List of rulers of Tyrconnell

This article lists the rulers of Tyrconnell (Irish: Tír Ċonaıll), a medieval Irish kingdom which covered much of what is now County Donegal.

Oral history

It was founded in the fifth century by a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, Conall Gulban, of whom the Cenél Conaill are descended.^{[1][2] [3]} They ruled the kingdom until the Flight of the Earls in September 1607, which marked the end of the kingdom.^{[citation needed]}

Early Chiefs of Cenél Conaill

• Conall Gulban mac Néill (died 464)
• .......
• Ninnid mac Dauach (flourished 544-563)
• Ainmuire mac Sétnai (died 569)
• Báetán mac Ninneda (died 586).
• Áed mac Ainmuirech (died 598)
• Conall Cú mac Áedo (died 604)
• Máel Coba mac Áedo (died 615)
• Domnall mac Áedo (died 642)
• Conall Cóel mac Máele Coba (died 654)
• Cellach mac Máele Coba (died 658)
• ......
• Loingsech mac Óengusso (died 703)
• Congal Cennmagair mac Fergusa (died 710)
• Flaithbertach mac Loingsig (died 765)
• Áed Muinderg mac Flaithbertaig (died 747)
• Loingsech mac Flaithbertaig (died 754)
• Murchad mac Flaithbertaig (died 767)
• Domnall mac Áeda Muindeirg (died 804)
• Máel Bresail mac Murchada (died 819)
• Ruaidrí ua Canannáin (died 950)

Kings of Tyrconnell (Rí Thír Chonaill) from c. 1201 to 1608

Illustration	Name	Reign		Lifespan		Claim
		Start	End	Birth	Death
	Eneas MacDaly Eigneachan mac Dalach	1201[citation needed]	1207[4]		1207[4]
	Donall Mor MacEneas O'Donnell Domhnall Mór mac Eicnechain Ó Domhnaill	1207[4]	1241[5][6]		1241[5][6]	Son of Eneas[5][1]
	Melaghlin O'Donnell Maol Seachlainn Ó Domhnaill	1241[5][6]	1247[citation needed]			Son of Donall Mor
	Gofraid O'Donnell Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill	1247[citation needed]	1258[citation needed]
	Donal Oge O'Donnell Domhnall Óg Ó Domhnaill	1258[citation needed]	1281[7]	c. 1242[citation needed]	1281[7]	Son of Donall Mor[8][1]
	Hugh O'Donnell Aodh Ó Domhnaill	1281[7]	1290[9]			Son of Donal Oge[7][10][1]
	Turlough O'Donnell Toirdhealbhach Ó Domhnaill	1290[9]	1303[10]		1303[10]	Son of Donal Oge[10]
	Hugh O'Donnell Aodh Ó Domhnaill	1303[10]				Son of Donal Oge[7][10][1]
	Neal Garbh O'Donnell		1380[1]		1380[1]	Son of Hugh[1]
	Turlough-an-Fhina O'Donnell Tairrdelbach an Fhiona Ó Domhnaill	1380[1]	1422[1]		1422[1]	Son of Neal Garbh[1]
	Niall Garve O'Donnell Niall Garbh Ó Domhnaill	1422[1]	1439[11]		1439[11]
	Naughton O'Donnell Neachtan Ó Domhnaill	1439[11]	16 May 1452[lower-alpha 1]	c. 1392[12]	16 May 1452[lower-alpha 2]	Son of Turlough-an-Fhina[12]
	Hugh Roe O'Donnell I Aodh Ruadh mac Néill Gairbh Ó Domhnaill	c. 1461[15]	11 July 1505[16][15]	c. 1427[15]	11 July 1505[16][15]	Son of Niall Garve[15][17][11]
	Hugh Duff O'Donnell Aodh Dubh Ó Domhnaill	11 July 1505[16][15]	5 July 1537[17][18]		5 July 1537[17][18]	Son of Hugh Roe I[17]
	Manus O'Donnell Maghnas Ó Domhnaill	5 July 1537[17][18]	1555[19][18]	1490[20]	9 February 1563[21][22]	Son of Hugh Duff[18]
	Calvagh O'Donnell Calbhach Ó Domhnaill	1555[19][18]	26 October 1566[23][24]	c. 1515[citation needed]	26 October 1566[23][24]	Son of Manus[23]
	Hugh McManus O'Donnell Aodh mac Maghnusa Ó Domhnaill	26 October 1566[23][24]	3 May 1592[25]	c. 1520[25]	1600[25]	Son of Manus[25]
	Hugh Roe O'Donnell II Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill	3 May 1592[25]	10 September 1602[26]	30 October 1572[27]	10 September 1602[26]	Son of Hugh McManus[28]
	Rory O'Donnell Ruaidrí Ó Domhnaill			1575[29]	28 July 1608[29]	Son of Hugh McManus[29]

