Origins of Neal ( Niall ) O’Donnell’s in Ireland

1.      Niall of the Nine Hostages (342-405).

Niall of the Nine Hostages was unquestionably the most powerful ruler of Ireland at the turn of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth. The Roman Empire was reeling under the attack of German-speaking peoples from central and northern Europe seeking new corn lands and pastures. Legion after legion was withdrawn from the outposts to defend Rome, leaving Roman Britain a prey to barbarian invaders.

From the north came the Picts, from the east the English and from the west the Irish. During his early reign, Niall consolidated his power and home by subduing his enemies and taking hostages from the families in opposition. Meanwhile the Picts were getting wary of the small Lirsh colony of Dalriada which is now Scotland. They attacked and severely damaged the colony. In response Niall ventured to Scotia Minor and the land of the Picts, here again subduing all and gaining submission through the taking of royal hostages - hence the name, Niall of the Nine Hostages.

After a short consolidation, he marched south with his Scot and Pict allies against the Romans in Britain. It was there that Niall's forces took hostage one Succat, who is better known by his later name of St. Patrick.

 The descendants of Niall, the Uí Néill, were to carve out new kingdoms for themselves in western and central Ulster.

 

Niall was crowned High King in 377 AD. Niall was grandson of Muiredeach Tireach. His father, Eochaid Muig Medon, son of Muiredeach, became Ard Rich mid way of the fourth century. Niall continued to harass and raid the Romans, for it is said that the bounty from such raids filled his ships. He even raided into Gaul (France) and gained control of a small kingdom there. It is on one of these raids into Gaul in 405 AD that Niall was finally killed. Ironically, Niall was felled by the arrow of an enemy from home. He died on the banks of the River Loire, after being ambushed by Eochaid the son of the King of Leinster, who was hiding in the bushes.

Besides taking St. Patrick in his youth, Niall's reign is known mainly for two things. First, he consolidated the northern region of Ireland and created a dynasty that kept his descendants High Kings of Ireland for 600 years. Second, his military ability led him to the Irish Control of all of Alba and a large part of Britain. He seriously damaged the Romans ability to control Britain and even managed to carve out some Irish controlled territory in France. Legend has it that St. Patrick, upon meeting Niall eldest son, Conal Cremhthainn, impressed a cross upon his shield giving rise to the Cross on the O’Donnell coat of arms.

