Turlough Cairbreach O'Donnell

Son of Naghtan O'Donnell

1456

A great war broke out between Donnell and Henry O'Neill, after the
expulsion of the sons of Naghtan O'Donnell, by O'Donnell, into Tyrone.
O'Neill and Maguire went with the sons of Naghtan into Inishowen, and
marched, without halting, until they pitched their camp near the
confines of Cuil-Mic-an-treoin, to oppose this great army, which the
sons of Naghtan had drawn into their territory. But when O'Donnell left
the town with his small number of attendants, the other party espied
them, and followed them as quickly as they could, until they overtook
them; and then they did not shew them the rights of men, not did they
oppose to them an equal number of their forces, but the many rushed
upon the few, so that Donnell was slain (on 18 May, which fell on
friday), and Hugh Poe and the son of Mac Sweeny were taken prisoners.
Turlough Cairbreach, the son of Naghtan, then assumed the lordship of
Tirconnell. AFM

1458

A hosting was made by Turlough Cairbreach; and Henry O'Neill, came to
join his muster. They first went to Lower Connaught, and from thence
they proceeded into Breifny; and they spoiled and burned that part of
the territory lying from the mountain westwards; and they also burned
O'Rourkes town, Druim-da-Ethiar (Drumahaire). They obatined the
hostages of Lower Connaught, who were given into the hands of
O'Donnell; after which they returned home. AFM

1461

The sons of Niall Garv O'Donnell, Hugh Poe, Con, and Owen, assembled
all their forces, and proceeded into Fanad to the son of Mac Sweeny,
Mulmurry, because Turlough Cairbreach O'Donnell was wreaking his
animosities on the son of Mac Sweeny and all Fanad, for their
friendship to the sons of Niall. The sons of Niall and the son of Mac
Sweeny held a council, to consider how they should act, in order to
defend themselves against the sons of Naghtan and their forces, who
were ready to wreak their vengance and emnity on them. When O'Donnell
and the sons of Naghtan were informed that the sons of Niall had
arrived in Fanad, he set out after them with his brothers, his troops
and a battalion of Scotsmen then in his service, and pitched his camp
at Ceann-Maghair, to watch and check the sons of Niall O'Donnell and
Mulnurry Mac Sweeny, who was passing with them out of the territory.
The sons of Niall and the people of Fanad having heard of this, they
consulted with one another; and they came to a determination not to
abandon or cede the pass to any host or army that should oppose them:
and when this resolution was adopted, the sons of Niall, Mulmurry Mac
Sweeny, Owen Bacagh Mac Sweeny, and all the people of Fanad who adhered
to them, proceeded to Ceann-Maghair (Kinnaweer, Kilmacrenan, Co
Donegal) to meet and oppose the forces of O'Donnell and the sons of
Naghtan; and as they approached each other, they did not hesitate to
attack each other, in consequence of their enmities and hatred,
provocations and animosities; and they met each other in a furious and
obstinate battle, in which Turlough Cairbreach and the sons of Naghtan
were defeated. O'Donnell himself was taken prisoner and his brother,
Manus, and numbers of others, were slain. Turlough Cairbreach was
afterwards maimed (to make him unfit for the chieftainship, one of his
hands and one of his feet were cut off). After this defeat at
Ceann-Maghair, these victorious chieftains went to Cill-Mic-Nenain
(Kilmacrenan), and Hugh Poe, the son of Niall Garv, was styled lord
after the lawful manner; and he called Mulmurry Mac Sweeny the Mac
Sweeny Fanad. AFM

1464

A plundering army was led by O'Neill and the sons of Naghtan O'Donnell
into Tirconnell, after the killing of Con O'Donnell; and they burned
the country as far as Ballyshannon, and seized upon many horses and
cows. AFM