Hugh Dubh (Hugh Oge) O'Donnell Known as Hugh Dubh or Duv (Dubh = black) and Hugh Og (Og = young or junior) Enjoyed a long reign. 1490 Great depredations and spoilations were committed by Hugh Oge, the son of Hugh Roe O'Donnel, upon the sons of Donough, the son of Hugh Maguire; and he carried off the preys, consisting of 400 cows, to Ballyshannon, where he slaughtered them all, for the wardens of the town tie the sons of Hugh Gallda O'Donnell) had given up the castle of Ballyshannon to Hugh Oge, without consulting O'Donnell. AFM When the wardens of the castle of Ballyshannon had seen Hugh Oge O'Donnell coming up with a large prey of cattle from Fermanagh, they agreed at once to allow him to drive the cattle inside the bawn of the castle, to secure them for the Kinel-Connell, without asking the permission of O'Donnell, who was, it appears, jealous of the incresing power and popularity of Hugh Oge. AFM The wardens delivered up the castle of Ballyshannon to Hugh Oge, in despite of O'Donnell (Hugh Poe) AU 1493 Hugh Poe O'Donnell and his sons, Con and Hugh, went with a great army to the chiefs of Lower Connaught; he was joined by Felim O'Rourke, the son of Donough, son of Tiernan Oge; by Owen, the son of Tiernan, son of Tiege, at that time heir to the lordship of Briefny; and by Donnell, the son of Owen O'Conor, Lord of Lower Connaught. And after they had collected their forces in one place, O'Donnell proceeded directly eastward into the province, until he arrived in Trian-Chongail. From thence he proceeded into Lecale, thence to Iveagh, and thence to Orior (Co Armagh); and he ravaged and plundered Lecale, and every territory through which he passed that was hostile to him. While he (O'Donnell) was on this expedition, Henry Oge O'Neill, the son of Henry, son of Owen, assembled his forces, and was joined by Hugh Oge Mac Mahon the son of Hugh Roe, son of Rury, and by Magennis, ie Hugh, the son of Art, son of Hugh, with all their forces, and a countless host of others besides them. This numerous army of O'Neill overtook O'Donnell at Beanna-Boirche, and encompassed him in the van and the rear; but O'Donnell sustained and withstood this overwhelming force firmly and powerfully, until he led his army in safety through the difficulties of the pass. At length the chiefs of both armies, reaching a level plain, arranged and marshalled their forces for an engagement; and a fierce and obstinate conflict, and a furious and dreadful battle, was fought between them, in which they bore in mind all their old enmities and new hatreds to one another. O'Neill and his forces were finally routed. In this battle, O'Donnell slew John Roe, the son of Donough Mac Mahon, and many others; and the darkness at the close of the day, and beginning of the night, prevented O'Donnells forces from following up the pursuit as they wished. They, therefore, pitched their camp for the night at the place where they gained the battle, at Beanna-Boirche, and on the merrow proceeded to their homes, after having gained victory and sway in every territory through which they had passed. AFM 1496 The castle of Ballyshannon was taken from O'Donnels warders by Hugh, the son of O'Donnell. AFM 1497 Walter, the son of Richard Burke, went with a fleet to assist the young O'Donnell, Con, the son of Hugh Roe, against his brother, Hugh Oge. After having landed he was joined by Con; but both were defeated by Hugh, and deprived of the greater part of their arms, armour, and provisions. Hugh was himself in 2 days afterwards taken prisoner by O'Donnell (Con), and sent to Connaught with Walter, son of Rickard Burke, to be confined in Conmaicne-Cuile. AFM The son of O'Donnell, ie Hugh, son of Hugh Roe, was released from captivity on the 7th of the Ides of November; and Walter Burke accompanied him to Tirconnell. Hugh Roe O'Donnell proffered the lordship to his son, Hugh Og, who declined it; and after his refusing to accept of the lordship, both commenced governing their principality, and humbling their neighbours and borders, who began to resist their authority, by reason of the contests of O'Donnells sons with each other. AFM 1499 The castle of Bundrowes was taken by the son of O'Donnell tie by Donough-na-nordog, the son of Hugh Poe), from O'Donnels own warders; but O'Donnel himself and his son, Hugh Oge, surrounded the castle; and Maguire and Philip, the son of Turlough Maguire, came to join O'Donnell and his son there. Donough-na-nordog and Philip came to a personal rencounter, in which they pommelled each other; but Donoughs horse being killed, and he himself thrown down, he was taken prisoner on the spot by Philip, who immediately delivered him up to O'Donnell. The castle was afterwards taken on the same day. O'Donnell gave Donough back to Maguire, who conveyed him to his house, to be detained in confinement. O'Donnell afterwards gave Philip, the son of Turlough Maguire, 60 cows, as a remuneration for his conquest. AFM 1502 Hugh Oge, son of Hugh Poe O'Donnell, mustered a force, and, being joined by John Maguire, they made an incursion into Dartry-Coninsi (now Dartry), against the son of John Boy Mac Mahon; and they totally burned his town and the whole territory. The spoils of the country fled before them. The people of Oriel from the river Owenagh inwards, the descendants of Felim O'Peilly, and the descendants of Donough Maguire, came up, and opposed them; but the son of O'Donnell and Maguire made a brave and triumphant retreat from them all, and slew some of their pursuers, among whom was Felim, the son of Coner, son of Felim O'Reilly, and many others, and returned safe to their homes. AFM 1505 An army was led by the son of O'Donnell (Hugh Oge, son of Hugh Roe) into Tyrone; and Donnell O'Neills town, Dungannon, the town of Hugh, the son of Donnell O'Neill, were burned by him; and he traversed from the Abhainn-mor (Blackwater) inwards without meeting with any opposition. Upon his return he laid seige