2.      Conal Gulban ( Cremhthainn )

3.      Fergus Cennfada

  1. Sedna
  2. Lughaidh, a quo C. Luighdheach
  3. Ronan
  4. Garbh
  5. Cennfaeladh
  6. Murchertagh
  7. Dalagh, a quo Clann Dalaigh
  8. Eignechan
  9. Domhnall Mor, a quo O’Donnell
  10. Cathbharr
  11. Gillachrist
  12. Cathbharr
  13. Conn
  14. Tadhg
  15. Aedh
  16. Domhnall
  17. Donchadh
  18. Eignechan 1200 = Date became Chieftan (death)
  19. Domhnall Mor 1208
  20. DomhnallOge 1258
  21. Aedh ( Aodh ) 1281
  22. Niall Garbh 1342
  23. Turlough an Fhiona 1380
  24. Niall Garbh 1422
  25. Aedh (Aodh) Ruadh 1461 
  26. Aodh  Dubh 1505 (1537)
  27. Manus 21st Chieftain, 1537 (1563).  Manus had three sons – Calhbach, Aodh Dubh and Manus Og.   Aodh Dubh had two son’s Aodh Rua ( Red Hugh O’Donnell) and Rory. Rory had a son, Hugh ( 1642 ) of USA fame also called Baron of Donegal. However, the famous Red Hugh O’Donnell, Legendary Disney Fighting Prince of Donegal, was Aodh Rua. Aodh Rua ( or Red Hugh ) lost Ireland to the English at the famous Battle of Kinsale. Red Hugh was known as the greatest O’Donnell Chieftan, according to one of the Four Masters, Lughaidh O Cleirigh. He died September 10th , 1602, in Spain at Castle Simancas.  He died without an heir sending the line of O’Donnell Chieftan heritage back to his grandfather, Manus and his grandfather’s first son Calhbach ( Charles).
  28. Calhbach 1563 (1566), first of Manus’ three sons ( Calhbach, Aodh Dubh, Manus Og )  Calbhach’s Chieftain was short as he died three years later.  Calbhach’s brother, Aodh Dubh, contested the Chieftainship from 1566 to 1602.
  29. Conn 1583.  Conn had three sons, Nial Garbh( Newport Line ), Aodh Bui ( Lakefield Line), and Conn Og ( Castlebar Line ).  Aodh Dubh, Conn’s Uncle, and Aodh Duhn’s  son,  Red Hugh O’Donnell, both contested Conn’s chietanship during this time.
  30. Niall Garbh, son of Conn, became  O’Donnel Clan Chieftan in 1603 at Doon Rock after Aodh Rua ( Red Hugh ) death in Spain in 1602. Niall died (1626) a prisoner in London Tower with his other son Neachtan.
  31. Manus, son of Niall Garbh, Colonel in Irish Army, died ( 1646 ) at battle of Benburb.
  32. Rory, son of Manus, moved to Ballycroy area of Mayo County around 1654.  He also had a daughter named Grace. 
  33. Manus O’Donel, son of Rory, also named Colonel Maney, (died in 1736) , Colonel in Irish Army, had five children, ( Charles Roe( Calbhach ), Hugh of Newport ( 1762 ), Manus ( 1767), Mary and Anne ).
  34. Hugh (Mor) of Newport O’Donel 's ( died in 1762 ) youngest son of Manus, built Newport House, married Maud Brown, had children named Hugh, Francis, Sir Neal, John, Connel, Mary, Henrietta and Anne.  Anne ODonel married a John ODonnell from Erris and had three children (Hugh, Matilda, and ?)  John ODonel was a medical doctor and had a son named Neal. Hugh Mor ODonnell's  first son, also named Hugh was unmarried. Hugh of Newport O’Donel’s second son, named Francis, had a son named Hugh but he died in the East India Company's Service. Hugh of Newport O’Donel’s estate fell to his third son, Neal O’Donel later called Sir Neal.
  35. Sir Neal O’Donel (died in 1811), third son of Newport Hugh, also spelled Niall,  renounced the Catholic faith to become a Protestant around 1763, after his Catholic father died.  After his renunciation he  become Baronet.  Sir Neal  purchased Medlicot Estate in 1783, also called Burrishhoole Manor . Sir Neal had 6 children named Hugh, James, Sir Neal, Connel, Margaret and Mary.  Sir Neal’s first son, Hugh was a Colonel and was Burgess for Donegal Borough. He was a  most ardent antiunionist and dismissed from his regiment of Mayo Militia. In Oct 1799, Hugh was offered an Earldom (Earl of Achill ) and a large sum of money for his support of the Union but he died as he had lived - an Irish gentleman     Sir Neal’s second son James, was also Captain in the Mayo Militia. He was killed in a duel by Mr. Bingham of the wealthy English family. Both Colonel Hugh O'Donel and Captain James Moore O'Donel were MPs in Grattan's Parliament. These two O'Donels were the first members of their family to seek Parliamentary honours and entered parliament with the set purpose of offering a persistent and determined opposition to the forcing the Act of Union through Parliament .They voted against the Union in 1799 and 1800. Both died without an heir and before their father died in 1811. As a result, Neal O’Donel’s third son, Neal Beg O’Donel, became 2nd  Baronet.
  36.  Sir Neal Beg O’Donel , 2nd Baronet, known as Nial Beag or Neal  Beg, third of four sons of Sir Neal O’Donel,  married Catherine in 1802. Neal Beg had three sons, the eldest being Hugh, 3rd Baronet. Sir Neal Beg had 8 children in all named Sir Hugh (1828) , Mary, Sir Richard, Ann, Margaret, Kitty, Neal and Isabella.  Sir Neal Beg fought at Ballinamuck under Cornwallis as Captain in the Louth Militia. His daughter Mary is noteworthy because she became a Catholic nun , Sr. Mary de Piazzi O'Donel at the Presentation Convent in Galway on 5th February 1829.  She died on 12th November 1864.
  37. Sir Richard O’Donell became 4th Baronet after Hugh O’Donel, 3rd Baronet, died in 1828 without an heir.  Sir Richard had two sons, Sir George and Richard.  Neither George nor Richard had male offspring however Richard, son of Sir Richard, had a daughter who married Edwin Thomas who later changed his name to Edwin Thomas O’Donel  in order to keep the name O’Donel alive.  Unlike his father who was generous to Catholics, Sir Richard seems to be anti Catholic and evicted many of his Catholic tenants and together with Reverend Nangle in Achill set up colonies. After the famine of 1840-1860, Sir Richard sold Achill, as part of an encumbered Estate 1. Half was sold to English capitalists led by Mr Ashworth and including Mr William Pike and Mr Wyndham. The other portion was sold to the Protestant Mission in the island, led by Reverend Nangle.
  38. Sir George, fifth and last Baronet, was indifferent to religion, marrying a Catholic named Mary Kirwan.  He died a Catholic in Newport in 1889 ending the line of O’Donel Baronet in Newport.

