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1589 AD Finghin Mac Carthy “Riabach” a Heberian Eoghanacht Munster Chief who was skilled in Irish, Latin, English and Spanish wrote a History of Ireland up to the Anglo - Norman Invasion while he was to be imprisoned in London until 1626 AD.

The English army garrison under Willis was still holding on in Donegal Friary in Co. Donegal in the west of the Ulster Province and Hugh "Roe" O Donnell's older half - brother, Donnell O Donnell was continuing to rally his supporters to gain his father's, Hugh "Dubh" O Donnell - "The O Donnell" the son of Manus', position, which also included English allies. "The O Donnell’s" second wife, Fionnuala O Donnell - Ineen "Dubh" the mother of Hugh "Roe" O Donnell, had burnt down Donegal Castle to stop the English forces from taking it over and had gone to Scotland to hire galloglasses - mercenaries to fight the English forces now in the area and was to return in the late Summer.

September: The Heremonian Cu Corb Ui Dunlainge Chieftain, Felim O Toole in Southern Leinster Province came and advised the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell that his half - brother, Donnell O Donnell had recently been killed by Mac Sweeney "Doe's" men during an internal battle near Doire Leathain between his men and the galloglasses in the service of his mother, Ineen "Dubh." Another Christmas was to pass and this was to be the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell's third in English captivity in the Dublin Castle (The Devil's 1/2 acre) then another Easter and another Summer.

By now Brian O Rourke - "The O Rourke" of Breifne in Co. Leitrim in Northern Connacht had also crossed over the bogs to escape from the English captivity and Sir Walter Raleigh was once again back in Ireland in the Munster Province.

1590 AD The Anglo - Irish also came out in rebellion against the ethnic and religious repression of Elizabeth 1st when the Kilcolman Castle, now held by Edmund Spencer and situated 2 mile west of Doneraile on the River Awbeg, was attacked by Fitz Gerald the Earl of Desmond who was also trying to reclaim back his previously confiscated lands. Edmund Spenser then left Ireland from the Kilcolman Castle, previously confiscated from Fitz Gerald the Earl of Desmond in Co. Cork in Southern Munster, and returned to England briefly with Sir Walter Raleigh to be presented to Elizabeth 1st to whom he expressed the idea that the Irish should be uprooted by the sword. On the other hand Raleigh eventually came to stay in Ireland and took a second wife, Elizabeth Boyle.

Hugh “Gavelach” O Niall, a son of Shane O Niall - The Proud and Catherine Mac Lean the previous wife of Calvagh O Donnell, was executed who was a brother to Art O Niall and a half - brother to Henry O Niall, who both were to be able to escape later on from the Dublin Castle (The Devil's 1/2 acre) also with the young Red Hugh O Donnell. Meanwhile Hugh "Dubh" O Niall the 2nd Earl of Tyrone continued to petition the English for the release of the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell from Dublin Castle (The Devil's 1/2 acre).

Richard Weston was sent by Hugh "Dubh" O Niall the 2nd Earl of Tyrone with letters and a silken rope wrapped around his body to assist the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell to try and escape from Dublin Castle and although Lord Fitz William checked the letters he failed to notice the reason for Richard Weston being so well built and he was then able to advise Hugh "Roe" O Donnell that many others were to come to see him and carry more of the same rope until he had enough to escape. Later he was also to go to see him twice again and was to be followed by the Irian Chief, Fergus O Farrell of Co. Longford in the north - west of the Leinster Province and two of his sons. Richard Weston when he came the second time told him that when he escaped he was to head south to the Vale of Glenmalure to the Heremonian Cu Corb Ui Dunlainge Chief, Fiacha mac Hugh O Byrne. Finally after 3 years of imprisonment as a hostage in Dublin Castle where he had been imprisoned to remove him from his father Hugh "Dubh" O Donnell - "The O Donnell" in Tyrconnell - Co. Donegal he was able to escape. The young Art Kavanagh and Hugh O Toole who were also both from the Heremonian Cu Corb Ui Dunlainge Sept escaped with him and they were met by Donnell Cormac O Hanley who was a kern - foot soldier - to Fergus O Farrell who also carried a stave to put in the door - ring to aid in their escape, and four swords to use if necessary. They fled through the night heading south passing by St. Werburgh’s Church to the little bridge over the River Poddle and from there onto the Wicklow Mountains and continued walking all night going higher up into the mountains towards Ballinacor, which was Fiach mac Hugh O Byrne’s stronghold in Glenmalure in Co. Wicklow in the south - east of Leinster. Hugh "Roe" O Donnell's feet were badly cut up and he soon found that he could walk no further so they decided that Donnell O Hanley would stay with him while Hugh O Toole set out for Castle Kevin, the stronghold of his brother, Felim O Toole, which was only a mile away. Donnell and Art Kavanagh decided to push on to Glenmalure to bring back Fiach mac Hugh O Toole while the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell stayed there on his own until Hugh and Felim O Toole returned and took him physically back to Castle Kevin. To protect himself from the repercussions of the English Lord Deputy, Felim O Toole sent off word to him that he had captured the young Red Hugh and his own brother, Hugh O Toole and to tell Fiach mac Hugh O Byrne to pretend to attack Castle Kevin and carry off Red Hugh to Glenmalure before the English arrived. Unfortunately the River Annamoe flooded and blocked all access to Glenmalure and this allowed the English Lord Deputy, Sir George Carew to arrive in time to take the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell back to Dublin Castle (the Devil's 1/2 acre) where he was put in the dungeon and tortured to get him to reveal his helpers and the whereabouts of his companions but he resisted all their efforts.

