobóid mac Walter Ciotach Búrca, in charge of the MacWilliam Clan in County Mayo.

In this year, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, stopped trying to make deals with the English. In 1596, the combined armies of O'Donnell and O'Neill defeated an English army led by Sir Henry Bagenal at the Battle of Clontibret.

Their biggest victory came two years later at the Battle of the Yellow Ford in August 1598. This battle was fought on the Blackwater River near the southern border of Tír Eoghain. Here, the Irish completely destroyed an English army that was trying to break the siege of Blackwater Fort. This fort was five miles northwest of the English government's army town of Armagh. Later that year, O'Donnell bought Ballymote Castle and made it his main home.

O'Neill then went south to get the support of Irish clans in Munster, but he didn't have much success. O'Donnell raided Connacht, destroying the town of Athenry and much of County Galway. When he was not allowed into Galway City, he burned its suburbs.

However, because of these attacks, O'Donnell could not convince the local Irish clans to join him.

Over the next two years, O'Donnell and O'Neill faced great pressure as thousands more English troops arrived. O'Donnell pushed back an English attack towards western Ulster at the Battle of Curlew Pass in 1599. But his and O'Neill's position became more about defending themselves.

Even worse for O'Donnell was when his cousin and brother-in-law, Niall Garve O'Donnell, switched sides to the English. He did this in return for their help in claiming the O'Donnell leadership for himself. Niall Garve's brothers and hundreds of O'Donnell warriors also joined him. They tried to take the leadership with the help of the English Crown. Niall Garve's support allowed the English to land soldiers at Derry in the heart of Tyrconnell. They captured the O'Donnell stronghold of Lifford in the Battle of Lifford. O'Donnell led an unsuccessful Siege of Donegal while Niall Garve commanded the English soldiers there.

By this time, O'Neill and O'Donnell knew that their only chance to win the war was with help from Spain. The Spanish finally landed at Kinsale in September 1601. This was almost on the opposite side of Ireland from the northern clans. O'Donnell led his warriors on a difficult march during the winter of 1601, often traveling over 40 miles a day. He joined O'Neill and the Spanish General Juan del Águila at Kinsale in early December 1601.

On the way, he visited a supposed piece of the True Cross, the Holy rood, at Holy Cross Abbey on November 30, 1601. He took a part of it. From there, he sent a group to Ardfert in County Kerry. They won a quick victory and successfully got back the land of his ally, James Fitzmaurice, who had lost it.

During the Battle of Kinsale on January 5/6, 1602, the combined forces of Del Águila, O'Neill, and O'Donnell were defeated by Sir Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy. As the Irish clans retreated from Kinsale, O'Donnell announced his plan to travel to Spain. He wanted to ask King Philip III for more support. This made his supporters lose hope, even though O'Donnell promised he would return by the next spring with twenty thousand Spanish soldiers.

Journey to Spain and Death

After the Irish lost at Kinsale, O'Donnell left Ireland on January 6, 1602. He sailed to Corunna in Galicia, Spain. Many other Irish clan leaders were already arriving there as refugees with their families. He was welcomed with great honors by the Governor of Galicia and the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela. An Irish College was later started there.

While in Corunna, he planned to return to Ireland. He traveled to Valladolid to ask King Philip III for more help. The King promised to plan a new invasion of Ireland. A year passed, and O'Donnell did not hear any news from King Philip III. He left again for Valladolid but died on the way in 1602. He was buried at Simancas Castle. Archbishop of Tuam Fláithrí Ó Maol Chonaire and two friars from Donegal were with him when he died.

Some people believe that an Anglo-Irish spy, James "Spanish" Blake, poisoned O'Donnell. Letters from Sir George Carew, an English official, mention that James Blake had sworn to "kill O'Donnell." Later letters state that O'Donnell was "poisoned by James Blake." However, it is more likely that he died from a tapeworm, as stated in Simancas documents from that time. Spies often make big claims about their actions, and it seems Carew might have exaggerated his success. After O'Donnell's death, Spanish plans to send more help to the Irish clans were stopped.

He was buried in the Franciscan monastery in Valladolid. The building was torn down in 1837. However, the exact spot of his tomb might have been found during a Spanish archaeological dig in May 2020. If his remains are identified, they will be returned for burial in County Donegal.

The poet Thomas McGreevy wrote a poem called Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill. It describes a search for his grave:

Juan de Juni, the priest said,

Each J becoming H,

Berruguete, he said,

and the G was aspirate,

Ximénez, he said then

And aspirated first and last.

But he never said

And -- it seemed odd -- he

Never had heard

The aspirated name

Of the centuries-dead

Bright-haired young man

Whose grave I sought.

McGreevy describes how, when

They brought

His blackening body

Here

To rest

Princes came

Walking

Behind it

And all Valladolid knew And out to Simancas all knew Where they buried Red Hugh.

Aodh was followed as chief of the Clan O'Donnell by his brother, Rory O'Donnell. The English Crown made Rory the 1st Earl of Tyrconnell the next year. Rory took over from Red Hugh as both King of Tír Chonaill and leader of Red Hugh O'Donnell's group within the family. His sister Nuala O'Donnell was married to his cousin and rival Niall Garve O'Donnell.

Family

Legacy

Red Hugh was highly praised in Irish writings from the early 1600s. People admired his noble character and his strong commitment to the Catholic faith. This can be seen in the Annals of the Four Masters and Beatha Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill ("The Life of Red Hugh O'Donnell") by Lughaidh Ó Cléirigh.

Even though his fame after death has been somewhat less than that of his ally Hugh O'Neill, Red Hugh was a very capable leader and military commander. This is especially impressive because he was active at a very young age and was only 29 years old at the Battle of Kinsale. His personality seemed to be very strong and inspiring. People at the time all agreed that he was a great speaker.

In 1843, Michael Joseph MacCann wrote the song "O'Donnell Abu" to honor him. This song was part of a popular movement called romantic nationalism at the time.

In 1977, the Aodh Ruadh O Domhnaill Guild was formed. This group works to have him recognized as a saint of the Catholic Church.

In 1991, a special plaque was put up at Simancas Castle to remember Red Hugh O'Donnell.

In 1992, to mark 390 years since O'Donnell arrived in Galicia, Bill Whelan, the Grammy Award-winning composer of Riverdance, brought together musicians from Ireland and Galicia. They released a symphony called From Kinsale to Corunna.

In September 2002, Eunan O'Donnell gave a speech at Simancas Castle to honor Red Hugh. This happened during the O'Donnell Clan Gathering in Spain.

Aodh Ruadh CLG in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, is named after Red Hugh O'Donnell.

Red Hughs GAA club in Crossroads, Killygordon, County Donegal, is also named after Red Hugh O'Donnell.

See also

• O'Donnell
• Irish kings
• Tyrconnell
• County Donegal
• Kings of Tir Connaill
• Early Modern Ireland 1536-1691