Calvagh O'Donnell

Lord of Tyrconnel

Eldest son of Manus and Joan, daughter of O'Reilly.

Half brother to Hugh MacManus O'Donnell.

1537

Depredations and burnings were committed by Calvagh O'Donnell in
Clanawley; and another depredation was committed by him on O'Kane. AFM

1542

An army was led by Manus, with his sons, ie Calvagh and Hugh, into
Lower Connaught. These sons and O'Doherty went on before the army, on a
plundering excursion, as far as Ballymote; and they plundered Mac
Donough, and carried off the spoils to O'Donnell. The chiefs of Lower
Connaught came to O'Donnell, and particularly Mac Donough of Ballymote,
who came in pursuit of his property; and they all paid O'Donnell his
rents on that occasion. AFM

Calvagh O'Donnell went upon a plundering excursion against the
descendants of Hugh Ballagh, son of Donnell. He committed depredations
and slaughters upon them, and returned home safe after that enterprise,
in triumph. AFM

A hosting by O'Donnell and Calvagh in the summer of this year; and
Brian O'Rourke and Manus O'Kane, the son of Donough, joined their
muster. After they had assembled together, they agreed to march against
Mac Quillin (Rury, son of Waiter), and they did not halt until they
arrived at the Bann. Here they divided the army into three portions, in
order to cross the fords of the Bann, for they were prevented from
using the boats of the river, because Mac Quillin, together with a
strong body of English troops, was at the other side, to defend the
river against them, and to prevent them from crossing it. The forces of
O'DOnnell however, crossed the Bann in despite of them, , though in
crossing it, they were in danger of being drowned, and encountered very
great peril. Upon landing, they sent forth light scouring and
terror-striking parties through the country, namely, one detatchment
eastwards to Cnoc-Lea and another up along the Bann, and these seized
upon heavy and substantial preys, and many great spoils, in every place
through which they passed. But Calvagh O'Donnell, O'Rourke, and O'Kane,
and their forces, obtained still greater and more numerous spoils than
those seized upon by the other detatchments. Each of these detatchments
encamped separately with their preys and spoils for that night. On the
merrow O'Donnell ordered them to knock down, kill, hough, and break the
bones of these immense spoils and preys, which they accordingly did;
and it would be difficult to enumerate or reckon the number of cattle
that were here struck down, besides more which the men of Breifny and
the O'Kanes drove off to their own countries alive. After this Mac
Quillin came to O'DOnnell, and bestowed upon him great presents,
consisting of horses, armour, and other beautiful articles of value,
and made peace with him. O'Donnell, with his army, returned home safe
and in triumph from that expedition. AFM

Calvagh repaired to the English Lord Justice, and confirmed and
ratified the peace of O'Donnell, and his own peace, with him, and then
returned safe. AFM

1543

The castle of Leithbher (Lefford), which O'Donnell had given to Cahir,
the son of Donnell Balbh O'Gallagher, and to a party of the descendants
of Hugh O'Gallagher, to be guarded by them, was maintained by them for
Hugh, the son of O'Donnell, and for themselves; and they banished
O'DOnnells loyal people, and the doorkeeper of the castle. O'Donnell
and Calvagh were greatly incensed at this, and Calvagh in particular,
who proceeded to wreak his vengance upon them for what they had done,
so that some persons were killed in the contests between both parties,
besides herds and flocks which were abused and injured. Donough, the
son of O'Donnell, assisted the descendants of Hugh O'Gallagher on this
occasion. Rory, the son of O'Donnell, and others were taken prisoners
by Donough, the son of O'Donnell, and by Cahir, the son of Tuathal
Balbh O'Gallagher. AFM