References

Notes

1. He died on the festival of St Brendan,^[12] which takes place on 16 May.^[13]
2. He died on the festival of St Brendan,^[12] which takes place on 16 May.^[14]

Citations

1. O'Hart 1892, p. 643.
2. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Tyrconnell" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 549.
3. O'Clery, O'Clery & Murphy 1895, p. xii.
4. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 153.
5. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 303. "Donnell More, the son of Egnaghan O'Donnell, Lord of Tirconnell, Fermanagh, and Lower Connaught, as far as the Curlieu Mountains, and of Oriel, from the plain northwards, died in the monastic habit, victorious over the world and the devil, and was interred with honour and respect in the monastery of Assaroe, in the harvest time."
6. Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 104
7. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, pp. 433–435. "[1281] The battle of Disert-da-chrioch was fought by the Kinel-Connell and the Kinel-Owen, that is, beween Hugh Boy, son of Donnell Oge, son of Hugh Meth, son of Hugh, who was usually called an Macaemh Toinleasc, assisted by the English of Ulster, on the one side; and Donnell Oge O'Donnell, Lord of Tirconnell, Fermanagh, Oriel, and the greater part of the Irish of Ulster, of Connaught, excepting a small portion, and of the entire of Breifny, on the other. In this battle the Kinel-Connell were defeated; and Donnell Oge O'Donnell, the most illustrious man of the Irish of his time for hospitality, prowess, splendour, and nobility, and the greatest commander in the west of Europe, was slain; and he was interred in the monastery of Derry, having obtained the palm in every goodness up to that time... [Later in 1281,] Hugh, son of Donnell Oge O'Donnell, was inaugurated in the place of his father."
8. Simms (2001) p. 14 tab. ii; McKenna (1946) p. 40.
9. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 451. "Hugh, son of Donnell Oge O'Donnell, was deposed by his own brother, Turlough O'Donnell, aided by his mother's tribe, i.e. the Clann-Donnell Mac Donnells of Scotland, and many other gallowglasses; and he himself assumed the lordship by force."
10. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 477. "Turlough, the son of Donnell Oge O'Donnell, usually called Turlough of Cnoc-an-Madhma, Lord of Tirconnell, a warlike tower of protection in battle, and the Cuchullin of the Clann-Daly in valour, was slain by his brother, Hugh, son of Donnell Oge, after a long war, during which much of their country was spoiled between them in every direction; and great numbers of the Kinel-Owen, of the chiefs of the English of the North, and of the Kinel-Connell themselves, were slaughtered along with him. Among these were Murtough Mac Clancy, Chief of Dartry; Donn O'Kane, Lord of Firnacreeva and Kienaghta; Donough Mac Menman, and Hugh Mac Menman; two grandsons of the Ferleighin Lector O'Donnell; Niall, son of Niall O'Boyle, heir presumptive to the Three Tuathas; Mac Hugossa, his son, and brother; Adam Sandal; and many others, as well English as Irish. After this, Hugh, son of Donnell Oge, enjoyed the lordship of Tirconnell in happiness and prosperity as long as he lived."
11. O'Hart 1892, p. 644.
12. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 977. "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 the peace and war of the North, was slain in the darkness of the night, on the festival of St. Brendan, by Donnell and Hugh Roe, the sons of Niall O'Donnell, his brother, because he had some time before banished these sons of Niall from Tirconnell. Naghtan was sixty years of age when he was killed."
13. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (19 February 2024). "St. Brendan". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024.
14. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (19 February 2024). "St. Brendan". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024.
15. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 1283. "O'Donnell, Hugh Roe, the son of Niall Garv, son of Turlough of the Wine, Lord of Tirconnell, Inishowen, Kinel-Moen, and Lower Connaught, died... He died... at his own fortress in Donegal, on Friday, the 5th of the Ides of July, in the seventy-eighth year of his age, and forty-fourth of his reign, and was interred in the monastery of Donegal."
16. O'Donnell 2020, p. 3.
17. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, pp. 1437–1439. "O'Donnell (Hugh, the son of Hugh Roe, son of Niall Garv, son of Turlough of the Wine, Lord of Tirconnell, Inishowen, Kinel-Moen, Fermanagh, and Lower Connaught), died... The aforesaid O'Donnell (Hugh, the son of Hugh Roe) died on the 5th of July, being Wednesday, in the monastery of Donegal, having first taken upon him the habit of St. Francis, and having wept for his crimes and iniquities, and done penance for his sins and transgressions. He was buried in the same monastery with great honour and solemnity, as was meet; and Manus O'Donnell was inaugurated in his place by the successors of St. Columbkille, with the permission and by the advice of the nobles of Tirconnell, both lay and ecclesiastical."
18. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (29 March 2024). "Manus O'Donnell". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024.
19. O'Hart 1892, p. 645.
20. O'Donnell 2020, p. 10.
21. McGettigan, Darren (October 2009). "O'Donnell, Manus (Ó Domhnaill, Maghnas)". Dictionary of Irish Biography. doi:10.3318/dib.006339.v1. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021.
22. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, pp. 1595–1597.
23. Annals of the Four Masters 2008, p. 1607. "O'Donnell (Calvagh, the son of Manus, son of Hugh Duv, son of Hugh Roe, son of Niall Garv, son of Turlough of the Wine) fell dead from his horse, in the beginning of Winter, i.e. on the 26th of October, on the public road, between Baile-aghaidh-chaoin and the church of Rath, in the midst of his cavalry, without the slightest starting, stumbling, shying, or prancing of his horse, after his return from England, where he had been that same year. This Calvagh was a lord in understanding and personal shape, a hero in valour and prowess, stern and fierce towards his enemies, kind and benign towards his friends; he was so celebrated for his goodness, that any good act of his, be it ever so great, was never a matter of wonder or surprise ; a man who was not expected to meet his death in this manner, but who was expected to live until he should have avenged the wrongs of his tribe. His brother, Hugh, the son of Manus O'Donnell, was inaugurated in his place."
24. Webb, Alfred (1878). "Calvagh O'Donnell". A Compendium of Irish Biography. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
25. O'Byrne, Emmett (October 2009). "O'Donnell (Ó Domhnaill), Sir Aodh mac Maghnusa". Dictionary of Irish Biography. doi:10.3318/dib.006332.v1.
26. Dunlop 1894, p. 440.
27. Starke 1984, p. 3.
28. Morgan, Hiram (October 2009). "O'Donnell, 'Red' Hugh (Ó Domhnaill, Aodh Ruadh)". Dictionary of Irish Biography. doi:10.3318/dib.006343.v1. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021.
29. O'Byrne, Emmett (October 2009). "O'Donnell (Ó Domhnall), Ruaidhrí". Dictionary of Irish Biography. doi:10.3318/dib.006701.v1. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.

