O'Donnell of Tyrconnell

O'Donnell of TyrconnellO'Donnell of TyrconnellO'Donnell of Tyrconnell
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O'Donnell of Tyrconnell

O'Donnell of TyrconnellO'Donnell of TyrconnellO'Donnell of Tyrconnell
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Memorialising Emigré Dignity


Emigré Dignity !

Memorialising emigré dignity

We have an exciting programme for September 2025, building on genealogical and historical research partnerships and the resulting forthcoming publication (see 3 sample pages above). The establishment of the Franciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua, in Louvain/Leuven, Spanish Flanders (Belgium now) in 1607 coincided with the Flight of the Earls, although the foundation stone was laid a decade later in 1617. At the time, it was the first Irish Franciscan College on the Continent, and became a principal repository of Gaelic history and culture, with indeed, the first Gaelic language printing press abroad.


Having visited this Irish College in Leuven/Louvain back in 2007, now secularised since 1984, one of our Clan members, Amb. Francis M. O’Donnell (Frank), noticed the absence of any permanent memorial to the many scholars, soldiers, and other emigrés buried there. With friends after a later visit in 2017, it was agreed something should be done, and a conference was to ensue, with a plaque, and it was thought to dovetail all of that with an O’Donnell Clan gathering in Donegal, which our late Vincent O’Donnell was considering in consultation, but however the Covid-19 Pandemic struck.


Instead, back in September/October 2020, a Zoom session was held, and as it turned out, it became the first webinar of the Irish College in Leuven (ICL), with its CEO David Grant whose collaboration in this was crucial, and an array of distinguished speakers, including Rev. Professor Mícheál MacCraith, OFM; historian and scholar Dr. Katharine Simms, FRIA; Mag. Douglas Graf O’Donell von Tyrconnell, Professor Johan Verberckmoes, KU Leuven; Baron Bernard Snoy et d’Oppuers whose family had historically sheltered the Franciscans, during the French Revolution and who visited it with Frank again in 2017; and with all of whom Frank presented his own research, as he had done for the Clan Gathering in Donegal in 2013.


The theme proposed was "Memorialising Emigré Dignity", and its primary purpose was to draw attention to the great history of our exiles in the establishment and development of the Franciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua, the Irish College as it is now, secularised. The continuing pandemic intervened with our plans for a publication of the proceedings, but this is now coming to fruition. The latest version of the planned booklet which has been prepared with David Grant in close cooperation with the authors and Frank. Although ICL will eventually post this digitally on their website, ICL however do not publish hard-copy materials. Instead, the O'Donnell Clan Association's  Council have agreed at Frank’s invitation, for ODCA to engage in partnership with the Genealogical Society of Ireland, the Clans of Ireland, and Eneclann Ltd whose logos will appear with those who sponsored the webinar at the time. This is evolving into a joint funding and promotion exercise and we are aiming for a suitable hard-copy launch in September 2025, with selected scholars and an Irish Harp recital offered by our fellow Council member, Dr. Mary Louise O’Donnell.


There are no less than 65 Irish family names represented amongst the 86 Irish buried, out of a total of 117 persons known to have been buried in the Irish College. Of these, the largest cohort is of the O'Donnells, and attributable to their role since the Flight of the Earls in 1607. Seven O’Donnells are buried there, followed by Fleming, McCarthy, MacDonnell, Ward, with three each and Burke, Duffy, FitzGerald, Lynch, O'Clery, O'Doherty, O'Molloy, O'Neill, and O'Reilly, et al. Another 75 Irish family names feature amongst those otherwise associated, bringing the totals to 130 different family/clan names represented among the 250 persons associated with the College. In the words of the late Fr. Canice Mooney, OFM:


“Is there any other similar plot of ground inside Ireland or outside that can boast the mortal remains of such an illustrious company of Irish soldiers and scholars?”


Some of these are amongst Ireland’s most famous scholars, such as Luke Wadding, Micheal O Cleirigh, Flaithri O Maolchonaire, John Colgan, Aodh Mac Aingil, etc.  There is still a need to place a suitable permanent memorial in place, and I believe this will ensue in due course after we launch this publication. 