1544

Calvagh, the son of O'Donnell, went to the English Lord Justice, and
brought English captains with him into Tirconnell to O'Donnell.
O'Donnell, Calvagh, and these captains, went with ordnance and engines
for taking towns to the castle of Lifford, to take it from the
descendants of Hugh O'Gallagher. As they were approaching the castle,
O'Donnell gave up the hostages of the sons of Hugh, whom he had had for
some time in his custody, to the Englishmen, in order to strike terror
and alarm into the minds of the people of the town. They afterwards
attacked the town. One of the English was shortly afterwards killed;
and the English, to avenge him, killed Cahir, the son of Tuathal, in
his fetters. Hugh, the son of O'Donnell, and the descendants of Hugh,
surrendered the castle for the liberation of the son of Felim Fin, and
of the other son of Tuathal Balbh, who were detained in fetters; and
they themselves then left the country. O'Donnell, having paid the
English their wages, dismissed them to their home. AFM

Calvagh committed a depredation in Tyrone. AFM

1545

Egneghan O'Donnell was slain by a party of Calvagh O'Donnells people.
AFM

The defeat of Coill-na-gcuiridin was given by Calvagh to the sons of
the great O'Donnell More, in which Donough Cairbreach O'Donnell was
slain. AFM

1548

A great defeat was given by Manus to his own son, Calvagh, and O'Kane
(Manus, son of Donough), at Srath-bo-Fiaich, where O'Kane himself and
numbers of others were slain, on the 7th of the month of February. AFM

1548 - Fought with his father to assert his claim to leadership of the
dan and defeated Manus at Strath-bo-Fiaich near Ballybofey. His ally
was O'Cahan.

Jul 1549 - Summoned to Dublin and the decision was made to give Calvagh
the Castle of Lifford.

1554 - Went to Scotland for assistance from James MacDonnell of Isla
who assisted him in deposing Manus and securing the lordship of
Tyrconnell for himself.

1555

The son of O'Donnell, ie Calvagh, went to Scotland, attended by a few
selected persons, and obtained auxiliary forces from Mac Calin
(Gillaspick Don), under the command of Master Arsibel. He afterwards
came back, with a great body of Scots, to desolate and ravage
Tirconnell. It was on this occasion that he brought with him a gun
called Gonna-Cam (the crooked gun), by which Newcastle in Inishowen,
and the castle of Eanach were demolished. Upon his first arrival in the
country, he took manus, his father, prisoner, at Rosracha, and retained
his body of Scottish troops from the Allhallowtide, in which they
arrived, until the festival of St Brendan following. O'Donnell remained
in captivity until his death. AFM

1555 - Overran Tyrconnel, captured Manus and assumed government.

Hugh MacManus (his half brother) then appealed to Shane O'Neill, who invaded
Tyrconnell at the head of a large army in 1557 to secure supremacy over Ulster
and encamped on the shore of Lough Swilly. Calvagh suprised the O'Neills in
their camp at night and routed them.

