Red Hugh O’Donnell’s birthday to be commemorated in Lifford

LOCALS from Lifford and Strabane are expected to descend on Lifford Bridge this Saturday (October 26) as the O’Donnell and O’Neill Historical Societies gather to celebrate the birthday of Irish chieftain Red Hugh O’Donnell.

Lord of Tyr Connell, Hugh Roe O’Donnell was born in 1572 in Lifford and a senior leader of the Nine Years War which saw local clans rise up against English rule in Ireland, joining forces with the O’Neill clan of Tyrone.

Following the Battle of Kinsale where the English won a pivotal victory in the War, the two chieftains fled to Spain in what became known as the Flight of the Earls. O’Donnell died in 1602 in a monastery in the Spanish city of Valladolid.

Organiser of Saturday’s event is Eddie Crawford who said, “I’ve always had a keen interest in Irish history and started a Facebook page dedicated to O’Donnell during lockdown which has become a huge success, with people joining it from all over the globe.

“A lot of people don’t actually know that Red Hugh was born in Lifford and so I began taking the information into national schools and connected with a man called Carlos Burghs in Valladolid where a huge celebration of Red Hugh, who was given the equivalent of a state funeral when he died, takes place every year.

“On Saturday, the plan is for our historical society and the O’Neill Historical Society to recreate the moment when both clans came together to team up against the English.

“One person will be dressed as Red Hugh O’Donnell and the other as Hugh O’Neill.

“A piper named Jim O’Hagan will be situated in the middle of the bridge and both parties will meet and shake hands in the middle. From there, the group will travel to Lifford’s Diamond before departing for Mongavlin Castle between Porthall and Raphoe, significant as a castle Red Hugh gave to his wife, before finally heading to Maggie’s Tavern where we will have a Q&A session and, hopefully, both mayors from Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council will be in attendance to say a few words.

“For history buffs it’s an event not to be missed.”