Gofraid O'Donnell ( Irish: ''Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill'') was a king of Tyrconnell and the first

chieftain A tribal chief, chieftain, or headman is a leader of a tribe, tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies There is no definition for "tribe". The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of weste ...

of mark in the

O'Donnell dynasty The O'Donnell dynasty ( or ''Ó Domhnaill,'' ''Ó Doṁnaill'' ''or Ua Domaill;'' meaning "descendant of Dónal") were the dominant Irish clan of the kingdom of Tyrconnell in Ulster in the north of medieval and early modern Ireland. Naming ...

Biography

O'Donnell was a son of Donal Mor O'Donnell (died 1241). O'Donnell rapidly came to power, initially with the support of the

FitzGerald dynasty The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman noble and aristocratic dynasty, originally of Cambro-Normans, Cambro-Norman and Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman origin. They have been Peerage of Ireland, peers of Ireland since at least the 13th centur ...

. In 1248, he was inaugurated as "The O'Donnell", meaning chief of the

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

. He made a successful inroad into Tyrone against Brian O'Neill in 1252. In 1257, he drove the

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...

out of northern

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

after the battle of

Creadran-Cille The Battle of Creadran Cille was fought in 1257 between the Gaelic Ireland, Gaels of Tyrconnell, Tír Chonaill, led by Gofraid O'Donnell, Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill, and the Normans in Ireland, Normans, led by Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly, ...

killing

Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly Maurice Fitzmaurice FitzGerald I, 2nd Lord of Offaly (c.1194 – 20 May 1257) was an Anglo-Norman peer, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1232 to 1245. He mustered many armies against the Irish, and due to his harsh methods as Justiciar, ...

, in personal combat, but suffering severe injuries. O'Donnell, while still incapacitated by his wound, was summoned by O'Neill to give hostages in token of submission. Carried on a litter at the head of his clan, he gave battle to Brian, whom he defeated with severe loss in prisoners and cattle. O'Donnell died of his wound immediately afterwards outside of where the town of

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( , meaning "hillside of the O'Cannons"), nicknamed the Cathedral Town, is a large town in County Donegal, Ireland, on the River Swilly in the north-west of Ulster. Along with the nearby city of Derry, Letterkenny is a regional eco ...

is today, and was succeeded in the chieftainship by his brother Donal Óg, who returned from Scotland in time to withstand successfully the demands of O'Neill.

References

Sources

* * 1257 deaths 13th-century Irish monarchs Goffraid Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-royal-stub Kings of Tír Chonaill