From Ballyboyle to Corglass... a Boyle family's story
Part 1 - Ballyboyle - our ancient ancestors
O'Donnells' Wars
In the 1580s the O’Donnells were plunged into a major succession dispute; as overlord, all their subject septs were drawn into the dispute. The aged and ailing chief, Sir Hugh, still held control over the northern part of the O’Donnell’s territory, but Sir Donal, his son by his first wife, held sway over the western part of their realm which included the lands of O’Boyle of Boylagh and MacSweeney of Banagh.
However, Sir Hugh’s second wife wanted to secure the succession for her sons. She was the formidable Finola MacDonald, daughter of the Scottish Lord of the Isles, and known as Iníon Dubh (Ineenduv), ‘the dark daughter’. With the support of the English, Sir Donal sought to seize the leadership from his ailing father, but Iníon Dubh rallied the clans still loyal to her husband (O’Doherty, MacSweeneys of Doe and Fanad) and imported Scottish mercenary Redshanks.
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“After Donal O'Donnell had received intelligence that this muster had been made to oppose him, he assembled his forces to meet them. These were they who rose up to assist him on this occasion: Mac Sweeny Banagh (Donough, the son of Mulmurry); a party of the Clann-Sweeny of Munster, under the conduct of the three sons of Owen, the son of Mulmurry, son of Donough, son of Turlough, and their forces; and O'Boyle (Teige Oge, the son of Teige, son of Turlough), with all his forces, assembled”.
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“a battle ensued between them, which was fiercely fought on both sides. The Scots discharged a shower of arrows from their elastic bows, by which they pierced and wounded great numbers, and, among the rest, [Donal] who, being unable to display prowess or defend himself, was slain at Doire-leathan, on one side of the harbour of Telinn, on the 14th of September.
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Seldom before that time had his enemies triumphed over him; and the party by whom he was slain had not been by any means his enemies until they encountered on this occasion; and although this Donal was not the rightful heir of his father, it would have been no disgrace to Tirconnell to have elected him as its chief, had he been permitted to attain to that dignity. In this conflict were slain along with Donal…two hundred others."
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The O’Boyles had backed the wrong horse, and the ensuing chaos enabled the English to take control of some of their territory. But following his dramatic escape from Dublin Castle, the way was open for Iníon Dubh’s son Hugh Roe (Aodh Rua)[1] to assume the chieftainship. He expelled the English forces, which presumably tied the O’Boyles to his service, and he proceeded to reconcile the factions, but with only limited success:
(1592)“he sent persons to assemble and muster all those who were obedient to his father to the east side of the celebrated mountain, i.e. Barnesmore, in Tirhugh; and he collected also all those to the west of the same mountain, namely, O'Boyle, and Mac Sweeny of Tir-Boghaine. … The place of meeting appointed by these chieftains was Kilmacrenan, where the O'Donnell was usually inaugurated Lord of the Kinel-Connell. … There were many parties of the Kinel-Connell who did not come to this assembly… There was also a great number of the O'Gallaghers who did not come hither, through spite and malice, like the others.
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Throughout the 16th century, the O’Donnells were actively seeking to extend their hegemony beyond Donegal and to bring neighbouring septs under their control. Even during the Nine Years War, while ostensibly allied with Hugh O’Neill against the English, Hugh Roe O’Donnell continually sought to enhance his position vis-à-vis O’Neill by exerting his dominance over other septs, such as O’Connor of Sligo and O’Brien of Thomond. There are references to the O’Boyles fighting with O’Donnells as far south as Thomond (modern County Clare):
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O'Donnell Hugh: i.e. Roe …felt it long to have remained during this time without going into some enemy's territory, but he knew not to what particular place he should go; for he had not left a quarter, limit, wilderness, or recess, in the whole province of Connaught the inhabitants of which he had not plundered, or from which he had not taken pledges and hostages, save Thomond alone wherefore, at the time aforesaid, he ordered an army to be mustered in order to proceed into Thomond. First of all assembled the Kinel-Connel, among whom were Hugh Oge and Niall Garv (O'Donnell); O'Doherty (John Oge), O'Boyle (Teige Oge), Mac Sweeny Fanad (Donnell) and Mac Sweeny Banagh (Donough): all these with their forces.
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[1] This Hugh is the 'Red Hugh' O'Donnell, subject of the 1966 Disney film "The Fighting Prince of Donegal". Critical reception was split between those who thought it clichéd and oversimplified and those who accepted it as unpretentious fun. Historical accuracy is not likely to have been an important consideration. The film did not do well at the box office.
