On the 14th of September, 1607, Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell departed Rathmunnel in Ireland for mainland Europe, along with nearly 100 family members, retainers, and followers.
Ireland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries was a land of political unrest and cultural upheaval. The Gaelic chieftains had traditionally governed their lands under Brehon Law, maintaining significant autonomy. However, the expansionist ambitions of the English Crown sought to consolidate control over Ireland, culminating in the Nine Years’ War (1594–1603).
Led by Hugh O’Neill and Hugh Roe O’Donnell, the Irish forces mounted a formidable resistance against English rule. Despite their initial successes, including the notable victory at the Battle of Yellow Ford in 1598, the tide turned with the English victory at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. The defeat at Kinsale was catastrophic for the Irish cause, leading to the collapse of organised Gaelic resistance.
The Treaty of Mellifont in 1603 formally ended the conflict. Hugh O’Neill submitted to King James I, retaining his title and lands but under strict conditions. The English authorities continued to erode Gaelic autonomy through legal reforms, land confiscations, and the imposition of English customs and governance structures. The situation grew increasingly untenable for the Irish nobility.
On the evening of 14 September 1607, Hugh O’Neill, Rory O’Donnell, and their entourage secretly departed from Rathmullan on Lough Swilly’s shores in County Donegal. Their objective was to seek assistance from Catholic powers in continental Europe, primarily Spain, to reclaim their lands and restore their influence in Ireland.
The journey was perilous. The exiles travelled aboard a French ship, enduring treacherous weather conditions across the Irish Sea and along the European coastlines. They eventually landed in Normandy, France, before making their way through the Spanish Netherlands and into Italy. Their ultimate destination was Rome, where they received the hospitality of the Papal States.
In Rome, the Earls were welcomed with honours befitting their noble status. However, the life of an exile was far from the power and influence they had known in Ireland. Their attempts to secure military and political support from Spain and the Papacy proved fruitless. Spain, exhausted from previous military ventures and wary of antagonising England, was reluctant to commit resources to an Irish cause. Similarly, the Papacy offered spiritual support but little in the way of material assistance.
Hugh O’Neill died in Rome in 1616, never having returned to Ireland. Rory O’Donnell passed away earlier, in 1608. Their deaths marked the end of an era for the Gaelic nobility.
The Flight of the Earls had profound repercussions for Ireland. It effectively left Ulster leaderless, paving the way for the English Crown to implement the Plantation of Ulster. This policy involved the systematic colonisation of Ulster by English and Scottish settlers, fundamentally altering the region’s demographic and cultural fabric.
The Plantation aimed to establish a loyal Protestant population in Ulster, displacing the native Irish, who were often relegated to marginal lands. This led to significant social and economic changes, entrenching sectarian divisions that would resonate throughout Irish history.
Furthermore, the Flight symbolised the decline of the Gaelic order. The traditional clan system, based on kinship and local lordship, could not withstand the centralised authority imposed by the English Crown. The erosion of Gaelic culture, language, and customs followed, as English law, language, and governance structures became dominant.
The Flight of the Earls has been romanticised in Irish history and literature. It is often depicted as a tragic exile of noble leaders, forced to abandon their homeland in the face of foreign domination. This narrative has imbued the event with a sense of melancholy and loss, resonating deeply in the Irish national consciousness.
Rathmullan, the departure point of the Earls, is now home to a monument commemorating the event. The story of their flight continues to be a subject of historical study and cultural reflection, symbolising both the resilience and the vulnerability of the Gaelic world at a time of profound transformation.
Hugh O’Neill is a minor character in The Spy who Sank the Armada, and a major character in Fire and Earth, the 1st and 2nd books of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures.