| Hugh Roe O'Donnell II Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill II | |
|---|---|
| King of Tyrconnell | |
.png) 1934 depiction of O'Donnell by Richard King | |
| Reign | April 1592 – 10 September 1602 |
| Inauguration | 3 May 1592 |
| Predecessor | Hugh McManus O'Donnell |
| Successor | Rory O'Donnell |
| Born | 30 October 1572 Tyrconnell, Ireland (present-day County Donegal) |
| Died | 10 September 1602 (aged 29)[a] Castle of Simancas, Province of Valladolid, Crown of Castile |
| Burial | September 1602[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | None |
| House | O'Donnell dynasty |
| Father | Hugh McManus O'Donnell |
| Mother | Iníon Dubh |
| Signature |  |
Hugh Roe O'Donnell II (Irish: Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill; 30 October 1572 – 10 September 1602),[a] also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell, was an Irish clan chief, Lord of Tyrconnell, and senior leader of the Irish confederacy during the Nine Years' War.
He was born in Tyrconnell (present-day County Donegal) into the powerful O'Donnell clan of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. At 14 years old, he was engaged to the daughter of Tír Eoghain's ascendant lord Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and elevated to the position of his father's tanist. The English government feared that an alliance between the O'Donnell and O'Neill clans would threaten the Crown's control over Ulster, so in 1587 the Lord Deputy arranged for Hugh Roe's kidnapping. The government subsequently backed regime change in Tyrconnell. After four years' imprisonment in Dublin Castle, Hugh Roe escaped circa Christmas 1591 with the assistance of Irish lords O'Neill and Fiach McHugh O'Byrne. He was inaugurated as clan chief ("The O'Donnell") at the Rock of Doon on 3 May 1592.
Along with his father-in-law Tyrone, Hugh Roe O'Donnell led a rising of the Irish clans in the Nine Years' War, motivated to prevent English incursions into Irish territory and to end Catholic persecution under Queen Elizabeth I. O'Donnell and Tyrone also sought the Kingdom of Ireland's political independence with Archduke Albert VII as High King.[5] O'Donnell led the confederacy to victory in the Battle of Curlew Pass. His cousin Niall Garve defected to the English in 1600, which greatly emboldened Henry Docwra's troops and forced O'Donnell out of Tyrconnell.
After a crushing defeat at 1602's Siege of Kinsale, O'Donnell travelled to Habsburg Spain to seek badly needed reinforcements from King Philip III. Whilst on route to an audience with the king, O'Donnell died of a sudden illness at the Castle of Simancas, aged 29. His body was buried inside the Chapel of Wonders at the Convent of St. Francis, Valladolid. He was succeeded by his younger brother Rory. O'Donnell's premature death disheartened an already withering Irish resistance; Tyrone ended the Nine Years' War in 1603 with the Treaty of Mellifont.
Fiercely patriotic and militarily aggressive, O'Donnell is considered a folk hero and a symbol of Irish nationalism. He has drawn comparisons to El Cid and William Wallace.[6][7] In 2020, an archaeological dig for his remains in Valladolid drew international media attention. Since 2022, the city has annually reenacted his 1602 funeral procession in period costumes and with an empty casket draped with an Irish tricolour.[6][8]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
quitewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Morgan 2009.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
britwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Morgan 2006.
- ^ Morgan 1993, pp. 208–210.
- ^ a b Murray, Eavan (19 October 2023). "Spanish city holds a funeral for Red Hugh O'Donnell four centuries after Irish hero's death". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:20was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ McGreevy, Ronan (14 September 2024). "Spanish city honours Irish chieftain Red Hugh O'Donnell with a mock funeral fit for a king". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.