Manus O'Donnell

First great Irish lord of Tyrconnell, whos career was marked by wars
with the O'Neills and by family quarrels with his father and his son.

Lord of Tyrconnel

Eldest son of Hugh Dubh O'Donnell

1510

Hugh Dubh O'DOnnell, the son of Hugh Poe, went upon a pilgrimage to
Pome. 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 Rome. 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

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

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

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 Roe, 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;o 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

1524

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

Con O'Neill and manus O'Donnell went before the Lord Justice to make
peace between the Kinel-Connell and Kinel-Owen; and many of the chiefs
of the English and Irish assembled to reconcile them, but they were not
able to establish peace or amity between them, so that they returned
home in enmity on that occasion. AFM

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

1527

The castle of Leithbhir (now Lifford, on the River Foyle, in the barony
of Raphoe, Co Donegal) was completed by Manus O'Donnell, with its works
of stone, wood and boards, while O'Neill was at war with him. Manus
commenced his work on the Wednesday before the festival of St Brendan (16
May) , in summer, and finished it in the course of the same summer. AFM

1529

The castle of Cuil-mic-an-treoin was taken by Manus O'Donnell; and
having called a council to decide on what was best to be done, he
determined on demolishing the castle. AFM

1531

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

1533

The two sons of Felim, the son of Rory Bacagh O'Neill, were slain by
Manus O'Donnell. AFM

1537

A war broke out between Hugh Boy O'Donnell and Manus O'Donnell. the
sons of O'Boyle sided with Hugh, who was in the castle of Donegal. In
consequence of this dissention between the sons of O'Donnell, a great
commotion arose in Tirconnell, during which a party of the descendants
of the Bishop O'Gallagher were slain by the sons of O'Boyle. AFM

Manus O'Donnell was inaugurated in the place of his father, who had
died, by the successors of St Columbkille, with the permission and by the
advice of the nables of Tirconnell, both lay and ecclesiastical. AFM

An army was led by Manus O'Donnell into Lower Connaught, in the month
of September; and he destroyed much corn, and traversed and burned all
Lower Connaught, namely, Carbury, Tireragh, the two Leynys, Corran, and
Trrerill. On this occasion the town castle of O'Hara Reagh was taken by
O'Donnell; and having got O'Hara himself in his power, he extended to
him mercy and protection, and carried him away as a hostage to his own
house. AFM

1538

An army was led by Manus into Lower Connaught, and triumphantly took
the castle of Sligo, which was well defended by warders and cannon,
after it had been for some time out of his possession, having been
powerfully defended against his father, and it could not be taken until
then. And after having taken this castle, and left his warders in it,
he proceeded to Moylurg, and ravaged all that country. Upon his return
he visited the castle called Magh-Ui-Ghadhra, and took it. The son of
O'Donnell, Niall Garv, the son of Manus) was unfortunately slain on the
Ilth of December by the shot of a ball fired from the castle, when they
were approaching the town. The person, however, who had done this act,
was pardoned by O'Donnell, who sent him away under his protection.
O'Donnell then returned with his army safe (except the great misfortune
already alluded to), after having ravaged all Moylurg and
Machaire-Chonnacht, excepting such parts as were obedient to him. AFM

1539

An army was led by Manus into Lower Connaught, between Christmas and
the festival of St Bridget; and he exacted from them his full tribute
and hostages, and returned safe to his house. AFM

An army was led by Con O'Neill and Manus O'Donnell, with one will and
accord, into Meath; and such part of these territories as were
disobedient to them they spoiled and burned before them, as far as
Tara, and the possessions of all those who refused to submit to them.
They obtained immense and inumerable spoils on this expedition; there
were the spoils of gold and silver, copper, iron, and every sort of
goods and valuables besides, which they took from the towns of Ardee
and Nuachongbhail, which they entirely plundered on that expedition.
Upon their return, these troops were elated with courage and high
spirits, and filled with pride and haughtiness, on account of the
vastness of their spoils, and because they had not met any opposition.
When the English Lord Justice, Lord Leonard, heard the news of this, he
made a complete muster of all the English in Ireland, the forces of the
great towns of Meath, both ecclesiastical and lay, and all the fleets
in the adjacent harbours, and especially the large fleet in the bay of
Carlinne. After all these forces had collected to one place to the Lord
Justice, he set out in pursuit of the irish army into oriel, and came
up with them at a place called Bel-atha-hoa, in Farney. The irish army
were not able to go into order or array, as was meet with them; nor did
they take the advice of their chiefs, to stand and maintain their
battle-ground, but they fled in a scattered and disorderly manner,
leaving a great deal of their own property, and of the spoils taken
from the English at that place, to their enemies, after being routed.
AFM

1540

An army was led by manus into Connaught, and never halted until he
arrived in Moylurg, from whence he passed into Clann-Conway; and he
totally devastated and burned Moylurg and Clann-Conway. He afterwards
plundered the Curlieu Mountains, and then returned home safe, after
victory and triumph. AFM

Another hosting was made by O'Donnell, and he was joined by Niall, the
son of Art Oge, Tanist of Tyrone, and by Mac Donnell of ScotLand
(Colla, the son of Alexander), with many Scots along with him.
O'Donnell and this army proceeded into Fermanagh, and they at first
destroyed much in the country, until they obtained pledges and
guarantees of submission. After that they marched through Briefny
O'Rourke, and from thence to the Curlieu mountains, where they pitched
their camp, and destroyed Bealach-Buidhe, and cleared every other
difficult passage. Upon this the Clann-Mulrony came to them, and gave
hostages to O'Donnell for the observance of his own conditions for the
time to come. O'Donnell then returned safe to his house. AFM