to Castlederg, took that castle from the sons of Niall, the son of Art, and left his warders in it; and he proceeded from thence to Cill-mic-Nenian (now Kilmacrenan, Co Donegal), where he was nominated Lord of Tirconnell, on the 2nd day of August, by consent of God and man (by the consent of the clergy and laity. The inauguration stone of the O'Donnells, which is said to have been originally on the hill of Doon, near the village of Kilmacrenan, and in latter ages in the church of Kilmacrenan, was preserved in the choir of the ruins of that church until the early 1800s, when it was stolen or destroyed). AFM 1507 An army was led by Hugh Oge O'Donnell, the son of Hugh Poe, into Tyrone; he pitched his camp around O'Neills castle of Dungannon, and slew numbers of the people of the town, besides Brian Mac Gilroy. O'Neill made peace with O'Donnell, and O'Donnell thence went to the Lord Justice. After O'Donnells departure O'Neill plundered Kinel-Moen, and slew Brian, the son of O'Gormly. AFM 1508 Hugh Oge went with boats upon Lough Erne, took the castle of Enniskillen from Rory Maguire, and delivered it up to Philip, the son of Turlough Maguire; he also obtained the hostages of the country. Donnell O'Neill and Coner Maguire came to Enniskillen to meet O'Donnell; and they gave him his demands, and made peace with him. Philip, the son of Brian Maguire, demolished his own castle through fear of O'Donnell. AFM An army was led by O'Donnell into Lower Connaught, and brought the hostages of Lower Connaught with him to his house. AFM 1509 Art O'Neill, his son Niall Mac Art and Felim O'Melaghlin were taken prisoners and delievred into the hands of O'Donnell. AFM An army was led by O'Donnell against Mac Dermot, and he destroyed much of Moylurg. AFM 1510 An army was led into Muster by Garrett, Earl of Kildare, Lord Justice of Ireland, attended by the chiefs of the English and Irish of Leinster; and he erected a castle at Carraig-Cital (now Carrigkettle, Co Leitrim) in despite of the Irish. O'Donnell followed with a small number of troops to assist him through Meath, and westwards into Munster, until he joined him at that place. Thence they passed into Ealla (Dunhallow), and they took the castle of Ceann-Tuire (now Kanturk), and plundered the country. Then, proceeding into great Desmond, they took the castle of Pailis (Killarney in Kerry), and another castle on the bank of the River Mang (Castlemaine), after which they returned in safety to the county of Limerick. They then mustered additional forces; and the Gerladines of Munster, under the conduct of James, son of the Earl of Desmond, and all the other English of Munster, and also Mac Carthy Reagh (Donnell, son of Dermot, who was the son of Fineen), Cormac Oge, the son of Cormac, son of Tiege, and the English and Irish of Meath and Leinster, then proceeded to Limerick. Turlough, the son of Teige O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, with all his forces, and Mac Namara, the Sil-Aedha, and the Clannrickard, mustered another numerous army to oppose them. The Earl (ie Lord Justice) marched with his army through Bealach-na-Fadbaighe and Bealach-na-Gamhna, until he arrived at a wooden bridge tie the bridge of Portcroise (Castleconnell, Co Limerick), which O'Brien had constructed over the Shannon; and he broke down the bridge, and encamped for the night in the country. O'Brien encamped so near them that they used to hear one anothers voices and conversation during the night. On the merrow the Lord Justice marshalled his army, placing the English and Irish of Munster in the van, and the English of Meath and Dublin in the rear. O'Donnell and his small body of troops joined the English of Meath and Dublin in the rear; and they all took the short cut through Moin na m-brathar to Limerick. O'Briens army attacked the English, and slew the Baron kent and Barnwall Kircustown, with many other men of distinction not enumerated. The English army escaped by flight, and the army of the O'Briens returned in triumph with great spoils. There was not in either army on that day a man who won more fame for bravery and prowess than O'Donnell, in leading off the rear of the English army. AFM Hugh Dubh O'Donnell, the son of Hugh Roe, went upon a pilgrimage to Home. While he was abroad, his adherents and friends were in grief and sadness after him; and his son Manus, was left by him to protect the country, while he himself should be absent from it. AFM 1511 Art, the son of Con O'Neill, who was in O'Donnells custody at his setting out for Rome, was liberated from his captivity, by Manus, the son of O'Donnell, without leave from O'Donnell; and Niall Oge, the son of Art, gave himself up in his stead, as a pledge for the observance of every peace which they had concluded. AFM Art O'Neill, the son of Hugh, mustered an army, and proceeded into Tirconnell, after O'Donnell had set out for Home. Manus O'Donnell, the three Mac Sweenys, and the principal chieftains of Tirconnell, proceeded to protect and defend the country as well as they could; and O'Neill passed on with his army from the mountain (the range of Barnesmore, northeat of Donegal) eastwards, and returned to his house without prey or battle. AFM 1512 Hugh Dubh returned from Home, after having finished his pilgrimage, and having spent 16 weeks in London on his way to Home, and 16 weeks on his return. He received great honour and respect from the King of England, King Henry VIII. He arrived safely in Ireland, but was for some time lying ill of a fever, in Meath. On recovering his health, he went home to his house; and the clergy and laity were glad and joyous at his return. AFM A great war broke out between O'Donnell and Art O'Neill, the son of Hugh. And another war also broke out between O'Donnell and Mac William Burke (Edmond, son of Rickard). O'Donnell hired 1500 axe-men in Tirconnell, Fermanagh, and the province of Connaught, and billeted them on those places. He