Sorley Boy MacDonnell
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Somhairle Buíodh MacDomhnaill Sorley Boy Mac Donnell | |
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Born | 1505 |
Died | 1590 (aged 84–85) Turlough O'Neill |
Children | 4 sons, 5 daughters. |
Somhairle Buíodh MacDonnell (
Clan MacDonnell
The MacDonnells of
The English feared the formation of a
Military leader
Once the invasion crisis had passed, the MacDonnells resisted efforts by the English and Scots governments to drive them from their lands in the Western Isles of Scotland and Ulster in Ireland.
Sorley Boy was born at
After his release, Sorley Boy received a large ransom upon seizing the constable of
Sorley Boy was now too powerful and turbulent to be neglected by
Clan chief
Upon Elizabeth's accession in 1559 Sorley Boy had submitted to her authority under
James died soon afterwards, but Sorley Boy remained O'Neill's captive until 1567, during which period he seems to have won his captor's confidence. After his unexpected defeat by the O'Donnells in the battle of Farsetmore, O'Neill turned to the MacDonnells for assistance and attended a feast laid on by them at Cushendun, bringing with him out of captivity Sorley Boy and his late brother's widow, Agnes, to secure an alliance with the Scots. In an event which seems to have had the approbation of the lord deputy of Ireland, Henry Sidney, O'Neill was stabbed and murdered by his hosts. Sorley Boy visited Scotland immediately and returned to Marketon Bay with 600 redshanks, in whose presence he swore never to leave Ireland.
In 1569, an alliance between the O'Neills and MacDonnells was secured upon the marriage on Rathlin Island of Shane's successor, Turlough Lynagh O'Neill, to the widow Agnes. Sorley Boy spent the next few years striving to frustrate the schemes of Sir Thomas Smith, and later of the Earl of Essex, for colonising Ulster with English settlers. (See Plantations of Ireland for details). He was willing to come to terms with the government provided his claims to the lands were allowed, but Essex determined to reduce him to unconditional submission. After a retreat into Scotland, Sorley Boy returned and made an unsuccessful attempt on the crown garrison at Carrickfergus. In time, he did come to terms with Smith, who supported his claims to title in the Route on condition that he take up the reformed religion. In 1573, letters of denization were addressed to Sorley Boy from the crown, but Essex frustrated these with the renewal of his plantation scheme; still, Sorley Boy managed to hold his position, when Essex failed in his negotiation with the Scottish regent and the Earl of Argyll of a withdrawal of the Scots from Ulster.
Essex then switched tack, having struck a deal with Turlough Lynagh, and defeated Sorley Boy around Castle Toome, where the Bann flows out of Lough Neagh. Essex had to withdraw to Carrickfergus for lack of provisions, but he then ordered a follow-up operation, with the intention of driving the Scots from Ulster. Under the commands of John Norris and Francis Drake an amphibious strike force proceeded by sea from Carrickfergus to Rathlin Island, where Sorley Boy's children and valuables, together with the families of his principal retainers, had been lodged for safety; and while the chieftain was himself at Ballycastle, within sight of the island, its garrison along with civilians hiding on it were massacred by Norris' troops. Sorley Boy retaliated with a successful raid on Carrickfergus, in which the garrison broke before a highland charge, and managed to partly re-establish his power in the Glynns and the Route.
In 1583, taking advantage of Sorley's perceived weakness through the absence of a significant number of MacDonnell warriors, who had been hired by Turlough Lynagh for a campaign in the west, the Mac Quillans made their last great attempt to decisively defeat the MacDonnells and recover the Route. In alliance with Sir Hugh MacPhelim Bacagh O'Neill of
On surveying the results, Lord Deputy Sidney agreed to a ceasefire, although he supported the claims of the MacQuillans to the Route, and of Sorley Boy's nephews (sons of the widow Agnes) to possession of the Glens – a typical Campbell manoeuvre, effected through their alliance with Turlough Lynagh. At the same time, Sidney forwarded to London Sorley Boy's petition for title, although it sat there without response for years. With fortitude, the MacDonnells managed to strengthen their position through an alliance with Turlough Lynagh, and by a formidable immigration of followers from the
Ambition achieved
For some years the politics of eastern Ulster were maintained in a balance. But in 1584 the recently arrived lord deputy of Ireland, Sir John Perrot, led his army into the province in a determined effort to dislodge the Scots. Following an expedition to Scotland in search of reinforcements, Sorley Boy landed at Cushendun in January 1585 with a substantial army, but after initial successes, he was driven back to Scotland, where he offered to accept the terms formerly put to him by Sidney; Perrot declined, whereupon Sorley Boy returned and regained possession of Dunluce Castle. Perrot reluctantly opened negotiations with Sorley Boy, sending as his emissary Sir William Warren, whose father Humphrey had been on good terms with Sorley during Sussex's Deputyship. Warren persuaded Sorley to come to terms, and in the summer of 1586, he repaired to Dublin and made submission to Elizabeth's representative. When shown the severed head of his son, which had been nailed above the gate of Dublin Castle, Sorley Boy gave the memorable response, "My son hath many heads". Below is a transcription of the submission to Sir John Perrot.