1557

John (Shane the Proud) O'Neill, the son of Con, the son of Con,
assembled and mustered a very numerous army to proceed into Tirconnell.
They marched without halting until they had, pitched their spacious and
herothronged camp at Carraig Liath (now Caricklea), between the two
rivers, Finn and Mourne. News came to the son of O'Neill that the
Kinel-Connell had sent off their cows and herds into the wilds and
fastnesses of the country for protection; but he declared that not one
cow of them was inaccessible, for that, even though they should pass
with their cattle into Leinster or Munster, he would pursue them until
he should compel them to submit to his authority, so that there should
be but one king in Ulster for the future. As for the Kinel-Connell,
they were thus circumstanced: Manus O'Donnell was in bad health and
infirmity, and had now been for two years incarcerated by his son
Calvagh, who had assumed the government of the country. Moreover, his
brother Hugh, with his adherents, was in opposition to him, and was at
this time along with John O'Neill, his kinsman (John was his mothers
brother). When Calvagh heard that John O'Neill and his forces were
encamped on the frontiers of the territory, he pondered in his mind
what he should do in this great danger which now threatened him; and he
advised with his father, Manus, upon the military movement he ought to
adopt in opposing his enemied, whensoever they should come into the
territory. The advice which O'Donnell, his father, gave him was, as he
had not an army equal to that of the son of O'Neill, not to go forth to
meet him in battle, but to remain protecting his own people, until he
(O'Neill) should come into the territory, and then, if he were able, to
make an attack upon his camp, and throw them into confusion. He thought
that victory could thus be gained, and they agreed upon adopting this
movement. As for John O'Neill and his forces, they marched without
halting form Carraig-liath, across the Finn, close to Raphoe, through
the Lagan; and they halted, and encamped alongside of
Baile-aighidh-chaoin (Balleeghan), near the stream that flows from the
well of Cabhartach, where the army constructed booths and tents.
Calvagh and his son Con, were on that day at a meeting on the summit of
Beinnin with a small party, namely, only 30 horsement and two companys
of gallowglasses of the Mac Sweenys of Fanad. And when Calvagh heard
that John had arrived at that place with his army, he sent two of his
trusty friends to reconnoitre the forces. These two proceeded to the
enemies camp, and mingled with the troops, without being noticed; for,
in consequence of the numbers and variety of the troops who were there,
it was not easy for them to discriminate between one another, even if
it were day, except by recognising their chieftains alone. The two
persons aforesaid proceeded from one fire to another, until they came
to the great central fire, which was at the entrance of the son of
O'Neill tent; and a huge torch, thicker than a mans body, was
constantly flaming at a short distance from the fire, and 60 grim and
redoubtable gallowglassesm with sharp, keen axes, terrible and ready
for action, and 60 stern and terrific Scots, with massive, broad, and
heavy-striking swords in their hands, ready to strike and parry, were
watching and guarding the son of O'Neill. When the time came for the
troops to dine, and food was divided and distributed among them, the
two spies stretched out their hands to the distributor, like the rest;
and that which fell to their share was a ceinn-bheart (hat, helmet)
filled with meal, and a suitable complement of butter. With this
testimony of their adventure they returned to their own people; and
upon the exhibition of it, their entire narrative was believed. Calvagh
commanded his people to arm directly, which they did without delay; the
two battalions formed into one; and Con O'Donnell proceeded on foot
between Waiter and Donnell (Mac Sweeny), having given his horse to ~is
father. They advanced towards the camp, and did not halt until they had
reached the central troops that were guarding the son of O'Neill. They
made a furious and firece attack upon the men in the camp, and both
parties then proceeded to kill, destroy, slaughter, hack, mangle, and
mutilate on another with their polished sharp axes, and with their
well-tempered, keen edged, herobefitting swords; so that men were
wounded, warriors disabled, by this body of men who had come into the
camp. When John O'Neill heard the noise of the heavy troops, and the
clamour of the bands, he was convinced that they were enemies who had
entered the camp, and he passed through the western end of his tent
unobserved. The night was rainy, very heavy showers being followed by
silent dripping, so that the rivers and streams of the country were
flooded. At last the army of the Kinel-Owen were defeated, with
dreadful havoc, by dint of conflict and fighting. As for John O'Neill,
not one of his own party followed him, but two only of the people of
Hugh, the son of Manus O'Donnell. He proceeded on by the shortest ways
and the most lonesome passages, until he had crossed the Deel, the Finn
and the Derg; and it was by swimming that he , with his two companions,
crossed these three rivers. Calvagh remained with his small army for
the rest of the night in the camp in which O'Neill and his army had
passed the beginning of the night in merriment and high spirits; and
they remained until morning drinking the wines of the party whom they
had defeated. On the following day they took with them, and displayed
with pride, many spoils, consisting of arms, dresses, coats of mail,
and horses, so that Con, the son of Calvagh, had for his dividend of
the booty 80 horses, besides the celebrated steed of O'Neills son,
called the Son of the Eagle. Scarcely had so much booty been obtained
at the battle of Cnoc-Buidhbh-Derg, which was gained by Hugh Oge
O'Donnell, the son of Hugh Roe, over O'Neill, as the Kinel-Connell
obtained on that occasion. AFM

Shane O'Neill was married to Calvaghs sister, Margaret, wreaking
vengance on her.

