San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-23

The Story of Hugh Roe O'Donnell-Annals
OF the Four Masters-Sad History of the
Mad Sweetheart Of Willy ReiIly-Rare
Old Baliyshannon.
and snug eno,,va, but when the fog winds
come up from the sea like dingy winds slap
ping it grewsomely in its face, the half town,
half hamlet seems to shudderngly shrink
closer to the shores Of the noisy Esk, as if
seeking shelter at the bases of the dark
mountains behind. Fort of the White
Strangers is the Specification Of the name,
Donegal, although one would have hard
time indeed to find what that meant Aside
from the picturesqueness of its charming old
streets, an interest that is almost melancholy
attaches to its half ruined castle, at the river
side near the ancient arched bridge. Many
a page of history would have to be scanned
to learn its haps and mishaps, and of it's diff
ferent lords, governors and rulers; for here,
during at least five centuries, was the center
of bloodiest struggles between Northern Irish
kings and their foes, and especially the con-
hlcts between the O'Neills and O'Donnells.
THE BOY CHIEFTAIN.
The life and adventures of Hugh Roe
O'Donnell, or Red Hugh, properly depicted,
would alone surpass the most thrilling tale Of
Scottish borderland warfare. During the
Fourteenth century the daring and heroic
spirit of Hugh, when still but boy, attracted
the notice of Sir John Perrott, lord justice of
Ireland In order to get him within his
power. Perrott sent a ship into Tough swiftly
laden with samples of the finest Spanish
wines, and manned by his own Seamen dis
guised as Spanish wine merchants. Hugh,
with others, was lured abroad, and, while
being Toasted, the matches were battened, and
the young chief carried to Dublin, where he
was immured in the tower
Though but l6, he here made one of the
most heroic prison escapes known to those
savage times. Flying to supposed friend,
Sir Phelim OToole, who had been his fellow
prisoner, he was betrayed, again imprisoned
and subjected to every barbarity save down
right murder. In year he again escaped,
and fled to the mountains, where be
for months subSiSted like a wild beast,
but finally regained his own country
and kingdom about Donegal Succeeding
his father as ruler, and being joined by
the valiant O'Neill, he set about aveng-
ing his wrongs and indignites against
the English; but quarreling with O'Neill as
to which should lead the attack against the
intrenched foe at Kinsale, each contending
for the bloody honor the battle, after great
slaughter, was lost, Hugh's followers routed
and dispersed and the brave young chief
tain, himself wounded, compelled to fly to
Spain. Here, after great labors, he succeed
ed in inducing King Philip to raise an army
of succOr for the recovery Of his domain;
but, worn out with delay and effort, he died
from grief and broken heart at EalladOlid
His character and noble qualities, as they
were then measured, and his wondrOus
bravery, rendered his name a luminous and
pathetic one in the Irish annals.
DONEGAL ANNALS"
To Irishmen, or, indeed, to all men who
are earnest students of the history of any
race, people or land, the dear old ruin on the
coast below Donegal, near Ballyshannon,
must possess an absorbing fascination. Here
stood the lone, semi-monastic castle of Kill
barron, an ancient fortalice and seat of the
OClery chiefs 1t was in this stronghold
that the brothers O'Clery, Hugh Ward and
John COlgan, known to all scholars as the
Four Masters, in the furious wars of clans,
chiefs, kings and whatnots, pursued their
great historical researches and labors, result
ing in those monuments Of industry called
the Donegal Annals" or the ANNALS Of
the Four Masters" which, despite all cavil
or prejudice, stand out as great landmarks
against the age of darkness and blood in
~hich they were produced.
The gray old ruins stand at the very edge
of a precipitous and almost insular cliff
Furze and heather cover most of the fat
tened escarpmentS of the once mighty walls
To the east, the south and southwest, save
where the misty coast line of Sligo here and
there pushes through the distance, naught
can be seen but wild sweeps Of upland moor,
white sand reaches and ghostly dunes, or
vast and dreary stretches of wind swept,
shuddering heather.
To the north across Donegal Bay the great
headlands loom hard and savagely, as if
some mighty impulse Of nature were about
to tOpple them into the waves while to the
west, where the sun is ever setting in the
ceaseess turbulence of the sea, but rising
upon happier lands beyond, there are Just
the meanings and thunderings of the mighty
ocean. But down the coast, behind the sand
hills, is rare old Ballyshanhon upon the
stately Erne, where, as its waters leap with
roar into the bay, was once one of the most
splendid salmon fisheries i'll Ireland Three
miles above, where the waters of the noble
lakes of Erne after lettering in the sandy
valley, make a mad rush as if to engult
Ballyshannon, forming the beautiful Falls OF
Belleek.
THE COLLEEN BAWN."
On beyond the old town along the cir.
cling bay is Bundoran, where families of the
Irish gentry from the middle counties anC
the west come in summer to the Gloriou!
Bundoran donkeys and the sea. While baci
along the beach from Ballyshannon, dow
behind the old Kilbarron ruins, is the tiny