and Manus afterwards marched with their forces from Derry, until they reached Lower Connaught, and from thence into Gaileanga; and they beseiged the castle of Bel-an-Chlair (now Ballinclare); and they took the town, and left their warders in it; they then returned over Sliabh Gamh, into Tireragh, where they remained for some time. When Mac William Burke heard of this occurrence, he marched with all his forces, and surrounded the castle of Bel-an-Chlair, in which O'Donnell had left his warders; but when O'DOnnell heard that Mac William was beseiging the town, he returned vigorously and expeditiously over Sliabh Gamh. Mac William, being apprized of O'Donnells approach, left the town, so that O'Donnell was not able to overtake him. Mac William then proceeded into Tireragh, and placed provisions and warders in the castle of Eiscir-Abhann (now Inishcrone), having previously taken that castle from its hereditary possessors, to whom O'Donnell had sometime before given it up. When O'Donnell was informed that Mac William had gone into Tireragh, he followed him eagerly and expeditiously back again over Sliabh Gamh; but Mac William being made aware of this, he left his son and heir, Ulick, son of Edmond, son of Rickard, and other guards along with him, in the castle of Esker-Abhann, and he himself marched forward, with all the speed that might be, for Ardnarea. Some of O'Donnells horesemen, espying Mac William, went in pursuit of him, and drove him to flight, and to swim across the Moy. He was followed across the Moy, and many horses and men were taken from him; but he made his escape from them. O'Donnell returned with his army, and laid seige to the castle of Eiscir-Abhann, wherein the son of Mac William was; and after 4 days great labour, they took the castle; and O'Donnell gave protection and guarantee to the warders. He then ordered that the castle should be placed upon posts, and it was tumbled to the earth, after which he returned home with victory and triumph. Mac William afterwards followed O'Donnell to Donegal, and gave him his own demands; and O'Donnell permitted his son to go home with Mac William. AFM A hosting was made by O'Donnell, accompanied by the chiefs of Lower Connaught and Fermanagh, and many hired soldiers, into Tyrone, against Art O'Neill, the son of Hugh. They first ravaged and burned Tyrone, before them, until they reached Dungannon. They were for a week in the country destroying it, until O'Neill made peace with them, and relinquished in favour of O'Donnell every claim that had been in dispute between their ancestors, namely, the rents of Kinel-Moen Inishowen, and all Fermanagh. O'Donnell then came to Omagh, and jn the space of one week re-erected the castle of Omagh, which had been some time before broken down by the Earl of Kildare; and O'Donnell left his own warders in it. AFM O'Donnell set out with a numerous army on foot to the Curlieu mountains to confer with the Earl, and to form a league with him. He returned back the same night to Breic-Shliabh, to his own camp; but a few of his people wereslain on his return through Bealach-Buidhe. He afterwards laid siege to the castle of Sligo, and destroyed all the country of the descendants of Brian O'Conor, but did not suceed in taking the town on that occasion. AFM 1513 O'Donnell formed a camp around Sligo, and remained there from the Festival of St Bridget to Whitsuntide; he did not however, take the castle in all that time. A gentleman of O'Donnells people was slain on that occasion Owen O'Conor, son of Donnell, son of Owen O'Conor, was hanged by O'Donnell. AFM O'Donnell went over to Scotland with a small band, at the invitation of the King of Scotland (James IV), who had sent letters and messengers for him. On his arrival there, he received great honour and gifts from the King. He remained with him a quarter of a year. After having changed the Kings resolution of coming to Ireland, as he intended, O'Donnell arrived at his house, after having encountered great dangers at sea. AFM The castle of Dun-lis (now Dunluce, Co Antrim) was taken by O'Donnell from the sons of Garrett Mac Quillin, and given up to the sons of Waiter Mac Quillin. AFM 1514 The castle of Coleraine was taken and demolished by O'Donnell, in revenge of Donnell O'Kanes violation of his guarantee. AFM O'Donnell committed great havoc in Gaileanga; he burned and plundered the country as far as Cruachan-Gaileang, and slew O'Ruadhain, and many others. AFM A war arose between Hugh Dubh and Art O'Neill, the son of Con; and they hired many persons on both sides, and remained for a long time encamped opposite each other. It happened, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, and the advice of their chieftains, that they made a friendly peace with each other, and came to a meeting with each other on the bridge of Ardstraw; and they became gossips to each other (They agreed that O'Neill should become sponsor, or godfather, to the first child that should be born to O'Donnell and that O'Donnell should become sponsor to the first child that should be born to O'Neill. This formed a most sacred type of religious relationship among the ancient Irish). And new charters were given by O'Neill to O'Donnell (together with a confirmation of the old charters) of Kinel-Moen, Inishowen, and Fermanagh. O'Donnell also delivered up as a free gift, to O'Neill, his (O'Neills) son Niall Oge, whom he had for a long time before in his custody as a hostage for the observance of fidelity. AFM O'Donnell went with a fleet of long ships and boats upon Lough Erne and took up his abode for a long time in Enniskillen. He plundered ~nd burned the islands of Cuil-na-noirear, and made a peace with the people of Fermanagh, after imposing his authority upon them. AFM 1515 Hugh Dubh went with a fleet of long ships upon Lough Erne; and he passed over and searched all the lake as far as Port-na-Cruma, in despite of all the country. His troops