 An Post stamps featuring Hugh O'Neill and Rory O'Donnell which were issued in 2007 to commemorate the Flight of the Earls in 1607 In 1593, Hugh O'Neill took the title of 'The O'Neill' and led the Ulster chiefs in battle against the English Garrisons in Ulster. In 1595 they defeated the English at Clontibret, County Monaghan and at the Battle of the Yellow Ford on the River Blackwater in 1598. In 1601 O'Neill marched south to Kinsale, hoping to be met by an invading Spanish army but the Spanish landing was delayed by bad weather and the Irish were routed in battle. Hugh O'Donnell of Donegal fled to Spain and Hugh O'Neill returned to Tyrone. However in March, 1603 O'Neill submitted to Lord Mountjoy, Queen Elizabeth's deputy, three days after the Queen had, in fact, died. By September, 1607 the position of the Gaelic nobility was no longer tenable in the North of Ireland and, hoping to solicit Spanish aid, they left from Rathmullan on September 4th, 1607 for Continental Europe. On board were Hugh O'Neill and Rory O'Donnell together with more than ninety of their family and followers. The ship was bound for Spain, but fierce storms forced them to disembark in France in early October, 1607. At Louvain the Gaels divided, with Eoghan Ruadh O'Neill staying in France to form an Irish Brigade while Hugh O'Neill and his retinue travelled on to Rome where they arrived in March, 1608. This exodus became known as the 'Flight of the Earls' or the 'Flight of the Wild Geese' afterwhich the Plantation of Ulster succeeded. © Í 1593, ghlac Aodh O' Néill (Hugh Ó'Neill) an teideal "O Néill" agus d'aontaigh sé taoisigh Chúige Uladh le chéile chun troid in aghaidh Garastún na Sasanach í gCúige Uladh. Í 1595 bhris siad ar na Sasanaigh ag Cluain Tiobraid í gContae Mhuineacháin agus ag Cath Béal an Atha Buí(Battle of the Yellow Ford) ar an Abhainn Mhór(River Blackwater) i 1598. I 1601 mháirseáil Ó Néill ó dheas go Cionn tSáile ag súil go mbuailfeadh sé le Airm na Spáinne, ach bhí an aimsir chomh dona gur cuireadh moill an lá sin ar na Spáinnigh a bhí ag iarraidh teacht i dtír, agus briseadh go dona ar Airm Ui Néill. Theith Aodh Ó Domhnaill (Hugh Ó Donnell) as Dún na nGall go dtí An Spáinn agus chuaigh Hugh Ó Néill arais go dtí Contae Thír Eoghain. Ach í 1603 ghéill Ó Neill do Lord Mountjoy, fear ionad na banríona Éilise (Elizabeth 1), trí lá ín dhiaidh bás na banríona. Nuair a tháinig mí an Mhéan Fómhair 1607, nuair nach raibh sé ar chumas na nUaisle Gaelacha leanúint ar aghaidh, sheol siad ó Rath Maoláin ag triall ar Mhór-Roinn na hEorpa. Bhí siad dóchasach go mbéadh siad abalta cuidiú a éileamh ón Spáinn chun an troid in éadan na Plandála a athnuadh. Ar bord na loinge bhí Aodh Ó Neill agus Ruaidhrí Ó Domhnaill maraon le nócha dena gclann agus a lucht leanúna. Go luath í mí Dheireadh Fómhair 1607 bhí an soitheach ag triall ar An Spáinn, ach bhí an aimsir go an olc agus bhí orthu teacht i dtír sa Fhrainc. Ag Louvain, scoth na Gaeil ó chéile, d'fhan Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill san Fhrainc chun Bríogáid na hEireann a chruthú, ach lean Aodh Ó Néill, a chlann agus a lucht leanúna ar aghaidh go dtí An Róimh, áit a shroich siad i mí Márta sa bhliain 1608. Tugadh "Teiteadh na nIarlaí" ("The Flight of The Earls") nó "Teiteadh na nGéanna Fiaine" ("The Flight of The Wild Geese") ar an ecsodus seo. Ina dhiaidh seo, bhí an bealach réidh do Phlandáil Uladh. © |