Naghtan O'Donnell

Son of Turlough-An-Fhina O'Donnell

1417

A great war broke out between O'Neill and the Kinel-Connell. O'Neill
made a nocturnal assault upon the fortress of Naghtan O'Donnell at
Carn-glas, between Raphoe and Donaghmore; and, finding those within it
asleep, he took away from them 40 horses, and obtained other great
spoils, consisting of armour, arms, and apparel. 11 men were either
killed or taken prisoners; but Naghtan O'Donnell himself made his
escape, by force of his valeur, prowess, and bravery. AFM

1425

O'Neill and Owen O'Neill, Naghtan O'Donnell and Mac-I-Neill Boy, Mac
Quillin, Mac Donnell Golloglagh, and O'Mellan, Keeper of the Bell of St
Patricks Will, who happened to be in the house of the Earl, were taken
prisoners by Lord Furnival (Sir John Talbot), after the death of the
Earl of March; and he conveyed these chieftains as prisoners to Dublin.
AFM

1426

Naghtan was ransomed by Niall O'Donnell, his brother, from the English.

1431

Henry, the son of Owen, son of Niall Oge O'Neill, was taken prisoner by
Naghtan O'Donnell. Owen O'Neill and Naghtan afterwards came to a
conference, and having settled their disputes, they made peace with
each other; and Henry was set at liberty. AFM

Naghtan O'Donnell went to assault the castle of Loch Laoghaire, and
took it from Turlough O'Donnell; and all the spoils that he found in it
he carried off. AFM

1434

A war arose between Niall O'Donnell and his brother Naghtan, in
consequence of the death of Egneaghan O'Donnell. Many depredations were
committed, and many lives were lost in the contests between them; and
Naughtan went over to the sons of Donnell, the son of Murtough O'Conor
of Sligo. O'Donnell took prey in the Moy and in the territory of
Carbury, from the sons of Donnell, son of Murtough, and from Naghtan;
and Naghtan and Brian, son of Donnell, with the other sons of Donnell,
in revenge of the taking of this prey, made an incursion into the Moy,
and into Tirhugh, where they burned houses, and seized inanimate
spoils, and numbers of small cattle. Naghtan went a second time into
Tirconnell, and committed depredations on Coner, the son of O'Donnell;
and Conner, in return, made an incusion into Carbury, and plundered the
whole territory. AFM

The same war was continued between O'Donnell and Naghtan; and the
latter went to Mac Quillin and Brian Oge O'Neill, to induce them to
declare war against O'Donnell. O'Donnell and O'Neill attacked Naghtans
castle, namely, Caislen-na-Finne (Castlefinn, a village on the River
Finn, Raphoe, Co Donegal), and continued to beseige it for some time,
but were, nevertheless, unable to take it. AFM

1435

Brian Oge O'Neill and Naghtan O'Donnell united to make war on Owen
O'Neill and his sons, Henry and Owen; and O'Neill and his sons set out
with their creaghts for Kinel-Moen, to oppose Naghtan and Brian, and
did not halt until they pitched their camp in the Rasa (the Rosses, Co
Donegal). As soon as Naghtan and Brian Oge heard of this, they
expeditiously collected their forces together, for the purpose of
making an attack on O'Neills camp; and they did not halt on their
course until they arrived at the camp in which O'Neill was, where they
made battle, and dislodged O'Neill from his camp, remaining in it
themselves. Now O'Neill, his sons, and Mac Donnell Galloglagh, felt
shame and disgrace at their expulsion from the position in which they
were fortified; and the resolution they adopted, at the request and
solicitation of Henry O'Neill, was, that they should attack the camp,
and use their boldest exertions to re-take it. Henrys exhortation had
great effect upon the minds of the youths, and they attacked the camp
vigorously, silently, and fiercly, Henry being the foremost in the van,
until they made their way into the very centre of their enemies. Mac
Donnell Galloglagh and Mac Sweeny Fanad then came to an engagement, in
which heroes were mangled and slaughtered between them on both sides
and such was the confusion that prevailed, owing to the darkness of ;he
night, and the closeness of the combatants to each other, that friend
could not be distinguished from foe. Sparks of fire flashed from the
helmets of the heroes and the armour of the champions. Hugh O'Neill and
Brian O'Neill came to a personal rencounter with each other; and Hugh
made a thrust of his spear at Brian, and wounded him severely, after
which Brian and Naghtan withdrew from the contest, and left their
gallowglasses behind them. O'Neill was victorious on this expedition.
AFM

Naghtan had given the castle of Ballyshannon to Brian Oge O'Neill, on
his having consented to assist him in his war with O'Neill. Brian
afterwards acted traitorously towards Naghtan, for he went to O'Neill
without Naghtans permission, and left his warders in the castle of
Ballyshannon. AFM

Naghtan committed great depredations on O'Neill. AFM

1437

A peace was made between O'Donnell and Naghtan O'Donnell. AFM

1439

Naghtan was installed as lord of Tirconnell in place of Niall Carve,
who had died in English captivity on the Isle of Mann. AFM

1440

Naghtan O'Donnell and Owen O'Neill made peace with each other. AFM

The castle of Ballyboyle (on the north side of the Bay of Donegal) was
taken by the son of Donnell, who was the son of O'Donnell, at a time
when he found it unguarded; and he found therein great spoils in money,
apparel, and armour. The same castle was again taken by O'Donnell, and
given back to O'Boyle; and the sons of Donnell O'Donnell were taken
prisoners therein, and detained in captivity by O'Donnell for their
evil deeds. AFM

1442

Henry, the son of Owen O'Neill,repaired to the English, and brought a
very great army of the English to Castlefin; and O'Neill, his father,
with all his forces in full number, went to meet Henry and the English
at the same place. Naghtan O'Donnell went to oppose them; but as he had
not an equal number of forces to hazard the issue of a battle, he made
peace with O'Neill, giving up to him the castle, the territory of
Kinel-Moen, and the tribute of Inishowen. AFM

1445

A great army was led into Sligo by O'Donnell, Philip Maguire, the sons
of Hugh Maguire, and the sons of Owen O'Conor. The troops burned Sligo,
then in possession of Turlough Carrach, son of Donnell, who was the son
of Mortogh O'Conor, and slew Mac Donough, Tomaltagh, son of Donough,
Lord of Tirerrill and many others. AFM

1446

O'Donnell marched with a great army into Connaught, to assist his
friends; he went first to the territory of O'Rourke, and from thence
through Maghnisse, across the Shannon, into Moylurg, through
Machaire-Chonnacht, and through Clann-Conway; and Mac William came to
Dunamon for him, and conducted him afterwards into Conmaicne Guile
Toladh (barony of Kilmaine, Co Mayo). AFM

1452

Naghtan, son of Turlough-an-Fhina O'Donnell, Lord of Tirconnell,
Kinel-Moen, Inishowen, and the neighbouring territories, a brave and
protecting man, and arbiter of peace and war of the north, was slain in
the darkness of the night, on the festival of St Brendan, by Donnell
and Hugh Poe, the sons of Niall O'Donnell, his brother, because he had
some time before banished these sons of Niall from Tirconnell. Naghtan
was 60 years of age when he was killed. AFM