upon this occasion perpetrated many slaughters and burnings upon the islands of the sons of Edmond Maguire. AFM 1516 A great war arose between O'Donnell and O'Neill; and each lord hired a great number of men. Great depredations were committed by Manus O'Donnell upon Henry Balbh O'Neill, and the greater part of the country from the mountain inwards was burned by him. O'Donnell afterwards went to Tyrone, and burned Kinel-Farry (Co Tyrone), and the whole country, as far as the river called Una (OOna), and afterwards returned safe to his house. AFM The castle of SLigo was taken by Hugh Oge, after it had been a long time out of his possession. It was thus he succeeded in taking it: A French knight came upon his pilgrimage to St Patricks Purgatory on Lough Gerg (Lough Derg, Tirhugh, Co Donegal); and on his arrival, and at his departure, he visited O'Donnell, from whom he received great honours, gifts and presents; and they formed a great intimacy and friendship with each other; and the knight, upon learning that the castle of Sligo was defended against O'Donnell, promised to send him a ship with great guns; and the knight, too, performed that promise, for the ship arrived in the harbour of Killybegs. She was steered directly westwards to Sligo; and O'Donnell and his army marched by land, so that they met from sea and land at the town. They battered the town very much before they obtained possession of it, and O'Donnell gave protection to the warders. From thence O'Donnell proceeded into Tir-Oililla, and on the same day took the castle of Cuil-Maoile (Colooney), and the castle of Lough Deargan, and the castle of Dun-na-mona; in some of these he left warders, and he brought away hostages and prisoners from the others. O'Donnell then returned home with victory and triumph. AFM O'Donnell made 2 incursions into Tyrone, without battle or opposition, or without sustaining or inflicting any remarkable injury, except traversing the country. AFM 1522 A great war arose between O'Donnell and O'Neill. Mac William of Clannrickard, the English and Irish of Connaught, the O'Briens, the O'Kennedys, and the O'Carrolls, joined and leagued with O'Neill against O'Donnell in that war. The following are the chiefs who came from the west with their combined forces on this expedition: Mac William of Clannrickard (Ulick, son of Ulick of the Wine); and a party of the chiefs of the O'Briens namely, Donough and Tiege, the sons of Turlough, son of Tiege O'Brien; and the youung Bishop O'Brien (Turlough, Bishop of Killaloe); Mulrony O'Carroll, the son of John, and the O'Kennedys; and not they alone, but such of the Connacians as had been until that time under his tribute, and had been obedient to him (O'Donnell), namely, O'Conor Foe, O'Conor Don, Mac William Burke, Mac Dermot of Moylurg, and all that were amongst them in Connaught. All these forces were in readiness to march against O'Donnell, and it was on Lady-day in Harvest they appointed to join O'Neill in Tirhugh. AFM O'Neill, in the meantime, assembled, in the first place, the forces of Kinel-Owen, then the Clan-Aengusa (Magennises), the Oriel, the Reillys, the people of Fermanagh, and a vast number of Scots, under the command of Alexander, the son of Mac Donnell. Great numbers of the English forces of Meath, and the gallowglasses of the province of Leinster, of the Clann-Donnell and Clann-Sheehy, also came thither, from their attachment to the daughter of the Earl of Kildare, who was O'Neills mother. AFM O'Donnell on the other hand assembled his own small, but truely faithful, forces in Kinel-Connell, namely, O'Boyle, O'Doherty, the three Mac Sweenys, and the O'Gallaghers, with his son Manus, at Port-na-dtri-namhad (Portnatrynod, opposite Lifford), a perilous pass, through which he supposed O'Neill would make his onslaught upon them. When O'Neill heard of this position of the enemy, the route he took was through Kinel-Owen; and he marched unperceived until he arrived at Termon-Daveog, and from thence to Ballyshannon. the son of Mac Sweent of Tir-Baghaine (Brian of the Fleet), whom O'Donnell had left to guard the castle of Ballyshannon, defended the town against O'Neill as well as he was able; it was, however, at length taken by O'Neill, and the son of Mac Sweeny, with a great number of his people, were slain by him. There was also slain there two of O'Donnells ollaves namely, Dermot, the son of Tiege Cam O'Clery, a learned historian and poet, a man who kept an open house of general hospitality for the mighty and the indigent, and the son of Mac Ward (Hugh, the son of Hugh), with several others besides these. This was on the Ilth day of June. Bundrowes and Beal-lice were also taken, and burned by O'Neill on this occasion. On his return from Bundrowes a party of his forces slew Rory, son of Godfrey, who was the son of Hugh Gallda O'Donnell, and the son of Mac Kelly of Breifny, near Sgairbh-innsi-an-fhraoich. AFM When O'Donnell heard that O'Neill had done these deeds, he ordered his son, Manus O'Donnell, to proceed into Tyrone with a detachment of his army, and to plunder and burn that country; and he himself, with the number of forces he had kept with him, directed his course over Bearnas, in pursuit of O'Neill, and to defend Tirhugh. As to Manus, he plundered and burned all the neighbouring parts of Kinel-Owen; he also slew and destroyed many persons, and then returned in triumph. AFM When O'Neill discovered that manus had gone into Tyrone, he returned across the river Finn, and spoiled the country before him as far as Ceann-Maghair, from whence he carried off a prey; and he then proceeded in triumph to his own country. AFM O'Neill afterwards pitched his camp at Cnoc Buidhbh, at Loch Monaan, commonly called Cnoc an Bhogha, with all the forces before mentioned, except the western army, as we have said before. AFM As to O'Donnell, after his son Manus had reached him with many spoils, as he had not caught O'Neill at