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Disputes and Agreements
between Turlough Lynnagh and Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone - The Earl's
Education in England - FitzWilliam interferes in the Disputes - "Sir Tir"
wounded - "The Dutiful Old Knight" - Hugh Roe O'Donnell escapes from
Dublin - Description of his Journey homewards - Art MacShane dies from
Exposure.
The county of Tyrone had,
it will be remembered, been divided between Turlough Lynnagh and Hugh
O'Neill. That part of the county which lies north and west of the
Mullaghcarne Mountains was retained by the former when in 1585 he agreed
to take 1000 marks a year for the remaining portion. The lease was for
seven years, but O'Neill had reserved and wished to exercise the power of
taking back the territory in three, which expired at Michaelmas, 1588.
FitzWilliam, who displayed an inclination to favour the Earl, obtained the
remaining four years for him, on condition that he paid 300 fat beeves a
year in addition to the rent. Between O'Neill and Turlough there was a
continual warfare. In this Tyrone had the support of the Government, who
did not recognize the danger of making him supreme in the north.
The father and grandfather
of Hugh O'Neill had each met with a tragic end, the father being killed by
Turlough Lynnagh, and the grandfather by Shane O'Neill. There was thus a
blood-feud between the two chieftains. Hugh O'Neill was to all intents and
purposes an Englishman. He had been taken care of and educated in England,
had been taken to the Court by Sidney, and also had been given a troop of
horse in the Queen's service. He served in the English army in the Irish
wars, cooperated with Essex in the settlement of Antrim and the Ulster
war, and was constantly commended for his zeal and loyalty in the Queen's
service. He remained English in sentiment for a long period, and it is
interesting to see this descendant of the old fire-eater Con, the first
Earl, lamenting in his correspondence with Elizabeth the disinclination of
his countrymen to order and civility, and deploring their barbarous
preference for Celtic manners. He pleaded the necessity of attaching the
natives to the English Government, and requested that, with reference to
his own district, effectual steps should be taken to suppress the name of
The O'Neill, as the first step towards the introduction of English laws
and manners into the northern province.
Although in the Articles of
Agreement referred to in the previous chapter Articles signed the 7th of
June, 1590 a truce had been made between Turlough and the Earl,
hostilities never ceased. The Articles contain the following significant
passage: " In consideration that the Earl of Tyrone hath promised on his
honour to observe and perform all these Articles, &c.; that Sir Turlough
Lynnagh shall put in good pledges both for his loyalty to Her Majesty, and
also to keep the peace with the Earl and all his country; that all other
the Earl's neighbours bordering upon Tyrone may be wrought to this course
prescribed to the Earl, to begin at one time, least Tyrone being brought
under law may be spoiled or wasted by the lawless neighbours thereof".
Notwithstanding these
Articles hostilities became more active. On the i8th June, 1591, twelve
months after they had been signed, the Deputy writes: "I and my Council,
being now but six, must be the last of this month (at Dundalk) for the
ending of a great controversy between the Earl and Sir Turlough O'Neill,
by reason of a fray fallen between them, imwhich the dutiful old knight,
Sir Turlough O'Neale, was shot through the shoulder with a bullet, and
stricken with a horseman's staff in the small of the back two grievous
wounds; but (God I thank) will recover. I sent him a surgeon with a great
deal of stuff for his dressing." Of course the Earl was in the right, and
the Deputy strove to make what advantage they could of the difference. "In
the quarrel between the Earl of Tyrone and Sir Turlough O'Neill it was
complained that the Earl was altogether in fault, but upon examination
(having them both here and at the Newry), it fell out that Sir Tir was
therein far to blame. I and the Council have so ended these causes as they
are both returned home with good contentment, and have given both their
consents to have Tirone reduced to shire ground, and to accept a sheriff."
A new element was now
introduced into the field of strife by the reappearance of young Hugh Roe
O'Donnell, who, having been kidnapped by Perrot, had pined for some five
years a captive in Dublin Castle, where he and his companions in
misfortune " beguiled the time only by lamenting to each other their
troubles, and listening to the cruel sentences passed on the high-born
nobles of Ireland". His fellow-prisoners were hostages from all parts of
the country, among them being Henry and Art MacShane, sons of Shane
O'Neill. His interests had during his imprisonment been zealously looked
after by that remarkable woman, his mother, Ineen Duive, who, when her
husband's illegitimate son, Donnell (and therefore elder brother of Hugh
Roe), attempted to seize the chiefry, raised a body of troops, in
resisting whom Donnell was killed.
