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| DONEGAL CASTLE. -Who of Irish blood, be it man or woman, can look upon the foregoing picture without emotion? It is "the counterfeit presentment" of the storied castle in which, three hundred years ago, Hugh Roe O'Donnell - the boldest Irish chieftain who ever drew a sword - held high carnival, while around him blazed the eyes of the "head-soldiers" of the impetuous Clan-Conal. Among them was his gallant brother, Rory, and his able, but faithless, cousin, Null the Rough, the Benedict Arnold of the North. His base treason lost to Ireland the fruits of nine victories won by O'Neill and Red Hugh in pitched battle; led to the disaster of Kinsale, and The Donnell's vain and fatal pilgrimage to Spain, where he was poisoned by an English agent named Blake. The poet has sung his song of anguish from the strand of far Corunna, wher he hoped so long in vain:- Blow, blow ye winds and fly ye clouds, let day and night be sped, God speed the hour and haste the help, by Spain long promised; But help who may, God speed the day, and send his strong wind forth, To bear O'Donnell's flag again to combat in the North! Instead, the Spaniard broke his promise and the glorious Irish warrior, who conquered the proud army of Sir Conyers Clifford at Curlew pass, closed his eyes forever on that foreign shore. His dust reposes in the cathedral of Valladolid. |
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