Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-04
rEUrAN OF IRISH LINEAGE.
Charles o'Donnell, SPANS Minister OF
Foreign Affairs.


New Yor, sun.
Few persons know that the sternest enc
my of American interference in Spanish
colonial affairs-tho man who dictates 10
Minister Dupuy dc Lone at Washington
his bitten anti-Cuban policy-in short the
present powerful holder of the Spanish
nor.folio Of foreign affairs is an Irish chief
tain i'm his own right and the owner OF q
name famous in the history of Ireland.
His Grace the Duke of Tetuan, Spanish
Minister of Foreign Affairs, claims to be
Lord Of Donegal, in Ireland, and reJoices
i'm the Mileziau patronymic of Charles
O'Donnell.
Senior Alexandra Ribera. licentiate OF the
University Of Salamanca, and nov resi-
dent of New York City. claims kinship
with the Hibernian-Span grandee. In
deed. Senior Ribera accompanied the Duke
to Vienna as secretary in 1871. Speaking
of his former chief, he says:
The Duke of Tetuan was born in 1874
and is. therefore. CS years of age. In APP
pearance he is the typical Castilian noble
man. of stately presence. fine face, ana
diguiGed manners. Age has somewhat
robbed him of his once soldierly port, and
his hair and mustache are almost white.
But his eyes are as bright as they were
twenty years ago in Vienna, when he laid
the foundations of the present Queen of
Spain's sovereignty. The Duke is very
proud Of his name and Irish descent but
apart from this the distinguished services
which his ancestors have rendered to
since their exile from the mother country
might well give him cause for gratiiica-
ton
In the reign of James T.. Mall Gary
O'Donnell was Prince of Tyrconnel. lord
of the mountainous country of Donegal
and chief Of his ~ame and race. He warred
valianuy against the English but at
length was taken prisoner. He died in the
Tower of London. From the brother of
this chief. Charles Oge O'Donnell, descend
ed the two young eXiles. Henry and Joseph
O'Donnen. younger brothers Of Manus
O'Donnell Of MILFORD Lodge. county Mayo.
Henry entered the Austrian service, and
rose to be Baron and a Major General
Joseph settled in Spain about 1850. and be-
came a Lieutenant General There was
10 need to ennoble him. as in Spain all the
Irish eXiles were recognized as mobiles
ready made. This Lieutenant General
Don Joseph left four sons, all distinguish
ed in the army of their adopted country.
The eldest Don Jose O'Donnell. was Cap
tain General of Castle. and the youngest
Don Enrique. was a famous Lieutenant
General ODonnel. Count of Abisbad Re-
gent of Spain I'm 1872. and Captain General
OF Andalusia. The second of the four, Don
q Il nd
Knight of St Ferdinand. died in 1880. leav-
ing TWO children. OF whom the eldest, Don
Carlos O'DonroH was father of the pres
ent Duke of Te,uan. while the second was
Field Marshal Don leopold ODonnelL
first Duke of that name.
The Duke of Tetuan was married in 1853
and has three sons. Don Juan Parico
ODonner. born 1864: Don Carlos Alphonso
O'Donneu born 1869. and Don Leopoldo
Patricio O'Donnell. born 1S74 Ole Of
these young men is aide-de-camp 10 Gen.
Weyler in cuba.
The journal of the Royal Irish Society
OF Antiquaries on October 6. 1890. published
the following letter from the Duke Of
Tetuan:
My ancestor. Mall Gary O'Donnel. was
the last recognized Prince of Tyrconnell
and chief of his name. As his lneal male
representative claim the heirship of those
honors II / am proud of being a Spaniard
by birth 1 am quite as proud of being an
Irishman by descent. and I sign myself
Carlos O'Donneu of Tyrconnell' with as
much heartfelt eXaltation as I do Tetuan."
The Duke is an honorary member Of the
learned Ir.-h body TO which he wrote this
letter. Il is said of him. in circles diplo-
matte that for years he constantly re-
fused the Ambassadorship to England be-
cause Of the wrongs which. he declared.
had been inflicted upon his ancestors by
England and her sovereigns.