Donnell O'Donnell

Sir Donnell O'Donnell (died 1590) was a member of the O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell in modern-day County Donegal. He was the eldest son of Sir Hugh O'Donnell, the ruler of Tyrconnell for much of the reign of Elizabeth I.

He was a leading contender in the O'Donnell succession dispute of the 1580s which took place while his father was still alive. Amongst the other leading contenders were his half-brother Hugh Roe O'Donnell and his great-uncle Hugh Dubh O'Donnell. Donnell received the backing of the Crown, who felt he had a strong claim to the title although his father had not nominated him as his successor. The government felt that Donnell could command more support locally than his brother as Donnell's mother was a Donegal woman while Hugh Roe was the son of Iníon Dubh, a Scottish woman.^[1]

Shortly after the Armada shipwreck of 1588 he was appointed as Sheriff of Donegal by the Lord Deputy William FitzWilliam.^[2] 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 Donnell against his rivals.

Donnell grew stronger in the late 1580s, and took control over much of western Tyrconnell. He was also powerful enough to interfere in a succession dispute in neighboring Fermanagh, where he established Hugh Maguire as chief ahead of his rival Connor Roe Maguire.^[3] Donnell also drew strength from the support of the Ulster lord Turlough O'Neill, whose daughter he married.^[4]

Faced with the eclipse of her son Hugh Roe's position, Iníon Dubh acted decisively. She hired large numbers of Redshank mercenaries from her native Scotland to confront her son's rival. Donnell was defeated and killed at the Battle of Doire Leathan on 3 September 1590.^[5] Two years later Hugh Roe successfully had himself made Chief of the O'Donnells.

References

Bibliography

• Morgan, Hiram. Tyrone's Rebellion. Boydell Press, 1999.