Ballyshannon, and as he had not overtaken him after the plundering of Ceann-Maghair, he returned across Bearnas, and mustered all the forces he had, though they were few against many at that time, and they all came to one place to Druim-Lighean (noe Drumleene, Co Raphoe). They held council to consider what they should do in the strait difficulties they had to meet, for they knew that they would not be able to maintain a contest with O'Neill and his army, and with the Connacian army, which was then marching towards their country, should they suceed in joining each other before the engagement; so that the resolution they adopted was to attack O'Neill, as he was the nearest to them, choosing rather to be slain on the field than to become slaves to any one in the the world. They agreed as the army opposed to them were so very numerous, to attack O'Neills by night. A notice and forewarning of this resolution reached O'Neill, so that he placed sentinels to guard every pass by which he thought the Kinel-Connell might come to attack him, while he himself, with the main body of his army, remained on the watch at the rear in his camp. AFM O'Donnell, having arrayed and marshalled, excited and earnestly exhorted his small army, commanded them to abandon their horses, for they had no desire to escape from the field of battle unless they should be victors. They, his forces, then advanced until they came up to the sentinels of O'Neill without being perceived by them. However, the sentinels began to give notice to their people that their enemies were approaching. The Kinel-Connell now, fearing that the sentinels would reach O'Neill before them, rushed onwards with such violence and vehemence that they went out of array; and they and the sentinels reached the camp together. On thus coming into collision with one another they raised great shouts aloud, and their clamour was not feebly responded to by O'Neills common soldiers, for they proceeded bravely and protectively to defend their chief and their camp. Both armys were engaged at striking and killing each other, and mighty men were subdued, and heros hacked, on either side; men were hewn down, and death, and evil destiny, seized vigorous youths in that place. Scarcely did any one of them on either side know with whom he should engage in combat, for they could not discern one anothers faces on account of the darkness of the night, and their close intermixing with each other. At last, however, O'Neill and his army were defeated, and the camp left to O'Donnell. Great indeed was the slaughter made upon O'Neill on that spot, for it was calculated by the people of the churches in which many of them were interred, and by those of the neighbours who were near them and recognized the bodies, that upwards of 900 of O'Neills army fell in that engagement, so that the name and renown of that victory spread all over Ireland. The most distinguished men who fell in that engagement were: Donnel Oge Mac Donnell, with a countless number of gallowglasses of the Clann-Donnell (Mac Donnell); Turlough Mac Sheehy, with a great number of his people; John Bisset, with the greater part of the Scots who had come with him; Hugh, the son of Owen, son of William Mac Mahon, with a party of his troops; and Rory Maguire, and some of his people along with him. There fell there also many of the Lagenians and of the men of Meath, for there came not a leader of a band or troop, small or great, in that muster of O'Neill, who did not complain of the number of his people that were left dead on that field; so that this battle of Cnoc Buidhbh was one of the most bloody engagements that had ever occurred between the Kinel-Connell and the Kinel-Owen. The Kinel-Connell seixed upon horses, arms, armour, a store of provisions, strong liquors, and several beautiful and rich articles, both eiscras (for measuing wine) and goblets, of the forces whom they had defeated; and though O'Donnells people were without horses on going into the engagement, they had many horses from the warriors whom they had cut off in that slaughter. Some of O'Donnels forces went to their houses with their share of the spoils, without his permission, but he sent them a peremptory order to return to him at once; and after they had collected to one place at his summons, he marched, with all the speed that might be, westwards, through the gap of Bearnas Mor, over the rivers Erne, Drowes, and Duff, and, over the lower part of Carbury, and pitched his camp at Ceathramha-na-madadh (now Carrownamaddoo, Co Sligo), on the north side of Binn-Golban, because the Connacian army, of which we have already spoken, had advanced to Sligo, and were laying siege to that town, in which O'Donnell had placed warders; and nothing delayed their march to Tirconnell but the taking of that town. When the two Mac Williams, the two O'Connors, Mac Dermot, the O'Briens, O'Carroll, and the O'Kennedys, with their forces, heard of O'Donnels having encamped in their vicinity, and of that victory he had gained over O'Neill, they resolved to dispatch messengers to sue for peace from him; and they offered to leave to him all the covenants and matters in dispute between O'Donnell and Mac William to the arbitration of Manus O'Donnell and O'Carroll. Tiege, the son of Turlough O'Brien, with other chiefs, were sent with these proposals. While the messengers were delivering their embassy to O'Donnell, the chiefs of the army, together with all their forces, came to the resolution of raising the siege and retreating privatley; and they acted on this resolution, though it was strange and wonderful that such an army as was there - so numerous, so complete, with leaders so noble, and with emnity so intense against the persons opposed to them - should have retreated in this manner, and should not have waited until each party had expended its fury, and wreaked its vengance on the other. These troops did not halt or wait for the return