After an imprisonment of
five years and three months Hugh Roe found means to escape. The story of
his escape is best given by the Four Masters, who for this period may be
considered contemporary writers; and it is, as Professor Richey says,
especially interesting, as it enables us to gain an insight into the
feelings of the native Irish.
"Hugh remained in
imprisonment and in chains in Dublin . . . till the winter of this year
(1592). He and his fellow-prisoners, Henry and Art, the sons of O'Neill,
i.e. John, having been together in the early part of the night, got an
opportunity of the guards before they had been brought to the dining-room,
and, having taken off their fetters, they afterwards went to [the
courtyard] having with them a very long rope, by which the fugitives
descended until they reached the deep trench which surrounded the castle;
they afterwards gained the opposite side, and mounted the side of the
trench. There was a trusty servant who was in the habit of visiting them,
to whom they had disclosed their intentions, and he met them at the time
to direct them.
"They then proceeded thro'
the streets of the city, and the gates of the city were open. They
afterwards passed through intricate and difficult places until they
arrived on the open plain of Slieve Roe (the Red Mountain, on the borders
of Dublin and Wicklow). The darkness of the night, and the swiftness of
their flight, through dread of being pursued, separated the eldest from
the others, namely Henry O'Neill. However, they continued their progress,
led on by their own man.
"The night was dropping
snow, so that it was not easy for them to walk; for they were without
outside coats, having left their upper garments in the sewer through which
they had come. Art became more exhausted than Hugh; for it was a long time
since he had been incarcerated. When Hugh perceived that Art was
exhausted, he requested him to put one hand on his shoulder, and the other
upon the shoulder of the servant, and they proceeded in that manner until
they crossed the Red Mountain. After this they became wearied, and being
unable to bring Art further, stopped under the shelter of a projecting
rock. They sent the servant with word to Glenmalure, where dwelt Fiacha
M'Hugh (O' Byrne) who was then at war with the English.
"That Glen was an
impregnable stronghold, and a great number of the prisoners of Dublin,
when they made their escape, were in the habit of proceeding to that glen,
for they considered themselves safe there until they turned to their
countries. Fiacha immediately summoned a number of his friends, whom he
could rely on, to go to them, one with food, another with ale and mead.
They accordingly proceeded, and arrived at the place where the men were.
Having been completely covered with the snow, they found no life in their
members, but they were as if dead. They took them up from where they lay
and requested them to take some of the mead and ale ; but they were not
able to do so, so that Art at length died, and was buried in that place.
"As for Hugh, he afterwards
took some of the mead, and his faculties were restored after drinking it,
except the use of his feet alone. The men then carried him to the glen
which we have mentioned; and he remained in a private house, under care,
until a messenger came privately to enquire after him from his
brother-in-law, the Earl O'Neill. After the messenger had come to him, he
prepared to depart; and it was difficult for him to go on that journey,
for his feet could not be cured; so that another person should lift him on
his horse, and take him between his hands again when alighting.
"Fiacha sent a troop of
horse with him by night until he should cross the River Liffey, to defend
him against the guards who were looking out for him; for the English of
Dublin had received intelligence that Hugh was in Glenmalure, so that it
was theiefore they placed sentinels on the shallow fords of the river to
prevent Hugh and the preservers, who had fled along with him, from
crossing thence into the province of Ulster. The men who were along with
Hugh were obliged to cross a difficult deep ford on the River Liffey, near
the city of Dublin, which they passed unnoticed by the English, until they
arrived on the plain of the fortress. He was accompanied by the persons
who had on a former occasion forsaken him after his first escape, Feelem
O'Toole and his brother, in conjunction with the troops who were escorting
him to that place; and they ratified their good faith and friendship with
each other. After bidding him farewell, and giving him their blessing,
they then parted with him there.