1586- SUBMISSION OF SORLEY BOY MACDONALD TO THE LORD
DEPUTY PERROT
Most honorable Governor, it is and maybe truly said that there is no unhappiness comparable to his that may say he hath been once in good Estate, and is fallen from it through his own folly ; amongst many others in that case, I may and do reckon myself for none of the least, for being a man born out of this realm, and gotten large possessions in the same, whereupon I lived, though I might claim none by inheritance, I have very inconsiderately presumed to think I might as well hold it as I got it, by strong hand : carried on with this imagination, as one ignorant of Her Majesty's might and force, (and withal ill persuaded by others) I unhappily refused to come in to your Lordship, as the rest of Ulster did, now almost two years past, thinking it might suffice for me upon you- Lordship's repair into those parts to write a letter of some kind of observance unto you, with an offer after a sort to come myself. Also upon such capitulations (as now to my smart I find,) were unmeet for me to make. But your Lordship having no mind as it hath we appeared, to take advantage of my rash oversight, vouchsafed to license the Earl of Tyrone and Sir Edward Moore to send unto me such gracious conditions, as I grieve to think that I refused them, and wish the unadvised letters I wrote to your: Lordship, the haughty words I uttered, and the indiscreet means I then made (to- have men of far better sort than myself to be in pledge for me) were buried up in forgetfulness. I condemn my folly in leaving such men in the Castle of Dunluce, within this Her Highness' land as should say they kept it in the name, or to the use of the King of Scots, a Prince that honom'eth Her Majesty and embraceth her favour. I sorrow for my perseverance in that purpose, whereby I have justly drawn Her Majesty's force, and whet Her Majesty's sword against me, which hath slain my son and most of my people, spoiled me of my goods, and left me with a few distressed, being no way able to stand against Her Majesty's force, wherefore I do prostrate myself here at the foot of Her Majesty's clemency submitting myself wholly thereto, and most humbly praying to be restored, only thereby through your noble favour, that is accustomed as well to pity the humble as to suppress the proud and obstinate. And I do most faithfully promise to depend for ever upon Her Majestv's gracious goodness, according to such conditions as it shall please your most honourable Lordship to afford me on the behalf of Her Highness, whom I pray God long- to preserve. Amen.
Your Honour's most humble suppliant,
SORLE Mc CONELL (his signature)
The name Sorley uses above is akin to the modern surname "McConnell" being the Gaelic pronunciation of the name Mac Domhnaill.[5] Having made his submission, Sorley Boy at last obtained a grant to himself and his heirs of the greater part of the Route country, between the rivers Bann and Bush (an area then called the Boys), with certain other lands to the east, and was made constable of Dunluce Castle. A month beforehand, Sorley Boy's nephew had received a grant in similar terms of the greater part of the Glynns. At the same time, in the Treaty of Berwick, a clause was inserted recognizing the right of the Clan MacDonnell to remain in Ireland.
Sorley Boy gave no further trouble to the English government, although he did assist survivors of the Spanish Armada to escape Ireland in 1588 (see Girona). He died in 1590 at the very place of his birth, the Castle of Dunanynie, and was buried in the traditional place of the MacDonnells, Bonamargy Friary at Ballycastle.
Legacy
Prior to the
Family
By his first wife, Mary, daughter of Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone, their children were:
- Alaster MacDonnell, Killed in battle in 1585[6]
- Donnell MacDonnell[6]
- James MacDonnell, Died on 13 April 1601 at Dunluce Castle[6]
- Randal MacDonnell Earl of Antrim d. 10 December 1636[6]
- Angus MacDonnell[6]
- Ludar MacDonnell[6]
- unknown daughter married a chief of Clan Macnaghten[6]
- unknown daughter married a chief of Clan McQuillan[6]
- unknown daughter married Cormack O'Neill[6]
- unknown daughter married Magennis, Lord of Iveagh[6]
- unknown daughter married Shane O'Neill of Clandeboye[6]
In 1588, when he was past the age of eighty years, his second wife, was a daughter of
Two of his five daughters married members of the
Citations
- ^ Annals of the Four Masters 1522.9
- ^ State Papers, Henry The Eighth, Volume II. J. Murray. 1831. pp. 7, 27.
- ^ Wright, Rev. George Newenham (1823). A Guide to the Giants Causeway, And the North-East Coast of the County of Antrim. London: Baldwin, Cradock and Joy. pp. 67–9.
- ^ Hector McDonnell, A Fragment of an Irish MS History of the MacDonalds of Antrim, Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Third Series, vol. 64, 2005, pgs 142-3; Hector McDonnell, A Sword from the Battle of Orra, The Irish Sword, vol xx, no.81, pgs 253–259; Hans Claude Hamilton [ed]Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, vol ii, 1574–1585, London, 1867, pg 418, 440, 443
- ^ Hill, George (1873). An Historical Account of the Macdonnells of Antrim. p. 44.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Dunlop, Robert (1894). . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 39. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 62.
References
- See G. Hill, An Historical Account of the Macdonnells of Antrim (London, 1873); Calendar of State Papers: Carew MSS. i., ii., (6 vols., 1867–1873); Donald Gregory, History of the Western Highlands and Isles of Scotland 1493–1625 (London, 1881); John Thomas Gilbert, History of the Viceroys of Ireland (Dublin, 1865).
- Richard Bagwell, Ireland under the Tudors 3 vols. (London, 1885–1890).
- John O'Donovan (ed.) Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters (1851).
- Colm Lennon Sixteenth Century Ireland – The Incomplete Conquest (Dublin, 1995) ISBN 0-312-12462-7.
- Nicholas P. Canny Making Ireland British, 1580–1650 (Oxford University Press, 2001) ISBN 0-19-820091-9.
- Steven G. Ellis Tudor Ireland (London, 1985) ISBN 0-582-49341-2.
- Cyril Falls Elizabeth's Irish Wars (1950; reprint London, 1996) ISBN 0-09-477220-7.
- Gerard Anthony Hayes McCoy Irish Battles (Belfast, 1989) ISBN 0-86281-212-7.
- Dictionary of National Biography 22 vols. (London, 1921–1922).