The sons of O'Donnell tie of Hugh Oge, the son of Hugh Roe), namely,
Donough Cairbreach and John of Lurg, rose up in opposition to O'Donnell
(Manus, their own brother), and went into the Crannog of
Loch-Beiathaigh, from which they proceeded to spoil the country.
O'Donnell took them both prisoners, and took also Egneghan O'Donnell in
the town of Conwall. He hanged John of Lurg, and put Egneghan and
Donough in fetters; and he broke down and demolished the Crannog of
Loch-Beathaigh. AFM

1541

Manus went to Cavan to meet the English Lord Justice; and the Lord
Justice received him with great honour and respect; and they formed a
league of peace, alliance, and friendship with each other. AFM

An army was led by Manus into Tyrone, to meet the English Lord Justice;
and they traversed and desolated the country. The Lord Justice returned
to Meath and O'Donnell, separating from him, went back through Tyrone,
and arrived safe, without meeting battle or opposition on that
occasion, either in going or returning. And O'Donnell marched along the
eastern side of the lake in Fermanagh, and destroyed Cuil-na-noirear,
and from the lake eastwards, both mainland and islands; for he had
boats and vessels spoiling and plundering the islands, and his army
devastating the country, so that he left them in want of corn for that
year. AFM

An army was led by Manus, some time afterwards, into Fermanagh, and
pursued his route on the west side of the lake; and he sent part of his
forces in boats along the lake while he himself, with the number he
kept along with him, proceeded by land, so that they plundered the
whole country, both lake and land, until they reached Enniskillen; and
they broke and threw down the castle of Enniskillen, and returned safe
from that expedition in triumph. 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

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

An army was led by manus into Connaught, in the autumn of this year;
and the chieftains of Lower Connaught came to him with peace and
friendship, and obediently paid him his rents and chiefries; and he
returned to his house. 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

Manus gave Tuath-Ratha and Lurg to Maguire (John, son of Cuconnaught,
O'Donnell having some time before destroyed a great deal upon Maguire.
For this Maguire gave up himself, his country, and his land, to
O'Donnell, and in particular the privilege of calling for the
rising-out of his country, or a tribute in lieu of the rising-out not
obtained. He also gave tie agreed to give to O'Donnell half the eric
tie fine paid for killing men throughout Fermanagh. AFM

1543

Manus repaired to the great Council at Dublin, together with his
relatives, Egneghan and Donough, who had been for some time held in
fetters by him, but were set at liberty by the advice of the Lord
Justice and the chiefs of Ireland in general, after they had made peace
and friendship between them. Con O'Donnell, his brother, who had been a
long time in England, was also reconciled to him. Con returned to
England to the King, and remained with him, with honour and respect.
AFM

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

Cahir, the son of Tuathal Balbh was afterwards taken prisoner by
O'Doherty, and delivered up to O'Donnell; and O'Donnell himself made a
prisoner of Turlough, the son of Felim Fin O'Gallagher, and brought
both these prisoners to Lifford, to see whether he could obtain the
town; but he did not obtain it on that occasion. 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

An army was led by O'Donnell into the Route, and took Inis-an-lochain,
whereon Mac Quillin had a wooden castle and an impregnable fastness.
O'Donnell took this castle, and gave it up to O'Kane. On this
expedition O'Donnell also took the castle of Baile-an-lacha, and
obtained many spoils, consisting of weapons, armour, copper, iron,
butter, and provisions, in these towns. He afterwards took the island
of Loch-Burrann, and the island of Loch-Leithinnsi, where he likewise
obtained many spoils. He burned the whole country around, and then
returned home safe after victory. AFM

A war arose between O'Donnell and O'Neill. O'Donnell went and lay in
ambush near the old castle, and slew several persons; and he took the
grandson of Brian and others prisoners on that occasion. AFM

O'Donnell committed another depredation in Tyrone. 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

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

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 his
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

1561

At this time O'Neill was harassing and plundering territories of Bregia
and Heath. 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

1563

O'Donnell (Manus, the son of Hugh Duv, son of Hugh Roe, son of Niall
Garv, son of Turlough of the Wine), Lord of Tirconnell, Inishowen,
Kinel-Hoen, Fermanagh, and Lower Connaught; a man who never suffered
the chiefs who were in his neighbourhood and vicinity to encroach upon
any of his super-abundant possessions, even to the time of his disease
and infirmity; a fierce, obdurate wrathful, and combative man towards
his enemies and opponents, until he had made them obedient to his
jurisdiction; and a mild, friendly, benign, amicable, bountiful, and
hospitable man towards the learned, the destitute, the poets, and the
ollaves, towards the religious orders and the church, as is evident
from the accounts of old people and historians; a learned man skilled
in many arts, gifted with a profound intellect, and the knowledge of
every science, died on 9 th of February, at his own mansion-seat at
Lifford, a castle which he had erected in despite of O'Neill and the
Kinel-Owen, and was interred in the burial place of his predecessors,
and ancestors at Donegal, in the monastery of St Francis, with great
honour and veneration, after having vanquished the Devil and the world.
AFM