# Hugh O'Donnell, 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell

General Hugh Albert O'Donnell, 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell (c. October 1606 – 1 July 1642), was an Irish-born nobleman, descended from the O'Donnell clan of Tyrconnell, who served as a general in the Spanish military. The only son of chieftain Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, he participated in the Flight of the Earls, leaving Ireland as an infant never to return. He also held the title Baron of Donegal.
O'Donnell was raised at St Anthony's College in Leuven, Spanish Netherlands. He assumed the name Albert for his confirmation in honour of Albert VII, Archduke of Austria. He became a general in the Spanish military and was in favour with the Spanish court. He died in 1642 when his ship, the Magdalena, was attacked and sunk by French forces off the coast of Barcelona.

## Family background

He was born in his mother's home at Maynooth around October 1606, the only son of Rory, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, and his wife Bridget FitzGerald. His paternal grandparents were Sir Hugh McManus O'Donnell, an Ulster chieftain, and Scottish noblewoman Fiona "Iníon Dubh" MacDonald. His maternal grandparents were Irish peer Henry FitzGerald, 12th Earl of Kildare, and English noblewoman Frances Howard.
Hugh Albert had a mixed ancestry of various noble families. His father's paternal family were the Gaelic Irish O'Donnell clan of Tyrconnell, who claimed descent, via Conall Gulban of the Cenél Conaill, from High King Niall of the Nine Hostages. He was also a descendant of the first six Scottish Chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, as well as being descended from Robert the Bruce via Robert II. His mother was descended from the Hiberno-Norman FitzGerald dynasty and the English Howard family.
His father's branch of the O'Donnell clan had ruled Tyrconnell since 1566. The Irish confederacy's defeat in the Nine Years' War (which ended three years before his birth) marked the beginning of the end for Gaelic Irish society. Although Rory had fought against the English during the war, he managed to secure favour with King James I. On 27 September 1603, Rory was created Baron of Donegal and 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, with the title Baron of Donegal to his heirs apparent. Thus, Hugh Albert became Baron of Donegal upon his birth.
Hugh Albert was fostered by the O'Gallaghers in his youth.

## Flight of the Earls

On 14 September 1607, due to increasing hostility from the government, Rory and his wartime ally Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, fled from Ireland along with ninety of their followers. Hugh Albert accompanied his father on the flight. He was aged eleven months at the time. His wet nurse Caecilia O'Gallagher, plus two criadas, also accompanied him on the flight. His cousin, also called Hugh O'Donnell (son of his uncle Cathbarr), was also on the flight. In the haste to leave, his mother Bridget was left behind in Maynooth. Bridget was pregnant at the time; a few months after the flight, she gave birth to Hugh Albert's younger sister Mary Stuart O'Donnell.
The refugees hoped to reached Spain, but were turned away due to Philip III's fears of violating the Treaty of London. Thus the refugees spent the winter in Leuven in the Spanish Netherlands. Many of the refugees were compelled to leave their children behind in Leuven under the care of Franciscans. Hugh Albert and his cousin Hugh were left in Leuven, whilst their parents continued to Rome. Cathbarr's wife Rosa remained in the Spanish Netherlands.
Hugh Albert and his cousin Hugh were brought up at St Anthony's College, Leuven. Caecilia and her husband served as Hugh Albert's foster parents. The couple were clients of the O'Donnell clan. They had "lost all their possessions to come [to Flanders]", and they maintained Hugh Albert for "a full year and six months" at their own expense.
Caecilia looked after Hugh Albert until February 1608, when he was given to the Convent of the Dames Blanches in Leuven. A nurse named Anna ny Madden supplanted Caecilia after the earls left for Rome. Caecilia and her husband were devastated by this development, reminding officials that they were Hugh Albert's legal fosterers. They condemned Madden for "slovenness and unpleasantness," and accused her for only caring about the well-being of her own child and her spouse Dennis O'Kelly. Caecilia's husband questioned how a stranger could teach Hugh Albert the Irish language ("his mother tongue") and he asserted that Caecilia should remain with Hugh Albert at the convent as his rightful nurse. The O'Gallaghers bemoaned that they had "no other consolation except this child, or means of support, or income", and lamented to the Archduke that they "had nothing to eat except what your Highness with your wanted kindness is pleased to grant". These desperate solicitations and pleas only alienated their correspondents.