of their messangers, or the report of their embassy as to peace and tranquillity, until they reached the Curlieu mountains, where the lords and chieftains of the army separated from one another. AFM O'Donnell however, did not know that these hosts had fled from him after this manner, for had he known it he would have pursued them with all possible speed. Manus O'Donnell sent an escort with the messengers, ie with Teige O'Brien and his associates, and it was at the Curlieu mountains he overtook his people. Scarcely sis the defeat of Cnoc-Buidhbh, in which many men had been slaughtered and vast spoils obtained, procure greater renown or victory for O'Donnell throughout Ireland than this bloodless defeat, although no one among them had lost a drop of blood or received a single wound. AFM 1523 A war broke out between Con (bacach) O'Neill and Hugh Roe. O'Donnell remained encamped during the spring in Glenn-Finne (Raphoe), and Manus O'Donnell went to Scotland; and he returned in safety after his visit. O'Donnell and Manus then went to Tyrone, and ravaged and burned the whole country from Bealach Coille na g-Cuirritin to Dungannon. The town of Mac Donnell, ie Cnoc-an-Chluiche, was burned by O'Donnel and a beautiful herb garden there was cut down and destroyed by his forces. They remained for some time encamped at Tullyhoge, and ravaged and plundered the country on every side; and again they encamped for a time at one side of Carn t-Siaghail (Carnteel), where they killed an destroyed numbers of cattle, and committed other great depredations, and they returned safe after having thus plundered the country on that expedition. AFM O'Donnell went again to Tyrone and continued to plunder and devastate the country until the end of the year, when O'Neill made peace with him, and so no other remarkable exploit was performed between them. AFM Hugh Oge, after having made peace with O'Neill, assembled the forces within his own territory, and those of his neighbourhood, and made an irruption into Breifny-O'Rourke. Spoils and goods of the country were conveyed by the men of Breifny into the wilds and fastnesses of the country, to guard and protect them against O'Donnell. The sons of O'Rourke, with all the forces which they had with them, were defending the country against O'Donnell. O'Donnell however, overran the country on this occasion, burned its edifices and corn, and left nothing worth notice in it without burning. AFM 1524 An army was led by O'Donnell into Tyrone; and he burned and ravaged the country, after which he returned safe. AFM An army was led by the Lord Justice (Garrett, the son of Garrett, earl of Kildare), precisely in the middle of Autumn, to relieve his kinsman, O'Neill, ie Con, the son of Con, and to wreak his vengance upon O'Donnell; and he never halted until he arrived at Port-na-dtri-namhad (near Strabane), for they tie he and his forces) considered themselves secure and protected in that place against O'Donnell, of whom they were afraid, for there lay all around them deep ditches and strong and broad trenches, which had been formed some time before by Manus O'Donnell. O'Donnell mustered a numerous army to defend his country against the Lord Justice and O'Neill. Manus O'Donnell was desirous of attacking the Lord Justice and O'Neill on that night, but to this O'Donnell would not consent, on account of the strength of the position of the enemy, and from a dread of the ordnance which the Lord Justices people had with them. Manus however, without consulting O'Donnell, set out on foot with a party of gallowglasses, to harass and confuse the army of the Lord Justice and O'Neill, and commenced discharging showers of arrows at them, so that they neither allowed them to sleep nor rest; and they slew Calvagh, the son of O'Brien, who was a great loss in his own territory, and many others along with him. The resolution which the Lord Justice and O'Neill adopted on the following day was, to send messengers to O'Donnell, requesting him yo come to a conference, and conclude a peace. This was accordingly done, and the Lord Justice confirmed a peace between O'Neill and O'Donnell, he himself being as surety between them. A gossipred was also formed between the Lord Justice and O'Donnell, so that on this occasion they parted from each other in friendship and amity, through the miraculous interposition of God. AFM 1525 A general meeting of the principle men of Ireland was held in Dublin by the Lord Justice, the Earl of Kildare (Garrett Oge, the son of Garrett). Thither repaired the earls and barons, knights and other distinguished men, and the greater number of the irish and the English of all Ireland. Thither repaired Con Bacagh O'Neill, the son of Con, and Hugh O'Donnell, the son of Hugh Roe, with intent to form a league and reconfirm their peace in presence of the Lord Justice. But after they themselves, and their English and Irish friends, had debated and argued upon every covenant that had ever been entered into between them till that time, it was still found impossible for the Lord Justice and all the other chieftains to reconcile them to each other; so that they returned to their homes at strife, and the war between them was renewed. O'DOnnell went twice into Tyrone this year, and burned and devestated every part of the country through which he passed, and received neither battle nor opposition, either in going or returning, on either of these expeditions. In the beginning of the following harvest, however, a peace was concluded between them; and they mutually agreed to abide, on each side, by the arbitration of the Lord Justice and Manus O'Donnell. AFM 1526 O'Donnell (after the return of Manus from Dublin) and Manus himself, with the forces of both, marched, in the beginning of Spring, into Tyrone; they committed many depredations and great devastations in the territory. They feasted upon those preys during Shrovetide at Coill-na-lon, in Sil-Baoighill, and