Mongavlin Castle
Mongalvin Castle’s most famous resident was a Scottish princess, known as An Inghean Dubh (‘The Black Haired Daughter’). She became the wife of Lord Hugh Roe O’ Donnell, Lord of Tir Chonaill. She was of noble birth from Scottish Clan MacDonnell. Before she left for Ireland, she handpicked one hundred of the best and largest soldiers (80 of them with the name Crawford) to protect her. She was shrewd but also dedicated in protecting her interests. In 1588 she had Aodh Mac ‘an Deccanaigh’ (the difficult) O’Gallagher murdered in revenge for the killing of her brother, Alasdrann MacDonnell, in 1586.
She was the mother of the famous Red Hugh O’Donnell (The Fighting Prince of Donegal). He was her first child but it was Hugh O’Donnell’s second marriage. Hugh’s other children, from his first marriage, were also heirs but Inghean ensured that nothing would stand in the way of Red Hugh being the heir apparent. In 1591, Domhnall, Inghean’s stepson, was slain in battle, by her family. It is said that to promote her son Red Hugh, Inghean used supernatural prophecies to secure his destiny. He would become one of the most important Gaelic Irish leaders of all time. His legacy lives on today in the song ‘O’Donnell Abu.’
model and photographer Niamh O’Rourke and actor, archaeologist, Dave Swift portray Iníon Dubh and Redshank in a recent Irish photo shoot.
