Key moments in the history of the Clann ÓGallchobhair

  Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages.  On the death of his father Conall became king of the lands to the west of Aileach.  This area became known as Tyr Conall (meaning "land of Conall").  Conall's brother Eoghan became king of the lands to the east, which became known as Tyr Eoghan (known today as Tyrone).  In AD 432 St. Patrick visited Aileach and converted the clann to Christianity.

  Fergus Cennfada, son of Conall Ghulban.

  Sedna, son of Fergus Cennfada.

  Ainmire, descendant of Sedna, ruled as High King, AD 568-571.

  Aodh (Hugh), son of Ainmire, ruled as High King, AD 572-599.

  Mael Cobo, son of Aodh, High King of Ireland AD 612-615.

  Cellach, descendant of Mael Cobo, ruled as joint High King, AD 642-654.

  Flann Mac Irc, descendant of Cellach.  Had ten sons, the fourth being named O'Gallchobar Flan.
-
circa 950 A.D.
  Gallchobhar, descendant of O'Gallchobar Flan (first recorded circa AD 950)

  Mael Cobo ÓGallchobhair, recorded as being Abbot of Scrin Adamnain.  Died AD 1022.

  John Galagre of Cork, recorded in the state rolls of King Edward II of England (son of Longshanks of Braveheart fame) as a knight who was recalled to England to fight against the Scots in 1306 AD  (link not yet proved).
-
circa 1350 A.D.
  Gilla Coimded O'Gallchobhair recorded as living in Tyr Connell in AD 1350. He had two sons, Fearghal and Niocol.

  Fearghal ÓGhallchobhair's son Domhnall died AD 1377.

  Lochlann O'Gallchobhair, grandson of Niocol, is recorded as being Bishop of Raphoe.  He died in AD 1438.

  Lochlann O'Gallchobhair had sons, the best known of whom was Domhnall, grandfather of Réamonn O'Gallchobhair, who became vicar of Drumhome in south Donegal.  Domhnall had a son called Cathal Dubh O'Gallchobhair.  (In Ireland at this time there was a tendency to add the colour of a persons hair to his or her name.  Dubh being black, ban meant fair, or blonde, and Ruadh, or roe, meant red haired).

  In 1469 I have found a record of another Lochlann O'Gallchobhair as Bishop of Raphoe.  He died in 1477.

  In 1494 Uilliam (William) O'Gallagher was killed when Aodh Ruadh (Red Hugh) O'Donnell, king of Tyrconnell, laid siege to Sligo castle.

  In 1497, following a battle at the Curlew mountains, Eoin (John) and Toirdhealbhach O'Gallchobhair, sons of Tuathal O'Gallchobhair, were taken prisoner by the McDermott's.  They were released the following year after payment of a large ransom.  We know that Eoin O'Gallagher was the father of Eamann O'Gallchobhair, the first recorded chief of the clann.

  In 1502 Art O'Gallchobhair fought Eoin O'Loiste for the abbacy of Assaroe.  Both men died on the same day.

  In 1522 war broke out between the O'Donnells and the O'Neills.  We know from reports written at the time that O'Donnell was supported by four clans, the O'Boyles, O'Dochertys, Clan Sweeney and the O'Gallaghers.  A mass grave, believed to contain a number of Gallagher and other dead is believed to lie near Letterkenny, in Donegal.

  In 1534 Eamann O'Gallchobhair, chief of the clann died.

  In 1541 Tuathal Balbh O'Gallchobhair died.  He was unusual for his times in that he preferred to imprison captives taken in battle rather than kill them. He was believed to be a deeply religious soldier.

  In 1543 Eamann O'Gallchobhair, bishop of Raphoe, died in a fight.  That same year a faction of the O'Gallaghers stormed and captured Lifford castle, then the property of Maghnas O'Donnell, king of Tyrconnell.

  In 1544 Maghnas' son, An Calbhach, recaptured the castle.  The Gallagher's involved in this incident were forced to leave the kingdom.