Henry and Art mac Shane O Niall who were both sons of the previously executed Shane O Niall - The Proud who had been "England’s Greatest Fear" were now also put in to Dublin Castle with the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell, and as Art mac Shane O Niall had also escaped previously both of the mac Shane O Niall brothers were put in leg irons. Hugh "Dubh" O Niall the 2nd Earl of Tyrone tried once again to tempt Lord Fitz William to allow them to have the opportunity to escape but he was still too frightened of what Elizabeth 1st would do.

Meanwhile the aged Hugh mac Hugh “Dubh” O Donnell the elected Tannist - heir - apparent in the west of the Ulster Province was making preparations in readiness for any attack his own nephew, Niall “Garbh” O Donnell would carry out against him while endeavouring to position himself to secure the future position of the "The O Donnell" in the Northern Ui Niaill Cenel Conaill Ui Domnaill Sept. In Co. Monaghan in Southern Ulster the English Government forces were also continuing to use their "switching" playing one Irish Sept against the other and Hugh “Roe” - of Red Complexion Mac Mahon the Heremonian Dal Cuinn 3 Colla Chief, and Hugh “Gavelach” mac Shane, another son of Shane O Niall - The Proud had already also been executed.

Hugh "Dubh" O Donnell's - "The O Donnell's" daughter, Siobhan who was married to Hugh "Black" O Niall the 2nd Earl of Tyrone and half - sister to the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell and Rory O Donnell had died, and one of the O Byrnes who was kin to Fiach mac Hugh O Byrne in Co. Wicklow in the south - east of the Leinster Province came to visit the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell and brought with him another plan of escape from Dublin Castle.

Christmas Eve: It had been nearly 12 months since the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell had previously escaped from Dublin Castle and a file was now smuggled in to him and it was used to remove the leg irons from the two mac Shane brothers and the three of them then escaped down the privy shaft courtesy of a further rope they also supplied. Henry mac Shane O Niall took off on his own fearing what Hugh "Dubh" O Niall the 2nd Earl of Tyrone might have in mind for him also as he was in reality an heir - apparent to "The O Niall" position and he knew Fiach mac Hugh O Byrne in the Leinster Province acted on his behalf. The young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell and Art mac Shane with their guide headed off towards Glenmalure in Co. Wicklow in the south - east of Leinster but Art collapsed and they put him in a cave where the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell stayed with him, with their guide going on to Ballinacor. By the time the rescuers arrived Art mac Shane O Niall had been badly frost bitten and had frozen to death and the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell was also in a bad way so they took him back to Ballinacor in Glenmalure, the stronghold of Fiach mac Hugh O Byrne. Turlough “Buidhe” - of the Yellow Hair O Hagan came down from Hugh "Dubh" O Niall’s stronghold at Dungannon in the Ulster Province to take the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell home to Co. Donegal safely and they rode back north past Dublin via Dundrum Castle with Walter “Reagh” Fitz Gerald who was Fiach mac Hugh O Byrne’s son - in - law acting as their guide until the River Boyne along with Fiach’s men. They had to by - pass Drogheda in Co. Louth in the north - east of Leinster by crossing the River Boyne by boat with the boatmen then rowing back and taking their horses through the town to meet up with them on the other side. From there they made it to Mellifont Abbey also in Co. Louth in the north - east Leinster, which was then the home of Sir Garrett Moore, were they stayed over and two days later arrived at Dundalk where they had no choice but to ride straight through the town as the English forces were patrolling the countryside as it was then the boundary for The English Pale. They finally arrived at Dungannon Castle in Ulster were young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell met up with Hugh "Dubh" O Niall’s daughter, Rois O Niall for the first time who was to dress his swollen feet.