 

Source  O’Donnell’s of Tir Chonaill by Vince O’Donnell  

http://homepage.eircom.net/~vod

 

Chart

 

and  Newport O’Donel’s by Peter Mullowney  http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/7461/odonfam.html

 

More ODonnell History at  http://www.araltas.com/features/odonnell

 

 Editorial Note  July 29, 2007

My great grandfather, Neil ODonnell, came from Newport Area of Mayo County, Ireland. We suspect Neil's father, Owen ODonnell, was an agent for Sir Neal Beg ODonnell during the period 1811-1827 when Newport and Achill experienced an economic boom.  Neil was born in 1832.  He marrieda   Currane woman by the name of Bridget Cattigan Campbell around 1857.   They lived in Currane at the time of the 1856 Griffith Valuation.  Neil left Currane for Cleveland Ohio on June 5, 1861 with his wife Bridget and children Michael, age 2, and Owen, age 1.

 

After my trip to Ireland this past May, 2007, I can say for sure that our Neil ODonnell (1832-1904) was "not"  proud to say he was from Currane Achill after he immigrated to Cleveland.   I suspect this explains why we never could find that they immigrated from a specific town in Co Mayo nor does any one in Cleveland recall them as being from Currane.   In fact, the people of Currane today are having a tough time accepting that this Neil ODonnell ever lived in Currane....despite the clear facts otherwise. 

 

I have come to strongly suspect the name ODonnell is not well remembered in the provincial, somewhat narrow minded, town called Currane.  Surprisingly, my Cleveland relatives, The Cleveland Gallagher/Whalen Priests, are very well remembered as coming from a long line of Currane rooted Priests going back to this famous priest from Currane named Rev Michael Gallagher (1807-1867), who in fact was cousin to our ggrandma Bridget of Currane.  Recently, the Rev Michael Gallagher of Currane died this past April, 2007.  He was the brother  of Owen Gallagher of Currane's Compass Bar, and relative to us via John "Biddy" Gallagher, Neil and Briget's Son-in-Law.  Neil's mother was a Gallagher, we believe her first name was Mary, but that fact was lost once she married an ODonnell.

 

My grandfather's sister, American born  Grace ODonnell,   married a native Currane man named John "Biddy" Gallagher in 1885.   Grace had 3 sons who were Cleveland Priests fron St Coleman's paish on West 65th Street near where our Neil and Bridget settled after they immigrated to Cleveland. Grace and John "Biddy" Gallagher had one daughter, Gertrude Whalen, who gave birth to 6 sons, three of which became Priests from St Coleman's parish.  I was surprised to find no one today in Cleveland ever speaks of where Bridget and Neil ODonnell came from in Co Mayo but every one knows the Gallaghers hail from Currane, Achill, Co Mayo.

 

It is sad for me to think my Neil ODonnell may have been blackballed from Currane to Cleveland.  Hopefully, the stigma of all ODonnell's from West County Mayo being "Jumpers" will soon fade and be forgiven.

 

My Neil had two brothers who also immigrated from Currane.  No one knows where they left Currane for.  Neil had 5 sisters who remained in Currane living under their married names of Patten, Nolan, Cattigan and Toolis.  Without me reminding the people of Currane of there ODonnelll roots, they would still think what I was told 4 years ago when I first visited Currane which was "no ODonnell's ever lived in Currane."