  In 1546, Onora O'Gallchobhair, daughter of Tuathal Balbh, lured Donal O'Donnell, nephew of Maghnas, to the island of Inis Saimheir on Lough Erne where she killed him, probably in revenge for the recapture of Lifford.

  In July 1549 the English intervened in a dispute between Hugh O'Donnell and the family of Hugh O'Gallagher.  The dispute had resulted in a fierce war where large areas of the country were burned and laid waste.  Only O'Donnell agreed to submit to the English so it was hardly surprising when it was decreed that the O'Gallagher clann should surrender their castle at Finn to the O'Donnells, release all their prisoners without ransom, and go live elsewhere within the country.

  However not all the O'Gallaghers were at war with the O'Donnells.  In a report written in the spring of 1560 by the English O'Donnell was described as ... 'The second best lord in Ulster, and hath lords under him as the said O'Neyle hath.  He is the best lord of fish in Ireland, and exchangeth fish always with foreign merchants for wine, by which he is called in other countries, the king of fish.  Lords under O'Donnell are- O'Dogherday, O'Boyle, O'Gallagher and McSwynes, and divers others.

  In October 1566 an English spy reported on a meeting at which were present 'Hugh McManus O'Donnell; Hugh Duf O'Donnell; Donald Magonnell, Bishop of Raphoe;  O'Docherty, chief of his name;  McSwyne Fannagh;  O'Boyle, chief of his name;  McSwyne Bannaghe;  McSwyne Duyne, and other gentlemen of Connell, who gave and affirmed their consent to the premises at Belleshinen, the day and year aforesaid.  There was also present John O'Gallagher, captain of Bondreis  (possibly Bundrowes in Leitrim), and Hugh O'Donnell, official of Raphoe.

  However there appears to have been some enmity between the O'Donnells and at least a faction of the O'Gallaghers which lasted for some time.  In 1567 Hugh O'Donnell defeated Sean an Diomais (Shane the Proud) O'Neill in a battle on the Swilly.  The battle was observed by a party of the O'Gallaghers who saw Sean cornered and on the verge of being killed.  They intervened on horseback and rescued O'Neill, helping him escape back to Tyrone.  These Gallaghers were forced to move to Tyrone and eventually settled in the area of Newton
Butler, where many of their descendants still live.

  In 1573 the records show Eoin O'Gallagher as chief of the clann.  He was a learned man who corresponded regularly with the authorities in Dublin.

  On 2 December 1573, in a letter from the Earl of Essex to the Privy Council, Eoin O'Gallagher is reported as saying that the O'Donnells will be content with less than they demand.

  On 14 June 1574 in a letter from the Earl of Essex to Queen Elizabeth's secretary, Walsyngham mention is made of sending ' \a letter of comfort to O'Donnell and a pension to his trusty counselor, Eoin O'Gallagher.

  In 1574 Eoin O'Gallagher is described as Hugh O'Donnells 'trusty counselor' in State Papers, and later that year, in a report by a captain Piers to Queen Elizabeth mention was made of O'Donnells son being ' fostered with the best in the country, that is to say, with O'Gallagher... the very pillar and strength of the country of Tyrconnell.'

  Also, in 1574 a survey of Bishoprics in Mayo shows one Owen O'Gallagher as bishop of Killala, ' by the Popes bull, incumbent.'

  The same survey indicated that a castle at Beallalahane in Mayo contained Gallaghers.

  On 18 March 1575 Eoin O'Gallagher wrote to the Earl of Essex complaining that he cannot trust to any scribe to write their intentions to His Lordship, and that letters Essex had received had not been written with O'Donnells consent.  Gallagher's letter was written in Latin.

  On 30 March 1579 two English merchants, James Fagan and Leonard Sutton informed the Privy Council that two Catholic bishops, Connor O'Mulrian and Donough Oge O'Gallagher were waiting in Lisbon with a 'well appointed ship' and 300 soldiers.  The merchants added that the Pope was bearing the cost.

