Northern Ireland

Plaque unveiled in Spain to mark 420th anniversary of death of Red Hugh O'Donnell

A plaque has been unveiled to Red Hugh O'Donnell
A plaque has been unveiled to Red Hugh O'Donnell A plaque has been unveiled to Red Hugh O'Donnell

A PLAQUE has been unveiled in Spain to mark the 420th anniversary of the death of legendary Irish chieftain Red Hugh O'Donnell.

A commemoration service was held in Valladolid, the city where the head of the O'Donnell clan was buried following his death in 1602.

Ambassadors from Spain and Ireland, along with guests from the US, attended the event in honour of O’Donnell.

Frank Smyth, the Irish Ambassador to Spain, was among the dignatories at the plaque unveiling, in what was regarded as a historic day in Hispano-Irish relations.?

It was part of a weekend programme of events to mark the anniversary, with two Derry musicians - flute player, Marcas Ó Murchú and piper, Jim O'Hagan - among a group of performers to take part.

Irish and Spanish music, dance, historical presentations took place, while a colourful re-enactment of the iconic funeral procession coincided with the unveiling of plaque at the site of the interment of O’Donnell and Christopher Columbus.

Born in 1572, O'Donnell and the great Hugh O'Neill led a rebellion against the English in 1595 before they were eventually defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1602.

Following the battle O'Donnell fled to Spain to seek the aid of King Philip III.

However, he died aged 29 en route to Valladolid and is buried there.

Two years ago, archaeologists uncovered a number of skeletal remains, one of which they hoped to identify as those of the young prince.

They had hoped to identify the remains by finding a skeleton with a missing toe as O'Donnell had lost one to frostbite while escaping from prison as a young man. But they were unable to do so.