Meanwhile, due to the ongoing conflict among the Ui Conaill Ui Domnaill Septs because of lack of real leadership and the physical and mental state of "The O Donnell" the English forces under their commander, Willis were still hold up in Donegal Friary in Co. Donegal in the west of the Ulster Province carrying out raids on the surrounding countryside there, from Loch Erne to Glen Columbcille.

The young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell was then taken onto the Heremonian Dal Cuinn 3 Colla Chief Hugh Maguire - "The Maguire" at Enniskillen Castle who was his cousin who had a great celebration in his honour. Hugh Maguire had previously dared the English Lord Deputy to send a sheriff to his region in Co. Fermanagh in the south - west of the Ulster Province providing he told him his “blood price” first as he was sure to be killed by the Irish Septs there. Hugh Maguire then had the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell rowed across to the other side of Loch Erne were he was greeted by Eogan O Gallagher who escorted him to Ballyshannon to Mac Dunleavy the physician who advised him not to stand on his feet at all as he may lose them all together. Donnell “Gorm” Mac Sweeney also then came to see him telling him his father, the aged Hugh "Dubh" O Donnell - "The O Donnell" was virtually a prisoner in what was left of Donegal Castle and his mother, Ineen "Dubh" had fled to the protection of Mac Sweeney "Doe." There were by now many factions stirred on by the English ready to move on the Cenel Conaill territory in Tir Conaill - Tyrconnell and he told him he had to act now or less it will be too late to do so but he was afraid if he lost the use of his feet he would not be accepted as "The O Donnell" in the future. Donnell "Gorm" Mac Sweeney told him O Boyle and Donough Mac Sweeney “Banagh” and every Irish Chieftain south of Bearnas Mor were ready to support him as "The O Donnell" as something had to be done about Willis and the English army garrison in Donegal Friary who were being allowed to do as they pleased and were holding many hostages there. Meanwhile Donough Mac Sweeney “Banagh” was already encamped before the walls of the Donegal Friary trying to make a stand against the English forces there and the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell road up to meet him and they shook hands and the young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell advised him that he wanted to starve them out instead of a direct attack as this would save all their lives including those of the English and the hostages, and this would stop the English in the The English Pale around Dublin calling for retaliation against the Irish Septs. Donough Mac Sweeney was not too happy about this and as the days dragged on he was becoming more disturbed about it until finally Willis broke and sent out a messenger to seek terms and the young Red Hugh told him to leave all the property and the cattle he had secured and to make sure the hostages were unharmed and the English could then leave unharmed also to which he agreed. The young Hugh "Roe" O Donnell on returning to Mac Dunleavy, his physician, had to have his two big toes amputated and it was to take another 12 months for them to heal over properly.

Rathfran Dominican Abbey in the north of Co. Mayo in the mid - west of the Connacht Province, which was previously given to Thomas Essex was burnt down by Sir Richard Bingham the English appointed Governor in Connacht but the friars were to continue to stay there in the district still for another 100 years. Bingham also built a fortress between Loch Key and Loch Arrow, which were separated by a mile of land to try and contain the Heremonian Dal Cuinn Northern Ui Niall Cenel Conaill O Donnells in the north - west of Ireland.

+On to 1591 AD - 1595 AD

Situated on the western bank of the Hunter River, midway between Muswellbrook & Denman the doorway to the Heart of Australia's "Horse Capital" in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales., Australia.

John & Sue Markham

RAINBOW FARMS 603 Roxburgh Road., Muswellbrook., 2333.

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