Hugh Roe O'Donnell

From Freepedia

"Red" Hugh Roe O'Donnell (Aodh Rua Ó Domhnaill in Irish) (1571- 10 September 1602) was an Irish King who led O'Donnell's Rebellion from 1593-1596 and later helped lead the Nine Years War, a revolt against English occupation, from 1593 to 1603.

Born to Irish chieftain Hugh MacManus in 1571, he was kidnapped by Sir John Perrot in an attempt to prevent an alliance between the O'Donnell and O'Neill clans, and imprisoned in Dublin Castle in 1587. He escaped briefly in 1590 but was recaptured within the year. He finally managed to escape in January 1592, and upon his return gained the leadership of the Clan O'Donnell becoming Lord of Tyrconnel (Donegal) after his father abdicated in his favor later that year. Driving the sheriff out of Tyrconnel he successfully led two expeditions against Turlough Luineach O'Neill in 1593. Declaring open rebellion against the English the following year, O'Donnell's forces captured Connaught from Sligo to Leitrim by 1595. Allying with chieftain Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyronne in 1596 the combined forces of O'Donnell and O'Neill defeated an English army under Sir Harvey Bagenal at the Battle of the Yellow Ford on the Blackwater River near the southern border of Tyrone in August 1598. Leading his army in a hard march during the winter of 1601, often covering over 40 miles a day, to join O'Neill and Spanish General Juan del Aquila at Kinsale arriving in early December 1601. During the Battle of Kinsale on December 24, 1601 O'Donnell launched an attack to break the English siege but was defeated by Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy.

After the Irish defeat at Kinsale he fled to Spain in an attempt to gain further assistance from the Spanish living in exile until his death, in 1602, at Simancas Castle. While it was once commonly held that he had been poisoned - a James Blake from Galway is often named as the assassin who befriended and then poisoned him on behalf of the English - it is now believed that he died of bubonic plague.

He was buried in the chapter of the Franciscan monastery in Valladolid. However, the building was destroyed in the 19th century, and the tombs seem to have suffered the same fate.

He was succeeded as chief of the Clan O'Donnell and Lord of Tyrconnel by his brother Rory O'Donnell.

In 1991, a plaque was erected at Simancas Castle in commemoration of Red Hugh O'Donnell, which was unveiled by Don Leopoldo Ó Donnell, Duque de Tetuan.

Further reading

Cyril Falls, Elizibeth's Irish Wars, London, 1950

See Also

• Irish kings
• Kings of Tir Connaill

External links

• The Hugh O'Donnell Guild - Working for the beutification of "Red Hugh"
• The O'Donnell Coat of Arms and Family History