  In 1581 Queen Elizabeth's secretary Walsyngham made a payment of £410.7s.6d (equivalent today to several hundred thousand pounds) to Sir Eoin O'Gallagher, 'knight', and one of the chief pillars for the stay of the north.

  In 1585 Sir Eoin O'Gallagher attended a parliament in Dublin with other lords, including Hugh O'Donnell.

  However if Sir Eoin (John) O'Gallagher was one of Hugh O'Donnells most trusted allies, another O'Gallagher, Aodh 'Mac an Deccanaigh', (son of the dean of Raphoe), was a bitter enemy.  In 1586 Aodh killed Alasdrann MacDonnell, son of the Lord of the Isles and brother of An Inghean Dubh, Hugh O'Donnells wife.  (NB;  the current holder of the title Lord of the Isles
is HRH Charles, Prince of Wales)

  In a letter dated May 28 1586 Lord Deputy Perrot reports to Sir George Carew that he has been meeting with Sorley Boy O'Donnell and others to broker a peace between O'Donnell and Queen Elizabeth.  In his letter he refers to Sir Eoin O'Gallagher accompanying him to help set up the meeting, and of its successful outcome.

  In October 1586 Perrot gave the Queen of England an assessment of the military strength of the various Irish lords.  In his report he states... 'The county of Donegal contains all Tyrconnell and O'Doherty's country.  O'Donnell is captain and governor of Terconnell, the chief strength of whom standeth most upon the O'Gallaghers and McSwynes.  He is able to make 200 horsemen and 1,300 footmen.

  In a report dated 1587 to the Privy Council it is suggested that O'Donnell dare not bring in Scots mercenaries as long as the English hold Hugh Roe O'Donnell and Eoin O'Gallagher's son (also called Eoin) prisoner in Dublin Castle.

  As trouble continued in Ulster the English called a meeting of all the lords of the north at which Sir Eoin O'Gallagher and all of the lords except Sorley Boy attended.  At the meeting it was pointed out to the Irish that the Scots mercenaries in the country were causing great 'inconvenience' to the native people.  The assembled lords swore allegiance to the supremacy and entered into a covenant to raise 1,100 men to defend themselves and oppose the Scots.

  In 1588 An Inghean Dubh had her revenge for the murder of her brother when she had Aodh 'Mac an Deccanaigh O'Gallagher murdered at Mongavlin, just north of Raphoe.  Later that same year Sir Eoin O'Gallagher was taken prisoner with Sir John O'Docherty by the English Lord Deputy of Ireland, Lord FitzWilliam.  'Black' FitzWilliam reported that O'Gallagher held two castles, Ballyshannon and Beleek, and was a 'principal man in the county,' and that he had enjoyed four days of O'Gallagher's hospitality before arresting him and O'Docherty.  The 'official' excuse was that they were being held until O'Donnell paid 3,100 head of beef owed to the Queen.  Unofficially, they were suspected of assisting survivors of the Spanish Armada, which had been largely shipwrecked on the Irish coast.  Both were held in Dublin Castle  (where Sir Eoin's son, Eoin was already being held).  Sir Eoin spent six years as a prisoner and died in 1595,a broken man.  However his son escaped in January 1589 with Red Hugh O'Donnell,  and was never recaptured.  (Their escape in the middle of a terrible winter still ranks as one of the most amazing and romantic of Irish escapades)

  On 10 October 1588 in a report by one William Taaffe mention is made of 2,000 Spaniards camped six miles from Strebane, and of two Spanish ships burned.  He advises that a letter be sent to the O'Gallaghers to remind them of their duty to Queen Elizabeth.

  In October 1589 the Privy Council in London wrote to the Lord Deputy stating that they were in favor of Sir Eoin O'Gallagher being released after serving nine months imprisonment.  He did in fact remain in prison until 1596.  A letter from FitzWilliam to Lord Burghley recommended that Gallagher was too dangerous to release.

	• [ÓGALLCHOBHAIR MAIN] • [CLAN HISTORY] • [HERALDRY] • [MEMBERS] •

© 1998 · Clann ÓGallchobhair & The Gollaher Family Foundation · All rights reserved.