The War of O'Neill and O'Donnell

An accidental spark set the fire materials alight. Hugh Maguire, reigning chief of Fermanagh, had been exasperated by the outrages inflicted on his people by a certain Captain Willis and his band of disorderly followers, who had come into his territory in a supposed official capacity, and he had driven the intruders out. In 1593 a campaign was organised against him, in which, very reluctantly, Hugh O’Neill took part. In 1594 the Deputy again invaded Fermanagh, and planted a garrison in Enniskillen, which was at once besieged by Maguire and Hugh Ruadh O’Donnell.

Towards the end of the year a force was sent to relieve it. Cormac O’Neill, the Earl of Tyrone’s brother, came with 300 men to the assistance of the besiegers, and he and Maguire defeated the English at a ford on the river Erne The battle became known as that of ” the Ford of the Biscuits ” (” At n& mt>tuof5<yb.”), because of the great stores of provisions intended for. the Enniskillen garrison which were captured by the victors. Enniskillen was at once surrendered.

Although it was strongly suspected that Hugh O’Neill had been a party to his brother’s action in assisting Maguire,this could not be proved. With characteristic boldness, Hugh went down to Dublin and confronted his accusers at the Council Board. Again his wonderful powers of persuasion—his enemies would give it a harder name—were successfully exerted ; the Council permitted him to depart.

By the good offices of the Earl of Tyrone he reconciled himself with the Deputy, who ” received him very kindly,” when he came to Dundalk to meet him. This was a wise move on Hugh’s part, for it discouraged his enemies. Since the overthrow of the Desmonds, the English, though as Jittie loved as ever, had begun to be feared throughout Ireland, and their friendship to be regarded as a valuable asset by the rival parties in clan disputes.

As O’Donnell did in Tirconnell, so did O’Neill in Tir Owen. Old Turloch Lynnach resigned to him the title of ” O’Neill,” but in his communications with the English authorities he still signed ” Tyrone.” Ulster was now united under the two chiefs, each supreme in his own territory, while outside the boundaries of both they were of co-equal authority. It was not a good arrangement, nor one that could have permanently endured, but all through the war it worked surprisingly well. The time had now come when an attempt should be made to draw

Hugh Ruadh O’Donnell had been over four years eating out his heart in prison in Dublin Castle. He was a man grown now, twenty years of age, and he longed for freedom and revenge. ‘ On Christmas night, 1591, ” it seemed to the Son of the Virgin full time that he should escape,” and he and his fellow-prisoner, Art O’Neill, son of Shane, let themselves down by a rope from a window of the Castle. Outside, a servant had been awaiting them, and they passed unobserved through the streets. Once in the open country, Hugh, Art and the servant pushed on to the mountains, toiling along in the sleet and snow, which soaked their thin garments. Art soon was so exhausted that he had to lean on the shoulders of the other two.

At length both the young men were worn out, and they took shelter under a rock, while the servant hurried to Glenmalure, to ask Fiach Mac Hugh O Byrne, the chief who ruled there, to send assistance. A rescue party was at once despatched, but when it reached the rock Art and Hugh were found lying ” like sods of earth covered up with snow.” Art was beyond help, but Hugh they finally succeeded in reviving, and then they bore he was nursed back to health. Hugh O’Nsill was not long in hearing of his young brother-in-law’s escape.

Had O’Neill been a mere Celtic chief, whose political aims went no further than the aggrandizement of his own clan, this news would have afforded him little satisfaction. For generations there had been strife and jealousy between the chiefs of Tir Owen and Tirconnell. But the present head of the Ui Niall was a politician of wider views. He saw that a united Ulster must be the first step towards the united Ireland of which he dreamt. He sent a message to Hugh Ruadh, asking him to come at once to him, and Hugh Ruadh came.