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Siobhán O'Neill, Countess of Tyrone[1] (née O'Donnell; Irish: Siobhán Ní Domhnaill; died January 1591), sometimes anglicised Joanna, Joan, or Judith,[2] was a sixteenth-century Irish Gaelic noblewoman of the O'Donnell clan. She was the second wife of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, bearing him most of his children.
Siobhán O'Donnell Siobhán Ní Domhnaill | |
|---|---|
| Countess of Tyrone | |
| Born | Sixteenth century |
| Died | January 1591 |
| Noble family | O'Donnell dynasty |
| Spouse(s) | Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone (m. 1574) |
| Issue | Numerous, including Alice, Hugh and Henry |
| Father | Hugh McManus O'Donnell |
| Mother | Nuala O'Neill |
She was the daughter of Irish chief Sir Hugh McManus O'Donnell, Lord of Tyrconnell.[3] Her mother's name is unknown.[4] Her mother was not Sir Hugh's second wife Iníon Dubh.[5][6] Historian Francis Martin O'Donnell has named Sir Hugh's first wife as "Nuala, a daughter of O’Neill".[7]
Historian Helena Concannon believes Siobhán was born c. 1569,[8] and that her mother was Iníon Dubh,[9] whom he married in 1569.[2][10][11] However, Siobhán's marriage in 1574 makes that date of birth extremely unlikely.[12][1][4]
Siobhán's most prominent full-sibling was Donal O'Donnell. He attempted to depose his father, and in September 1590's Battle of Doire Leathan, Donal was killed by Scottish Redshanks led by his step-mother Iníon Dubh.[13][14] Siobhan's younger half-siblings included chiefs Hugh Roe O'Donnell[15] and Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell.[16]
From the late-1560s to early-1570s, Hugh O'Neill, Baron Dungannon, allied with many neighbouring clans to strength his political position.[3] Siobhán married O'Neill in June 1574.[17][1] Walter Devereaux, the 1st Earl of Essex, announced their marriage on 14 June.[2] O'Neill had annulled his first marriage earlier the same year, on the grounds of consanguinity.[18] This was in order to cut ties with his first father-in-law, who had been arrested for treason.[19]
In 1579,[20] O'Neill became frustrated with his failure to seize the title of The O'Neill from clan chief Turlough Luineach O'Neill. He repudiated his marriage to Siobhán, and planned to wed one of Turlough's daughters, in a ploy to become Turlough's tanist. His plan failed and Hugh reconciled with Siobhán.[3]
The O'Neill-O'Donnell clan alliance would develop further by 1587, when Siobhán's younger half-brother Hugh Roe was betrothed to Rose, O'Neill's daughter[21][10][15] (born from either an earlier marriage[22][23] or a concubine[24]).
In a letter dated 31 January 1591, O'Neill informed Lord Burghley of Siobhán's recent death.[25][26] He remarried to Anglo-Irish noblewoman Mabel Bagenal on 3 August 1591.[27]
Siobhán and Hugh had two sons and multiple daughters:
- Margaret (fl. c. 1596) who married Richard Butler, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret[28][29] sometime before 8 October 1596[30]—possibly in October 1595.[31]
- Sarah (fl. 1595–1602),[a] who married Sir Arthur Magennis, 1st Viscount Iveagh[33] sometime before 4 March 1595[34] - possibly in 1590.[35] Through Sarah, Siobhán is an ancestor to the Anglo-Irish Wellesley family.[36][37]
- Mary (fl. 1608), who married Brian McHugh Og MacMahon.[38][39] According to historian George Hill, she is the same woman who married Sir Ross McMahon.[40][41]
- Alice[b] (1583[43] – c. 1665[44]) who married Randal MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim.[45] She was younger than her sisters Sarah and Mary, and older than her brother Hugh.[43]
- Hugh, 4th Baron Dungannon (c. 1585 – September 1609); he died in Rome and was buried in San Pietro in Montorio.[46][47][48]
- Henry (c. 1586[49][48] – 1610); he became a colonel of an Irish regiment in the Archduke's army.[50][28]
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Issue of Hugh McManus O'Donnell (Aodh mac Maghnusa Ó Domhnaill; c. 1520 - 1600), son of King of Tyrconnell Manus O'Donnell (Maghnas Ó Domhnaill), and Judith O'Neill (Siobhán Ó Néill). First marriage: Nuala O'Neill[i]
Second marriage, 1569: Fiona MacDonald (Fionnghuala Nic Dhomhnaill, also known as Iníon Dubh), daughter of James MacDonald, 6th of Dunnyveg and Agnes Campbell.
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- Her death date has alternately been given as 1639, 26 April 1640, or sometime after 31 March 1642.[32]
- Dunlop believes that her mother was Catherine Magennis.[28] More recently, Casway and Cokayne believe her mother was Siobhan O'Donnell,[1][42] which, based on Alice's birthdate, is more likely.
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