THE STORY OF IRELAND

New Zealand Tablet, 13 May 1920, Page 7

THE STORY OF IRELAND

(By A. M. Sullivan.)

CHAPTER LIL— “THE FLIGHT OF THE EARLS.”

HOW THE PRINCES OF IRELAND WENT INTO EXILE, MENACED BY DESTRUCTION AT HOME.

It was not long wanting. An anonymous letter was found, or was pretended to have been found, at the door of the council chamber in Dublin Castle, purporting to disclose with great circumstantiality a conspiracy, of which O’Neill was the head, to seize the Castle, to murder the Lord Deputy, and raise a general revolt. The most artful means were resorted to by all whose interest it was to procure the ruin of the northern chiefs, to get up a wild panic of real or affected terror on this most opportune discovery! O’Neill well knew the nature of the transaction, and the design behind it. The vultures must have prey—his ruin had • become a State necessity. In the month of May, he and the other northern chiefs were cited to answer the capital charge thus preferred against them. This they were ready to do; but the Government plotters were not just yet ready to carry out their own schemes, so the investigation was. on some slight pretext postponed, and O’Neill and O’Donnell were ordered to appear in London on their defence at Michaelmas. There is little doubt that hereupon, or about this time, O’Neill formed and communicated to his northern kinsmen and fellow-victims, the resolution of going into exile,, and seeking on some friendly shore that safety which it was plain ho could hope for in Ireland no longer. They at once determined to share his fortunes, and to take with r them into exile their wives, children, relatives, and household attendants; in fine, to bid an eternal farewell to their “fair hills of holy Ireland.” The sad sequel forms the subject of that remarkable work The Flight of the Fails; or the Fate and Fortunes of Tyrone and Tyrconncll, by the Rev. C. P. Meehan, of Dublin; a work full of deep and sorrowful interest to every student of Irish history. I can but briefly summarise here, as closely as possible from various authorities, that mournful chapter in our national annals. “In the beginning of September, 1607, nearly four months after the pretended discovery of St. Lawrence’s plot, O’Neill was at Slane with the Lord Deputy, Sir Arthur Chichester; and they conferred relative to a journey, which the former was to make to London before Michaelmas, in compliance with a summons from the King. While there, a letter was delivered to O’Neill from one John Bath, informing him that Maguire had arrived in a French ship in Lough Swilly.” Sir John Davis, the Attorney-General of that day, says ; “He, O'Neill, took leave of the Lord Deputy, in a more sad and passionate manner than was usual with him. From thence he went to Mellifont, and Sir Garrett Moore’s house, where he wept abundantly when he took his leave, giving a solemn farewell to every child and every servant in the house, which made them all marvel, because in general it was not his manner to use such compliments.” On his way northwards, we are told, he remained two days at his own residence in Dungannon — it was hard to quit the old rooftree for ever! Thence he proceeded hastily (travelling all night) to Rathmullen, on the shore of Lough Swilly, where he found O'Donnell and several of his friends waiting, and laying up stores in the French ship. Amidst a scene of bitter anguish the illustrious party soon embarked; numbering 50 persons in all, including attendants and domestics. With O’Neill, in that sorrowful company, we are told, went— his last countess, Catherina, daughter of Maginnis; his throe sons, Hugh, Baron of Dungannon, John, and Brian ; Art Oge, the son of his brother Cormac, and others of his relatives; Ruari, or Roderic O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell; Caffa or Cathbar, his brother, and his sister Nuala, who was married to Niall Garve O’Donnell, but who abandoned her husband when he became a traitor to his country; Hugh O’Donnell, the Earl’s son, and other members of his family; Cuconnaught Maguire, and Owen Roe Mac Ward, chief bard of Tyrconnell. “It is certain,” say the Four Masters, “that the sea has not borne, and the wind has not wafted in modern times, a number of persons in one ship, more eminent, illustrious, or noble in point of genealogy, heroic deeds, valor, feats of arms, and brave achievements, than they. Would that God had but permitted them,” continue the old annalists, “to remain in their patrimonial inheritances until the' children should arrive at the ago of manhood! Woo to the heart that medi—woe to the mind that conceived—woe to the council that recommended the project of this expedition, without knowing whether they should to the end of their lives be able to return to their ancient principalities and patri-

monies.” "With .gloomy—looks and sad forebodings, the clansmen of Tyrconnell gazed upon that fated ship,, ‘built in th’ eclipse and rigged with curses dark,’ as she dropped down Lough Swilly, and was hidden behind the cliffs of Fanad land. _ They never saw their chieftains more.” (Mitchel.) '■■■■■■•■*