Flight of Earls was more a 'strategic regrouping'

Up to 200 historians and academics attended an international conference to mark the 400th anniversary of the Flight of the Earls in Letterkenny at the weekend.

In his historical appraisal of the event, Prof John McGurk of the University of Ulster wondered whether the naming of the event as the "Flight of the Earls" was "pandering to the English interpretation" of what had happened.

He suggested that the departure of the earls - who had intended to return - could have been termed a "strategic regrouping".

The conference also heard about how the Flight of the Earls was a key event in the establishment of an Irish diaspora around the world.

Descendants of those who left Rathmullan established themselves as leading lights in different fields in their adopted countries.

Today, there are a considerable number of people in France, Italy and Spain whose names can be traced back to the O'Neills, O'Donnells, O'Briens and Wards who left Irish shores 400 years ago.

In Spain, for example, the name O'Brien has evolved into Obrégon while in Italy O'Neill has become Oneili. Thousands of Irish people migrated from Ireland to Spain and France in the 17th century.

Dr Eamonn Ó Cíosain of NUI Maynooth estimated that as many as 10,000 Irish people went to Spain during the first decade of the century.

The conference was organised by Donegal County Council in association with the University of Ulster and Letterkenny Institute of Technology.

The Flight of the Earls is regarded as a pivotal moment in Irish history. It marked the end of the ancient Gaelic order in Ulster and subsequently paved the way for the plantation of the province - but its commemoration is now proving to be a major boost for the marketing of Donegal to visitors and tourists.

Both the county council and the Donegal County Development Board have been particularly active in promoting some 40 events throughout the year to commemorate the departure of Hugh O'Neill, the Earl of Tyrone, and Ruairí O'Donnell, the Earl of Tír Chonaill, along with family members, elite soldiers and scholars from Rathmullan in Co Donegal on September 14th, 1607.

With English authority increasing throughout Ireland, they set sail for Spain with the hope of securing support in their bid to retain the control of lands under Brehon law. However, they never returned.

Almost €1.2 million is being spent on various events which will culminate on September 8th-16th with a 17th century-themed banquet, a carnival and a commemorative concert with Phil Coulter.

For information call the Flight of the Earls office in Letterkenny (tel: 074 91 94277) or www.flightoftheearls.ie