Ascendancy
Goffraidh Ó Dónaill, the first chieftain, was son of Dónall Mór Ó Dónaill. In 1257, Goffraidh was victorious when he went to battle at Creadran-Cille against Brian Ua Néill. Upon Goffraidh's death, subsequent to wounds incurred during battle against Ó Néill, he was succeeded in the chieftainship by his brother Dónall Óg, who returned from Scotland in time to withstand successfully the demands of Ó Néill.
Later, the O'Donnell rulers aided Templar knights fleeing to Scotland via Tyrconnell and Sligo, where a Templar priory existed at Ballymote, a Percival family estate for the last 300 years. The O'Donnell King of Tyrconnell became known as the Fisher-King, on the Continent, ostensibly due to the export of fish traded for wine in La Rochelle.
Read more about this topic: O'Donnell Dynasty
Famous quotes containing the word ascendancy:
“As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other.”
—John Stuart Mill (1806–1873)