314 



Speed's map of Lough Neagh, the inauguration pillar of the O'Neills 

 is marked as then standing. 



Regarding heraldry, Cassaneus states the ancient armorial bearings 

 of the monarchs of Ireland to be, a king holding a golden lily, and 



tertained by King Henry. In 151 1 O'Donel received knighthood at the justs, which Henry the 

 Eighth held at Westminster, in honour of the birth of a prince. In 1614 the intercourse 

 between the O'Donnells and the kings of Scotland gave much uneasiness to King Henry 

 and was productive of several curious letters and communications yet extant. In 1520 Manus 

 O'Donnel, prince of Tyrconnel, wrote the Life of Saint Columba. In 1522 Hugh Dhu O'Don- 

 nel paid 140 milch cows for the Book of Ballymote, (now among the MSS. of the Royal Irish 

 Academy.) In 1529 Roderic O'Donnel was bishop of Derry. In 1554 Manus O'Donnel 

 rewarded a poet who wrote in his praise, with a mare of his stud for every rami (four verses) 

 of the poem. In 1564 Calvagh O'Donnell is styled "Dominus" in a treaty with the Lord 

 Deputy. In 1567 Hugh O'Donnell was knighted by Sir Henry Sidney. In 1585 William 

 O'Donnell, A. B. of Tuam, finished a translation of the New Testament into Irish, which Dr. 

 Donnellan had commenced. The close of the sixteenth century is filled with the exploits of 

 Hugh Roe O'Donnell, who, by the impolitic and dishonourable conduct of Perrot, was insti- 

 gated into such acts of daring warfare, as nearly endangered the English interests in this 

 country. His history is that of Ireland in his day. He was ultimately obliged to fly to 

 Spain, where he was received by that proud nation with royal honours, and dying there was 

 buried with great pomp at Valladolid. In 1603 Roderic O'Donnell, going into England with 

 Lord Mountjoy, was created Earl of Tyrconnel, but in 1607 deprived thereof, on which occa- 

 sion he and O'Neill fled to the continent, leaving their lands and hereditary honours to the 

 crown. Thus it was that king James was enabled to apportion 800,000 acres in Ulster among 

 English and Scotch Protestants. — [See Pinnar's Survey.) After the flight of Hugh Roe, and 

 yet more, after the abdication of the Stuarts, the family of O'Donnel following their fortunes, 

 diffused themselves over France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Hugh O'Don- 

 nel (second Earl of Tyrconnel,) was page to the daughter of Philip the Third, King of Spain. 

 In 1629 Michael O'Donnell was prior of a convent at Prague. In 1669 Bernard O'Donnel 

 was of the establishment at Lovain. In 1690 Baldearg O'Donnell was summoned to retrieve 

 the fortunes of the Irish in consequence of a ridiculous prophecy. In 1709 O'Donnel and his 

 comrades signalized themselves at Malplaquet, and several of the name have since risen high 

 to honour in the Austrian, and yet later in the Spanish service. The O'Donnels were the 

 founders of many churches, as at Easroa, Derry, Armagh, Donegal, Kill-o-dofinell, Magheri- 

 beg, &c. and many ancient pedigrees and poems concerning them from the fourteenth century 

 down, are yet extant. 



