The Irish standard., 1896-06-27
PRINCE OF lYRC0NNBL
An Interesting Lecture Upot, Hugh
Rae o'Donnel by Hiss
Alice 1uIligan.
His r,other, the Daughter of the
Lord of the isles Had the Heart
Of Warrior.
After Many Trials O'DonneI Sue
scumbs to the Wrath of the
Lord Lieutenant.


editress Of the Shon Noim vocht, and a
native of Omagh, delivered one of her
characteristic lectures upon Irish history,
taking for her subject, Hugh Roe O'Don-
had the greatest pleasure in being there
that night, because she could recollect in
connection with the study Of Irish history
the town where she had received her
earlier education, and a time when Irish
history was the one subject they knew
little of. If they claimed to be Irish they
wished to know and understand some
thing about their native country. Al
though she studied Irish history it was
not to her an arduous study. It was like
reading a beautiful romance, and she was
going to give them that night plain,
simple story of an Irish boy. When they
came to read Irish history they would find
that the men who had so much to do with
Ireland had great deal to do with the
mischief and disgraceful deeds that were
done. The names Of Spencer, Raleigh,
Mountjoy Lord Burleigh, and Lord Fitz-
tai Of the blacklist crimes. Hugh Roe
O'Donnel was born in Donegal Castle.
His mother was daughter Of the Lord of
the Isles, and a we,rlike woman who had
the heart of a warrior. She determined
that Hugh should become a chieftain, and
be the great deliverer of Ireland. Owing
to a certain suspicion that he was likely
to be Ireland's future deliverer, and the
banisher of foreign conquerors, the Vice
roy of 4IIreland determined to take him to
Dublin Castle. His mother, however,
would not consent to his removal to Dub
lin, and the Viceroy connived to kidnap
him, and in Michaelnas 1897 a great ship
was got ready in the harbor of Dublin,
and sent northward. The ship anchored
when reaching the north in Lough Sw;lly,
near little island named Rathmullan.
Young Hugh expressed a desire to zee the
ship, and was subsequently taken on
board, when the ship passed away south
ward, and arrived safely in Dublin har
bor The news sped forth that O'Donnell
had been brought to Dublin, and a. great
crowd assembled at the harbor to see the
boy Of whom they heard 80 much. I'm
nnediateIy it became known to the whole
city that Hugh O'DonneIl was in custody,
they rejoiced, not because they welcomed
him, but because he had been captured.
They conversed with him, and in conse-
quence of close examination they con-
fined him in strong stone castle. For
some years he was there bound with
chains, during which time his young
heart wandered back to his native hills
of Donegal. The first year he was i'm
prisoned he escaped twice, but was re-
captured by the English. The final es-
ca pc was with Art O'Neill, and history
describes their speedy flight to the Wick
low mountains through a storm Of hail,
rain and snow. They assembled with diff
ficulty the summit of the mountain, but
at length became faint and wearied, and
Law down behind rock. The toll Of their
Journey and the severity Of the night
caused the two companions to become
weaker and weaker, and at last O'Neill
died. O'Donnel who survived, was re-
stored by friendly hand, and brought
to the plains of FingM to Dungannon, and
thence to Ballyshannon, where he found
himself in his native territory. He lay
for months in sick bed with frost bitten
limbs and toes, the result of the terrible
night's frost when exposed on the Wick
low mountains. While young O'Donnel
was away the English had broken down
the Donegal monastery and substituted
a garrison composed OF some 200 soldiers,
and not satisfied with having the abbey
turned into a garrison, he determined
they should leave, and sent notice to
them stating they should give up the
place and allow the old monastery to be
reopened. They took fright, and packed
5up their drums and trumpets and fed,
and ODonnel rebuilt the monastery. The
monks came back to it, and for many a
year afterwards there were no English in
Donegal. Previous to that the people Of
Donegal were very terrified at the Eng
slisl arms, and shuddered at the very
sound Of their trumpets and drums. Aft
erWards Hugh was acknowledged as
'chieftain, and was formally inaugurated.
From that horr. there was no peace for!
the English in Ireland, and the first ally
in the strife was Hugh Maguires. a$rela
tive Of the chieftair of Fermanagh. In
the battle Of the Blackwater or yellow
ford, IN which Hugh O'Donnel fought,
there was q greater number of the Irish
killed, owing no doubt to the deadly arms
of ARTILLERY and musketry owned BY the
English. Finding themselves too weak
TO wage war against the Queen Of Eng
land, bY request q detach chment ofssoldiers
consented to come from Spain but in
stead of coming northward, where the
tight was going on, they remained in kim
sale. O' 'Donnel and Neill proceededs
through q terrible ni ght' II rain and storm
TO tie I1ng lIsh camp Sal1d as the morning
began stoz avn hoy arrived 81 but 70 their
gdisraa inatead d1ndin the Icns sqish a
con hi, they IL, SfoF||
thsnii 81 ayiino pine