"As to Hugh O'Donnell, he
had none along with him but the one young man of the people of Hugh
O'Neill, who had gone for him to the celebrated glen and who spoke the
language of the foreigners (English), and who was also in the habit of
accompanying the Earl, that is, Hugh O'Neill, whenever he went among the
English, so that he knew, and was familiar with every place through which
they passed. They proceeded on their two very swift steeds along the
direct course of the roads of Meath, until they arrived on the banks of
the Boyne before morning, a short distance to the west of Drogheda; but
they were in dread to go to that city, so that what they did was to go
along the bank of the river to a place where a few fishermen usually
waited, and who had a small ferrying corach (coracle, or small boat). Hugh
having gone into the corach, the ferryman left him on the opposite bank,
after giving him full payment; Hugh's servant having returned, took the
horses with him through the city, and brought them to Hugh on the other
side of the river. They then mounted their horses and proceeded until they
were two miles from the river, where they saw a thick bushy grove before
them, in the way which they went, surrounded by a very great foss, as if
it were a strongly fenced garden; there was a fine residence belonging to
an excellent gentleman of the English near the wood, and he was a trusty
friend of O'Neill's.
"When they had arrived at
the ramparts, they left their horses and went into the wood within the
foss, for Hugh's faithful guide was well acquainted with that place;
having left Hugh there, he went into the fortress, and was well received.
They remained there until the night of the following day, and their horses
having been got ready for them in the beginning of the night, they
proceeded across Sleabh Breagh, and through Machaire Conaill (both in the
county of Louth), until they arrived at Traigh-Baile-mic-Buain (Dundalk),
before morning; as the gates of the town were opened in the morning early,
they resolved to pass through it, and they proceeded through it on their
horses until they arrived at the other side; and they were cheerful and
rejoiced for having got over all the dangers, which had laid before them
until then.
"They then proceeded to the
Fiodh (the wood), where lived Turlough, the son of Henry, son of Felim Roe
O'Neill, to rest themselves, and then they were secure, for Turlough was a
friend and connection of his, and he and the Earl O'Neill were born of the
same mother; they remained there until the following day, and then
proceeded across Slieve Fuaid (the Fews mountains in Armagh), and arrived
at Armagh, where they remained privately that night. They went on the
following day to Dungannon, where the Earl, Hugh O'Neill, lived, and he
was rejoiced at their arrival, and they were led to a retired apartment
without the knowledge of any, excepting a few of his trusty people, who
were attending them, and Hugh remained there for the space of four nights,
recovering himself from the fatigue of his journey and troubles. After
which he prepared to depart, and took leave of the Earl, who sent a troop
of horse with him, until he arrived at the eastern side of Lough Erne. The
lord of the country was a friend of his, and a kinsman by the mother's
side namely .Hugh Maguire, who was rejoiced at his coming, and a boat
having been brought to them, into which they went, they rowed from thence
until they arrived at a narrow creek of the lake, where they landed; a
number of his faithful people having gone to meet him, they conveyed him
to the castle of Ath-Seanaigh (Ballyshannon), in which were the guards of
O'Donnell, his father."
I have dwelt thus long on
this account of Hugh Roe O'Donnell's escape, because it is an essentially
attractive u human document", and the description of the journey fraught
with so much good and evil for Ireland is particularly interesting when
read by the light of Hugh Roe's subsequent career. The account given is of
his second attempt to escape, his first having proved a failure. On that
occasion the fugitive was accompanied by a few companions. They fled
towards Slieve Rua, or the Three-Rock Mountain, and O'Donnell, becoming
exhausted, was reluctantly forsaken by his companions, one of whom, Art
Kavanagh, was recaptured the following year and hanged at Carlow. Hugh Roe
was protected for a time by Felim O'Toole, chief of Feara Cualann, who
resided in the district now called Powerscourt; but Felim's friends
persuaded him not to jeopardize his own safety by retaining O'Donnell, and
Felim accordingly made a merit of surrendering him. O'Donnell, as we shall
see, became an important factor in the political life of his day, and his
career was marked by his intense hatred of the English, a hatred which
sprang from his bitter experience in being kidnapped and immured without
any charge whatever, and despite the fact that the O'Donnells had been
always devoted to the English interest. |