Sources

• Annals of the Four Masters. CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts. 2008 [1636].
• McKenna, L (1946). "Some Irish Bardic Poems: LXXVII". Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review. 35 (137): 40–44. ISSN 0039-3495. JSTOR 30099620.
• Dunlop, Robert (1894). "O'Donnell, Hugh Roe" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 40. pp. 436–440.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: McNeill, Ronald John (1911). "O'Donnell s.v. Hugh Roe O'Donnell". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 7–8.
• O'Clery, Lughaidh; O'Clery, Cucogry; Murphy, Denis (1895). Beatha Aodha Ruaidh ui Dhomhnaill. The life of Hugh Roe O'Donnell, prince of Tirconnell (1586-1602). Boston College Libraries. Dublin, Fallon.
• O'Donnell, Francis Martin (2020). What did they really look like? An Iconography of the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell: myth, allegory, prejudice, and evidence. Tyrconnell-Fyngal Publishing.
• O'Hart, John (1892). Irish pedigrees; or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation. University of Pittsburgh Library System. Dublin, J. Duffy and Co.; New York, Benziger Brothers.
• Ó hUiginn, Ruairí (2016). "Annals, Histories, and Stories". In Boyd, Matthieu (ed.). Ollam: Studies in Gaelic and Related Traditions in Honor of Tomás Ó Cathasaigh. Stroud: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 101–114. ISBN 9781611478358.
• Simms, K (2001). "The Clan Murtagh O'Conors". Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society. 53: 1–22. ISSN 0332-415X. JSTOR 25535718.
• Starke, Shirley (1984). Red Hugh: The Story of Hugh Roe O'Donnell (PDF). Valley City, North Dakota: The Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill Guild.

Further reading

• Annals of the Four Masters (1998), Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annala Ríoghachta Éireann) from the earliest period to the year 1616 (compiled during the period 1632-1636 by Brother Michael O’Clery et al., and translated and edited by John O’Donovan in 1856), Dublin: De Burca, ISBN 0946130 06 X
• Annals of Ulster University College Cork
• Annals of Tigernach University College Cork
• Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-85182-196-9
• Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
• Mac Niocaill, Gearoid (1972), Ireland before the Vikings, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan
• O’Donnell, Francis Martin (2018), The O’Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy, Washington, D.C.: Academica Press LLC, ISBN 978-1-680534740