Eoghan Ó Donnghaile, aka Owen O'Donnelly, Irish poet, fl. c. 1690.

Eugene O'Curry

Eugene O'Curry

-Life:He was born at Doonaha, near Carrigaholt, County Clare, the son of Eoghan Ó Comhraí, a farmer, and his wife Cáit. Eoghan had spent some time as a travelling pedlar and had developed an interest in Irish folklore and music. Unusually for someone of his background, he appears to have been...

 wrote of Ó Donnghaile in his Manners and Customs , saying that:

"About 1680 a controversy sprang up among some of the bards of Ulster as to what race by ancient right belonged the armorial bearing of Ulster - the Red Hand

Red hand

The red hand may refer to:* Red-handed - the common idiomatic phrase "[he was] caught red-handed," means 'caught in the act of a crime'* Red-handed tamarin* Red Hands - children's game* Red Hand Day* Red Hand of Ulster* Red Hand Defenders...

 - belonged. Eoghan Ó Donnghaile took part in the controversy and claimed the Red Hand for the O'Neills of Tyrone."

Robin Flower

Robin Flower

Robin Ernest William Flower was an English poet and scholar, a Celticist, Anglo-Saxonist and translator from the Irish language. He is commonly known in Ireland as "Bláithín" . He married Ida Mary Streeter.-Life:...

 believed that Ó Donnghaile was a member of the bardic family that had fostered Séan 'an díomais' Ó Néill (Shane O'Neill

Shane O'Neill

Seán Ó Néill, anglicised Shane O'Neill , nicknamed 'Seán an díomais', was an Irish king of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster in the mid 16th century. Shane O'Neill's career was marked by his ambition to be The Ó Néill Mór - Sovereign of the dominant Ó Néill Mór family of Tyrone... and thus head...

), and there is a lament for Shane - Ceist ar eolchibh iath Éireann/A question for the learned of Ireland ... - attributed to Ó Donnghaile. Shane's fosterage among the Ó Donnghaile's of Ballydonnelly, County Tyrone

County Tyrone

Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...

, lead to him been known as Shane Ó Donnghaileach.

Seosamh Ó Dufaigh held that he may be identical with the Eoghan Ó Donnghaile listed on the 1704 registration of clergy for the parish of Armagh

Armagh

Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...

, a priest, the author of Comhairle Mhic Clámha, and Mo choin do theacht Fheidhlime ... Ó Dufaigh sees the latter as saultation to his kinsman, Pádraig Ó Donnghaile, aka Feilim Brady, The Bard of Armagh

The Bard of Armagh

The Bard of Armagh is an Irish ballad. It is often attributed to Patrick Donnelly. He was made Bishop of Dromore in 1697, the same year as the enactment of the Bishops Banishment Act...

.

Ó Donnghaile is the author of:

• Ceist ar eolchibh iath Éireann/A question for the learned of Ireland ...
• Trom na gartha sa a Leith Chuinn/Sad these shouts, oh Leith Chuinn ..., a lament.
• Tuirseach damh aig eirghe lae/Woeful to me the rising of the day ...
• Is nar an sgelsa teachd da thigh/Bad is the new that came to your house ..., a reply to Dermod mac Lewis Mac an Bhaird.

Ó Donnghaile is ascribed as author of:

• Mo choin do theacht Fheidhlime/Welome to you Feilimidh ...
• Comhairle Mhic Clámha/MacClave's Advice