In May 2025, Frank received a letter from the office of the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins stating that he  "looks forward to seeing the finished booklet and would be delighted if you could send a copy to Áras an Uachtaráin upon its completion".  He also extends his "very best wishes for the success of the booklet".


The prospect of a launch has also prompted one of our contributing authors, Prof. Rev. Micheál MacCraith, OFM, now the Guardian of St. Isidore's Irish College in Rome, to have a launch there as well, given this year is its 400th anniversary.              


MORE NEWS IN DUE COURSE


The quad where noble O’Donnells, friars and others formerly buried in the chapel and cloister.

The quad where noble O’Donnells, friars & others buried in the chapel and cloister were re-interred.


The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell - A Hidden Legacy

The O’Donnell dynasty were an ancient and powerful Gaelic family in early Ireland, kings, princes and lords over their several territories, from their heartland in Tyrconnell. Their realm in western Ulster and northern Connaught at its maximum extent approximated the size of modern-day Cyprus or Lebanon.  Many will know of the distinguished Austrian branch of O’Donnell counts, and the Spanish branch of the O’Donnells, Dukes of Tetuan. This book now brings to light a third important emigré branch, the O’Donnell counts in France, where they also served with military distinction, and in the Conseil d'Ètat. They were the older emigré branch, dynastically senior, albeit genealogically cadet to the later emigrés who went to Austria and Spain. Forgotten for over a century, their legacy is now brought to light, with a detailed account in many vignettes of their toils and travails, their fortunes and fate.


Click here for more the Book

Book Publication details & reviews

The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell - A Hidden Legacy
published by Academica Press LLC, Washington D.C.
under its Maunsel Irish Research Series

1st Edition released in February 2019
ISBN: Hardcover: 978-1680534740


Book reviews by critics

By Caitlin Bain,  & Brian Donovan, Director, Eneclann: The O’Donnells of Tyrconnell: A Hidden Legacy - Review published by  The Irish Family History Centre, Dublin,  26 January 2020.


By Michael Merrigan: Celebrating Ireland in Belgrade  (front cover story about the book The O’Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden Legacy) published in Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette,  Volume 15, no. 2, monthly newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, February 2020.


By J. Anthony Gaughan,  The Astonishing History of One of Ireland’s Great Clans, published in The Irish Catholic, Dublin, 12 March 2020.    


By Kenneth Ferguson, LL.B, Ph.D, Honorary Editor of The Irish Sword,  the Journal of the Military History Society of Ireland, Volume XXXII, no. 129,  Dublin, Summer 2020.     


The House of Tyrconnell - from foundation to exile

Three Irish kings, preached to by St. Patrick: Conall, centre, first to be baptised by Patrick, whose country was Tír Chonaill (Tyrconnell), along with his brother Lóegaire, and possibly Eoghain (of Tyrone). Local kings, sons of High King Niall Noígiallaigh (of the Nine Hostages), who reigned from the Hill of Tara, and under whose reign Patrick originally came to Ireland. By Franz Borgias Mayer (1

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Hugh Roe O'Donnell (Irish: Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill), also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell (30 October 1572 – 10 September 1602). The young Prince Red Hugh O'Donnell, in the Kevin Barry Memorial Window by Harry Clarke Studios, 1934. The window, designed by Richard J. King, was erected in Earlsfort Terrace and unveiled on 1 November 1934. In 2010, the window was conserved, restored and relocated in the C

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The Prince of Tyrconnell: 

Hugh Albert O'Donnell (1606-1642), 

Lord and 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell, 

Baron of Donegal and of Lifford, 

Lord of Sligo & Lower Connaught, 

Knight Commander of the Order of Alacantara. 


Depicted aged 9-10 years in 1615, in the costume of a Page to the Archduke of the Spanish Netherlands. 

Portrait most probably by the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens. 

© reproduced courtesy of the Tr

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