Calvagh was then recognised by the English government as Lord of
Tyrconnell.

12 Mar 1558 - Received a letter from Queen Mary (1553 - 1558) promising a
reward for good behaviour.

1559

Calvagh O'Donnell was taken prisoner by John O'Neill on the 14th day of
May. This capture was effected thus: Caffar, the son of Manus, was at
strife with Calvagh and his son Con. Caffar had his abode at this time
in the Crannog of Loch-Beathach; and Con, the son of Calvagh, assembled
the forces of the country, and laid siege to the Crannog. Calvagh was
at this time at Cill-O'dTomhrair with a few soldiers, besides women and
poets; and some of the Kinel-Connell informed O'Neill that Calvagh was
thus situated, without guard or protection. O'Neill neglected not this
opportunity, but proceeded with the number of forces he had in
readiness, without notice or forewarning, so that they surrounded the
apartment of the monastery in which Calvagh was; and thus they made
prisoners of himself and his wife, the daughter of Mac Gilleain (Mac
Clean), and carried them off into Tyrone. O'Neill detained Calvagh in
close and cruel confinement, and, moreover, cohabitated with his wife,
the daughter of Mac Gilleain, so that she bore children unto him. Were
it not for the advantage taken of the Kinel-Connell on the occasion, it
would not have been an easy matter for the Gaels (Kinel-Owen) to carry
off their chief from them at the time. AFM

14 May 1561 - He and his wife, Catherine Maclean (previously the wife of
Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll), were captured by Shane O'Neill in
the monastery of Kildonnell.

Catherine was kept by Shane O'Neill as his mistress and bore him
several children, though grossly ill-treated by her savage captor.
Calvagh himself was subjected to atrocious torture during the three
years that he remained O'Neills prisoner.

1561

The Lord Chief Justice of Ireland proceeded imnto Tyrone, to avenge the
capture of Calvagh O'Donnell, and on account of his own enmity against
that country. When John O'Neill received intelligence of this, he sent
some of his own faithful friends, and his servants of trust, to guard
and keep Calvagh O'Donnell out of the way of the Lord Justice, from one
island and islet to another, in the wilds and recesses of Tyrone, until
the Lord Justice should leave the country. A battle was fought between
them, in which countless numbers were slain on both sides, but Calvagh
was not relaeased. AFM

At this time O'Neill was harassing and plundering territories of Bregia
and Meath. Tirconnell was alos subjugated and surrounded by him, after
having already made a prisoner of Calvagh, and Manus O'Donnell being
sick and infirm, so that there was no one ruling Kinel-Connell at this
time. O'Neill, John, then assumed the sovereign command of all Ulster,
so that at this time he might have been called with propriety the
provincial King of Ulster, were it not for the opposition of the
English to him. AFM

Calvagh O'Donnell was released from his captivity by O'Neill, after he
had been ransomed by the Kinel-Connell. AFM

The same Lord Justice, at the instance of Calvagh O'Donnell, assembled
a numerous army, to march a second time into Tyrone, in the Autumn of
this year. The five Earls who were then in Ireland joined this army.
the Lord Justice and the Earls proceeded with their forces through
Tyrone, until they arrived at Loch-Fearbhail, without opposition or
battle. When the Lord Justice was returning, the resolution he adopted
was, to make peace with O'Neill, and to grant him pardon, and take away
hios own warders from Armagh. He afterwards proceeded with his forces
into Tir-Chonaill-Gulban, and left the command of the fortresses and
castles of that country with Calvagh O'Donnell. He then proceeded
across the Erne, into the territory of Carbury, to lay siege to the
castle of Sligo. Calvagh, noticing this, bethought him of a strategem
namely, he sent his own standard to the town, and displayed it on the
battlements of the tower, so that it was visible to all. The Lord
Justice asked whose standard it was that he saw. Calvagh made answer,
and said, that it was his own standard; and that the town was his own,
and had belonged to his ancestors from a remote period; upon which the
Lord Justice delivered up the keys of the town to Calvagh. AFM

Jun 1561 - Viceroy of Queen Mary, Thomas Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex, invaded
Tyrone but was unable to release him. Sussex was Lord Deputy 1556 -
1559 and Lord Lieutenant for Queen Elizabeth I 1559 - 1566.