## Earl of Tyrconnell

Rory died of a fever in Rome on 28 July 1608. Hugh Albert became 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell after his father's death. Cathbarr similarly died of fever on 15 September 1608 in Rome. Nuala (Hugh Albert's aunt) became entrusted with the care of Hugh Albert and cousin Hugh. Nuala arrived in the Lowlands in mid-December 1611. In all likelihood, after Rory's death, Hugh Albert and his cousin Hugh were confided to the charge of Cathbarr's widow Rosa O'Doherty. The two boys remained in the care of their nurses at the convent until October 1610, when Hugh Albert and his cousin Hugh were given over to Hugh MacCaughwell, the Franciscan superior of the Irish College in Leuven. At the Irish College, the O'Donnell cousins were raised in the company of the Earl of Tyrone's sons Shane (future 3rd Earl of Tyrone) and Brian.
Tyrone petitioned for Nuala and Rosa to be relocated back to the Spanish Netherlands to alleviate their deprivation and allow them to look after the O'Donnell cousins. Tyrone's application failed. For the next two years, Rosa and Nuala repeatedly petitioned the Spanish government to allow them to reunite with their nephews in Flanders. Phillip III instructed ambassador Castro to "calm [Rosa] and divert her from this purpose and console her in what manner seem[s] best to you". On 20 June 1612, Castro informed Philip III that he could not dissuade Rosa and that she was travelling to the Low Countries. Castro relented and transferred her pension to Flanders. Rosa took residence with Nuala and the sister-in-laws looked after the O'Donnell cousins.
The title of Earl of Tyrconnell was attainted by the Irish Parliament in 1614.
In March 1614, Nuala met with English ambassador William Trumbull. According to Trumbull, Nuala pledged her loyalty to James I of England and offered to withdraw Hugh Albert from Flanders, if the king would give his "grace and pardon... together with the restoring of [Hugh Albert's] father's lands." Trumbull gave no guarantee of the king's favour - due to the past conflicts between the O'Donnells and the English - and suggested Nuala travel to England with Hugh Albert to plead for "bounty and clemency" from the King. Unfortunately for Nuala, she could not be granted safe passage back to the British Isles, and her proposals were in vain.
It was recorded that from 1615, the "Conde de Tyrconnell" and Don Hugo O'Donnell were in the receipt of a modest pension from the Archduke. As both boys were called Hugh, the Archduke's name was added to Hugh's name. Archduke Albert was in all likelihood Hugh Albert's godfather in confirmation. He assumed the name Albert for his confirmation, in honour of the Archduke. Around this time, Hugh Albert was attached as a page to the court of the Infanta Isabella (the Archduke's consort). He was a page to the Infanta Isabella, daughter of King Philip III of Spain. A portrait exists of Hugh Albert O'Donnell as a young page. This portrait is the only authentic and contemporary portrait of the last regnant O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell. Hugh Albert lived at the Spanish court.

## Military service

Hugh (son of Cathbarr) died in 1625 as a captain in the Siege of Breda. Hugh Albert O'Donnell was made a knight of Alcántara in 1625.
As Hugh Albert matured, he took over the role of leader of the O'Donnell exiles from his aunt Nuala. Nuala eventually became Hugh Albert's dependent. Now it was Nuala who needed Hugh Albert's consent for her monthly pension's distribution. In 1627 she requested a prompt payment of her allowance, when Hugh Albert wasn't at court.
In 1626 or later, Mary met her elder brother, Hugh Albert, for the first time in Brussels. Through his influence, she was received by Isabella's court.
In 1627, rumours abounded of another Spanish Armada, with Hugh Albert to play a major role in leading the Irish.
The Archbishop of Tuam Florence Conry arranged for Mary to be married to Shane O'Neill, El Conde de Tyrone. The relations between the O'Neills and the O'Donnells had become strained after the war's end, and Conry hoped a unifying marriage would allay hostilities between the noble families. However, Mary was secretly in a relationship with O'Gallagher, and she anticipated conflict if she rejected the marriage. Around 1629, Mary became pregnant, and her relationship with O'Gallagher was exposed. The disgraced couple fled from Brussels to Italy. Hugh Albert claimed that Mary was an imposter pretending to be his sister.
Hugh Albert took the title of earl, or count, on the continent, and was in favour at the Spanish court. In time O'Donnell joined the service of King Philip, and was commissioned colonel of a tercio in 1632. By 1632, Hugh Albert was in charge of an Irish regiment of his own.
In adult life, Hugh Albert styled himself Earl of Tyrconnell and Donegal, Baron of Lifford, Lord of Sligo and Lower Connaught. These titles are recorded in a document dated 3 November 1626. He was also a Knight Commander of the Order of Alcántara.
Hugh Albert rose to be a general in the Spanish service. He distinguished himself at the relief of Fuenterrabia in September 1638. In 1641, when the Irish rose in arms to oppose the Parliamentarians, eyes turned to Hugh Albert, who was then a Spanish general of reputation. His military rank and experience, coupled with his claim as a descendant of the Gaelic nobility and his association with Celtic prophecies, contributed to the faith his peers had in him to retake Ireland. It seems Hugh Albert craved permission from the Spanish court to be placed in service of Ireland. However, due to the war with France (in which he was employed), this permission was refused.

## Marriage

Around 1635, O'Donnell married Anna-Margaret of Henin-Lietard in the Low Countries. She was the daughter of Maximilien II de Hénin, 5th Count of Bossu, and his wife Alexandrine Françoise de Gavre. They had a marriage agreement on 20 March 1632.
Maximilien II de Hénin was a Knight of the Golden Fleece and had died on 8 December 1625. Alexandrine Françoise de Gavre was a near kinswoman of the last eccentric Charles, Duke of Guise. Anna-Margaret's eldest brother was Albert Maximilian de Hennin, who was an ally to Owen Roe O'Neill. Her family had a chateau in what is modern-day Belgium, though their noble house (the House of Hénin of the Belgian nobility) is now extinct.

## Death and legacy

In 1642, Hugh Albert drowned in the Mediterranean Sea whilst fighting against the French. His ship, the Magdalena, caught fire. He died on 1 July 1642 off Barcelona. His death was announced by his aunt Rosa in an Irish letter written at Louvain dated 16 September 1642. He had no issue or heirs.
O'Donnell left no immediate heirs, although the earldom, were it not attainted in 1614, would have passed by remainder to his uncle Cathbarr O'Donnell, whose line was extinct by then, and thence, to his half-brother's son Donal Oge O'Donnell, according to the terms of the letters patent.
As Hugh had never recognised James I as his monarch, he had no hope of being recognised as the 2nd Earl, under the principle of the "Fount of honour". He had an undoubted claim to the title, but took no steps in 1614 to defend it when it was debated in the Irish House of Lords. He would at least have had to submit to King James to take his place in the House of Lords, and until then he did so the title was "in abeyance".
In Hugh Albert's will, he appointed Hugh Balldearg O'Donnell as his heir, thus restoring the chieftainship to the elder branch of the family.

## Ancestry

Ancestors of Hugh O'Donnell, 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell :