Donnell Ballagh O'Cahan (died 1627) was an Irish landowner in Ulster. A vassal of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, O'Cahan was frequently in rebellion alongside his lord in the closing years of the 16th century. Although he did not go into exile with Tyrone, he claimed to have been betrayed by the English Crown, which he accused of failing to keep to an agreement over a large grant of lands. Arrested for treason, he was never brought to trial but was held captive in Tower of London until his death sometime around 1627.
O'Cahan was a major Ulster landholder[1] and has been described as "the last in a long line of chieftains" ruling the area between the River Bann in Belfast to the River Foyle in Derry, which he held off the O'Neill Earls of Tyrone as their liegeman[2] (ur ri—or under king—in gaelic).[3] His main property was in Dungiven.[1] He also held Limavady.[2] He spent much of the 1590s in armed rebellion with Tyrone against the crown; his lands were "viciously ravaged" by Docwra until O'Cahan surrendered in 160s.[4] About a third of O'Cahan's lands in Londonderry were granted to Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone,[1] who was also O'Cahan's father-in-law.[5]
In early 1608, O'Cahan's brother joined the rebellion of Cahir O'Doherty, and although O'Cahan was not officially implicated, he was suspected of having knowledge of the uprising. He was arrested but never tried.[1] The antiquarian Francis Joseph Bigger has suggested that he was rumoured to have attempted flight with Tyrone and the other rebel lords, and had only been prevented from doing so by an "accidental delay in crossing some ferry on the road".[2] In the vent, O'Cahan remained in Limavady Castle following Tyrone's flight.[6]Sir Arthur Chichester—the Crown's Lord Deputy in Ulster—reasoned, says Bigger, that this indicated not only his sympathy for the rebels but mens rea also.[2] This was compounded by the fact that, in English eyes, O'Cahan "had become troublesome, and almost unmanageable of late, so, everything considered, it was thought best to take him also into special keeping at Dublin Castle".[7] Bigger notes that, although O'Cahan had remained loyal to his liege lord throughout the latter's seven-year campaign at the Crown, in 1608 he joined the major English statesman and commander in Ireland, Henry Docwra, on condition that O'Cahan would receive sufficient grants and lands to enable him to establish himself independently of Tyrone, and would no longer hold his estates in fief.[5]
Downfall and deathedit
O'Cahan's arrangement with Docwra regarding his lands was agreed to by the government, but Chichester managed to persuade the government to repudiate the deal. O'Cahan, says Bigger, went "frantic": his behaviour allowed Chichester to claim that O'Cahan had spoken and acted treasonably.[5] O'Cahan spent the rest of his life imprisoned in the Tower of London,[8] dying there around 1626.[1] During his imprisonment, the Plantation of Ulster continued westwards. However, his legal title to the Bann−Foyle region was not contested and, even though O'Cahan was never to return, no individual planter ever laid claim to his estate.[9]
Bigger, F. J. (1904). "Sir Arthur Chichester, Lord Deputy of Ireland. With Some Notes on the Plantation of Ulster (Continued)". Ulster Journal of Archaeology. 10: 158–166.
Boyle, E. M. (1989). Records of the Town of Limavady: 1609 to 1808. Limavady: North-West. ISBN978-0-90752-815-9.
Canny, N. P. (1970). "Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and the Changing Face of Gaelic Ulster". Studia Hibernica (10): 7–35.
Curl, J. S. (1986). The Londonderry Plantation, 1609-1914: The History, Architecture, and Planning of the Estates of the City of London and Its Livery Companies in Ulster. Chichester: Phillimore. ISBN978-0-85033-577-4.
Curl, J. S. (2009). "Reluctant Colonisers: the City of London and the Plantation of Coleraine". History Ireland. 17: 28–31.
Hill, G. (2004). The Conquest of Ireland : an Historical Account of the Plantation in Ulster at the Commencement of the Seventeenth Century. Belfast: Irish Genealogical Foundation. ISBN978-0-94013-445-4.
Newman, K. (2019). "Donnell Ballagh O'Cahan (-c.1626): Landowner". Dictionary of Ulster Biography. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
January 01, 1970
donnell, ballagh, cahan, died, 1627, irish, landowner, ulster, vassal, hugh, neill, earl, tyrone, cahan, frequently, rebellion, alongside, lord, closing, years, 16th, century, although, into, exile, with, tyrone, claimed, have, been, betrayed, english, crown, . Donnell Ballagh O Cahan died 1627 was an Irish landowner in Ulster A vassal of Hugh O Neill Earl of Tyrone O Cahan was frequently in rebellion alongside his lord in the closing years of the 16th century Although he did not go into exile with Tyrone he claimed to have been betrayed by the English Crown which he accused of failing to keep to an agreement over a large grant of lands Arrested for treason he was never brought to trial but was held captive in Tower of London until his death sometime around 1627 Contents 1 Life and career 2 O Cahan and the Flight of the Earls 3 Downfall and death 4 References 4 1 BibliographyLife and career editO Cahan was a major Ulster landholder 1 and has been described as the last in a long line of chieftains ruling the area between the River Bann in Belfast to the River Foyle in Derry which he held off the O Neill Earls of Tyrone as their liegeman 2 ur ri or under king in gaelic 3 His main property was in Dungiven 1 He also held Limavady 2 He spent much of the 1590s in armed rebellion with Tyrone against the crown his lands were viciously ravaged by Docwra until O Cahan surrendered in 160s 4 About a third of O Cahan s lands in Londonderry were granted to Hugh O Neill Earl of Tyrone 1 who was also O Cahan s father in law 5 O Cahan and the Flight of the Earls editIn September 1607 Tyrone and other earls fled the country the same month O Cahan was knighted 1 In early 1608 O Cahan s brother joined the rebellion of Cahir O Doherty and although O Cahan was not officially implicated he was suspected of having knowledge of the uprising He was arrested but never tried 1 The antiquarian Francis Joseph Bigger has suggested that he was rumoured to have attempted flight with Tyrone and the other rebel lords and had only been prevented from doing so by an accidental delay in crossing some ferry on the road 2 In the vent O Cahan remained in Limavady Castle following Tyrone s flight 6 Sir Arthur Chichester the Crown s Lord Deputy in Ulster reasoned says Bigger that this indicated not only his sympathy for the rebels but mens rea also 2 This was compounded by the fact that in English eyes O Cahan had become troublesome and almost unmanageable of late so everything considered it was thought best to take him also into special keeping at Dublin Castle 7 Bigger notes that although O Cahan had remained loyal to his liege lord throughout the latter s seven year campaign at the Crown in 1608 he joined the major English statesman and commander in Ireland Henry Docwra on condition that O Cahan would receive sufficient grants and lands to enable him to establish himself independently of Tyrone and would no longer hold his estates in fief 5 Downfall and death editO Cahan s arrangement with Docwra regarding his lands was agreed to by the government but Chichester managed to persuade the government to repudiate the deal O Cahan says Bigger went frantic his behaviour allowed Chichester to claim that O Cahan had spoken and acted treasonably 5 O Cahan spent the rest of his life imprisoned in the Tower of London 8 dying there around 1626 1 During his imprisonment the Plantation of Ulster continued westwards However his legal title to the Bann Foyle region was not contested and even though O Cahan was never to return no individual planter ever laid claim to his estate 9 References edit a b c d e f Newman 2019 a b c d Bigger 1904 p 159 Canny 1970 p 8 Curl 1986 p 20 a b c Bigger 1904 p 160 Boyle 1989 p x Bigger 1904 p 159 160 Hill 2004 p 393 Curl 2009 p 29 Bibliography edit Bigger F J 1904 Sir Arthur Chichester Lord Deputy of Ireland With Some Notes on the Plantation of Ulster Continued Ulster Journal of Archaeology 10 158 166 Boyle E M 1989 Records of the Town of Limavady 1609 to 1808 Limavady North West ISBN 978 0 90752 815 9 Canny N P 1970 Hugh O Neill Earl of Tyrone and the Changing Face of Gaelic Ulster Studia Hibernica 10 7 35 Curl J S 1986 The Londonderry Plantation 1609 1914 The History Architecture and Planning of the Estates of the City of London and Its Livery Companies in Ulster Chichester Phillimore ISBN 978 0 85033 577 4 Curl J S 2009 Reluctant Colonisers the City of London and the Plantation of Coleraine History Ireland 17 28 31 Hill G 2004 The Conquest of Ireland an Historical Account of the Plantation in Ulster at the Commencement of the Seventeenth Century Belfast Irish Genealogical Foundation ISBN 978 0 94013 445 4 Newman K 2019 Donnell Ballagh O Cahan c 1626 Landowner Dictionary of Ulster Biography Archived from the original on 30 October 2019 Retrieved 30 October 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donnell Ballagh O 27Cahan amp oldid 1220482137, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