then returned home in safety, loaded with great booty. AFM A great dissention arose in Lower Connaught. The greater number of them combined against O'Donnell. These people committed a depredation in the lower part of Carbury, upon the descendants of Felim, the son of Owen O'Conor; and they carried off the preys with them into Moylurg, for the inhabitants of that territory were at peace with them, for having opposed O'Donnell. AFM When O'Donnell had heard of these depredations having been committed, he mustered his forces together. He first proceeded to Carbury where he, without delay, demolished the castle of Grainseach, the town of the descendants of Brian O'Conor. He afterwards marched at the head of this army into Moylurg, and ravaged and burned the country; the descendants of Brian O'Conor having shunned him on this occasion, he returned home. When the O'Conors heard that O'Donnell had returned into Tirconnell, they and the Mac Donoughs came with all their forces around Sligo, and proceeded to cut down the crops and corn fields; and they were preparing to take the town, until Rory Ballagh, the son of O'Hart, a good man of their people, was slain; and they departed from the town on that day; but they again collected around it. O'Donnell, on receiving intelligence of their proceedings, went, without delay or neglect, vigorously and expeditiously, to the relief of Sligo; but the others did not await his coming, for the O'Conors and Mac Donoughs went to Bal-an-droichit (3 miles southwest of Sligo). O'Donnell pursued them with all possible speed, and he at once routed the said O'Conors and Mac Donoughs. The Connacian army left great spoils, consisting of horses, arms and armour, to the Kinel-Connell on that occasion; and from the time that Hugh Roe, the son of Niall Garv, had gained the battle of Ceideach-droighneach over the Connacians, where many of them were slain, the Kinel-Connell had not given a defeat to the Connacians which redounded more to their triumph, or by which they obtained more spoils, than this defeat of Bel-an-droichit. AFM An army was led by O'Donnell into Tirawley, at the insistance of the descendants of Richard Burke. In this army were the chiefs of Tirconnell and Maguire, with the rising-out of Fermanagh; and these chieftains marched, without delaying or halting, on to Sligo. This army of O'Donnell collected in cuil-irra a great quantity of corn, belonging to the descendants of Brian O'Conor, and drew it into Sligo; and such corn as they did not carry off they totally destroyed. O'Donnell then marched his army into Tirawley, where he took the castles of Caerthanan and Cros-Maoiliona, in which he found histages and many spoils; and he then threw down and totally demolished these castles, so that they were no longer habitable. He afterwards established peace, amity, and concord, between the descendants of Richard Burke and the Barretts, so that they were for a long time afterwards friendly towards one another. On his way home O'Donnell pitched his camp at Cuil-Maoile (Callooney), the inhabitants of which were in a state of hostility and insubordination to him at that time; and he destroyed and burned all the corn belonging to the descendants of Cormac Mac Donough; and it was not until after they had been plundered and ruined that they made peace with O'Donnell, upon his own conditions, and gave him hostages for the fulfilment to him of every thing they promised. The descendants of Brian O'Conor acted in like manner, for they gave O'Donnell his demands, and made peace with him on his own terms, after he had demolished the castle of Grainseach (Orange), and destroyed all their crops and corn. They afterwards took their creaghts into the country. O'Donnell, with his army, returned safe, after victory and triumph, on that expedition. This hosting was made by O'Donnell a short time after Allhallowtide. AFM 1527 An army was mustered by O'Donnell (Hugh, the son of Hugh Roe), to march into Connaught; and they marched on, without halting, until they reached Moylurg. They destroyed the whole country, both corn and buildings. They afterwards proceeded to Castlemore-Costello, for the ourpose of taking it. This was an impregnable fortress, for it contained provisions, and every kind of engines, the best to be found at that time in Ireland for resisting enemies, such as cannon, and all sorts of weapons. These chieftains, nevertheless, proceeded to besiege the castle; and they placed their army in order all around it, so that they did not permit any person to pass from it or towards it, until they at last took it. AFM On this expedition they also took the castle of Meannoda, and the castles of Cala, Baile-na-huamha, and castlereagh, all which they demolished, after they had taken them. AFM 1528 An army was led by O'Donnell, accompanied by a great body of Scots, under the conduct of Alexander, the son of John Cahanagh, into Moylurg, and Bealach buidhe was cut through by them. He obtained hostages and rents from Mac Dermot, and then returned home safe to his country. AFM 1530 A chapter of friars was held at Donegal; and it was O'Donnell (Hugh Oge) that supplied them with everything they stood in need of, or desired, while they remained together on that occasion. AFM An army was led by O'Donnell, in the month of September, against Mac William Burke; and he destroyed a large portion of his country. A peace was afterwards ratified between them, and O'Donnell returned safe to his house. AFM 1531 An army was led by the English Lord Justice, the Earl of Kildare, and the chiefs of the Irish of Ireland, into Tyrone, at the insistance of O'Donnell and Niall Oge O'Neill, and of the descendants of Hugh O'Neill; and they burned Tyrone from Dungal to Abhainn-mhor, demolished the new castle of Port-an-Fhaileagain, and plundered and burned the country of Brian-na-Moicheirghe. Monoghan was left empty to them. O'Donnell and Niall set out to join the English army at Kinard, and demolished the castle of Kinard; but, O'Neill being near them with a very numerous army, they dared not advance further into Tyrone; so that these hosts returned to their several homes, O'Neill not having come to terms of peace or armistice with them. AFM Maguire proceeded with an army into Tirconnell, at the instance of O'Donnell, for O'Donnels sons were at strife with each other, for fear that the one might attain to the chieftainship in preference to the other, after their fathers death; for the name and renown of Manus O'Donnell had spread not only through all Tirconnell, but through external territories; and he was oppressing his own kindred. O'Donnell was afraid that they would commit fratricide upon each other, and that his own power would, in consequence, be weakened, wherefore he had invited Maguire to come to him, to see whether they could reconcile Manus with his relatives through friendship and brotherly love. Maguire and Hugh Boy O'Donnell afterwards marched with their troops until they arrived at the River Fin; and they plundered all the territory that was under the jurisdiction of Manus, from border to border. Manus at this time was on the Green of Castlefinn, with all his forces assembled; and the sons of Manus, with a party of their people, set out across Scairbh-Begoige, opposite the town castle, to await and meet the army that was advancing towards them. They were routed by Maguire and Hugh Boy, and forced to retreat into the castle for protection. They all then returned to their several fortresses. AFM 1532 O'Donnell and Maguire went to the English Lord Justice, William Skeffington, and after they had formed a league of mutual friendship and mity with each other, the Lord Justice went with them into Tyrone. The castle of Dungannon was broken down and the country was ravaged. AFM O'Donnell proceeded to Moylurg with his forces, being accompanied by Mac Donnell, namely Alexander, the son of John Cahanagh. O'Donnell plundered and burned Moylurg, until at last Mac Dermot gave him his own demand that he might be at peace with him. AFM 1533 A great depredation was committed by O'Donnell upon O'Hara Boy, between the two rivers (Owenmore and Coolaney), because the latter had been disobedient to him. AFM Murtough, son of Felim, who was the son of Turlough Carragh O'Conor, was hanged by O'Donnell on the Green of the castle of Eanach, his sons and relatives having previously refused to give up the castle for his ransom. AFM 1536 At this time war and contentions arose between O'Donnell and all the chieftains of lower Connaught, with the single exception of Brian, the son of Owen O'Rourke, who did not, on this occasion, join either side. An army was, therefore, mustered by O'Donnell and his sons (excepting Manus alone, who did not come into his fathers army on this expedition, because he was biassed by O'Neill). These forces marched from Ballyshannon in the afternoon, and pitched their camp that night between the rivers Duff and Drowes; and there having taken dinner and refreshments they sent guards and sentinels to watch the pass between them and Magh gCeidne, for they were afraid that the O'Conors, with all their forces, might surprise them that night in their camp, inasmuch as they were then all assembled in a flaming body at Sligo, threatening to give battle to O'Donnell as soon as they should meet him. The first person who went out to watch for the army was Niall O'Boyle, the son of Turlough, who supposed that his enemies would soon come up to him, and that he would be able to wreak his vengance upon them. But the people of Hugh Boy, the son of O'Donnell, went at the same time, without giving notice to O'Boyle, or his people, to guard another pass. Both parties met and neither of them recognising the other, they proceeded to strike at each other. Fiercly and resolutely did O'Boyle fight in this skirmish against his enemies (as he thought), and he unsparingly cut off great numbers of the opposite host; but as he was slaughtering them in this manner, they formed a huge circle around him, so that he at last met his death from his own true and faithful friends, on the second of the Calends of August. The death of the person being here slain, ie Niall, the son of Turlough, was a cause of great grief to the poor and indigent, and to the literati and the kerns. Although O'Donnell was much grieved at this lamentable occurrence, it did not, nevertheless, prevent his projected expedition, but he marched onwards as far as Finfir. A party of Cathal Oge O'Conors cavalry, composed of the O'Hartes, set out for Braghait-Chuillighe, and a troop of O'Donnells cavalry marched likewise aginst them; and they met at Bealach-Duin-iarainn, where the skirmish ensued, in which a distinguished horseman of O'Hartes was slain, whereupon both parties withdrew for that time. O'Donnell remained within his own camp that night, and on the merrow, marched on to Fearsat-Reanna-an-Liagain, to cross over to Cuil-irrae. O'Conor was at Sligo, preparing his people to march against O'Donnell to the same Fearsat, to prevent his crossing it. While the tide was full both armies were reconnoitering and observing each other. O'Conor seeing that he had not equal forces with O'Donnells, and being, together with his army, seized with terror and awe at the sight of the arrangement and array of O'Donnels troops, and the position of his cannon, and other military engines, on the borders of the Fearsat, resolved not to come to an engagement with him at that place, but to wait until he should find him less prepared somewhere else. O'Donnell crossed the Fearsat without meeting any opposition, it being left without defence, without guard against him. Some of the chieftains of Lower Connaught sent a party to skirmish with O'Donnels army; but they were responded to and opposed by the other hist, and one who was a great loss to the Mac Donoughs, namely,