1564

Calvagh and Turlough O'Boyle repaired to Dublin to the Lord Justice, to
confer with him. O'Donnell received great honour and respect from him.
O'Donnell returned home, and came into Fermanagh, where he stopped for
some time; and O'Boyle proceeded directly to his own residence, where
Con, the son of Calvagh, had come to meet him. O'Boyle had not been
long at home when Con requested him to go with him to Donegal, to see
if he could take it from Hugh, the son of Hugh Oge, son of Hugh Roe,
who was in it at the time. Hugh at that time, held his residence in the
new tower; and he had sent Egneghan and Con, the two sons of Hugh Boy,
son of Hugh Duv, his brothers sons, into the old castle; and these were
the two who were betraying the castle to Con. Con and O'Boyle came to
the town by night; and the sons of Hugh Boy admitted Con at once, but
they said that they would not permit O'Boyle to come into them with his
people; and O'Boyles people said that they would not suffer their lord
to go from them alone. O'Boyle thereupon, went to the monastery of the
friars to make them a visit. Con O'Donnell and the sons of Hugh Boy
proceeded to demolish the tower in which Hugh, the son of Hugh Duv,
was; and they took no notice of anything until very numerous hosts had
poured into the town and around it in every direction. These are they
who were there: John O'Neill and Hugh, the son of Manus O'Donnell, with
their forces, which were very great and numerous who had come thither,
after having heard that O'Donnell was on his way from Dublin, and that
these other relatives were at strife with each other. Con, the son of
Calvagh, was taken prisoner here on the 14th of May; and marauding
parties of O'Neills army went forth through Tir-Boghaine, and slew the
son of Mac Sweeny and many others along with them. AFM

1564 - Calvagh released on conditions that he had no intention of
fulfilling.

Shane captured Calvaghs son Con to force him to give up his castle.

Calvagh went to Dublin then to England, where he appealed to Queen Elizabeth

Sep 1566 - Sir Henry Sidney (Lord Deputy 1565 - 1571 and 1575 - 1578) with
Calvagh, marched into Tyrconnell and Donegal. Ballyshannon, Beleek, Bundrow~
and sligo handed to Calvagh.

1566

O'Donnell (Calvagh, the son of Manus, son of Hugh Duv, son of Hugh Roe,
son of Niall Garv, son of Turlough of the Wine) fell dead from his
horse, in the beginningof Winter, ie on the 26th of October, on the
public road, between Baile-aghaidh-chaoin and the church of Hath, in
the midst of his cavalry, without the slightest starting, stumbling,
shying, or prancing of his horse, after his return from England, where
he had been that same year. This Calvagh was a lord in understanding
and personal shape, a hero in valeur and prowess, stern and fierce
towards his enemies, kind and benign towards his friends; he was so
celebrated for his goodness, that any good act of his, be it ever so
great, was never a matter of wonder or surprise; a man who was not
expected to meet his death in this manner, but who was expected to live
until he should have avenged the wrongs of his tribe. His brother,
Hugh, the son of Manus O'Donnell, was inaugurated in his place. AFM

26 Oct 1566 - Calvagh, riding towards Derry, fell from his horse in a
fit and died. He was buried in Donegal Abbey.

Catherine stayed until released by relations, the MacDonnells, after
Shanes death.

Because his son Conn was a prisoner in the hands of Shane O'Neill, his
half-brother Hugh MacManus was inaugurated The O'Donnell in his place.