Hugh O'Donnell and his daring march in the Slieve Felims

Copyright www.duchas.ie used under CC-BY-NC 4.0 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922083/4850640

"O'Donnell's army marched through Roscommon and Galway, reaching Cashel by 18 November. Mountjoy ordered Carew north to counter the Irish advance, but on 21 November O'Donnell sidestepped Carew's blocking force. Described as 'the greatest march that hath been heard of at this time of year', O'Donnell stole a night march on the lord president, crossing over the frozen Slieve Phelim Mountains." from pg 163 of "The Nine Years War 1593 - 1603" by James O'Neill. 

It is interesting how small events on a national scale, leave large imprints on a local scale. The daring night march that O'Donnell stole through the Slieve Felims in 1601 was still remembered in the schools folklore manuscripts of the 1930s featuring in Foilycleary and Kilcommon schools.  The teacher in Foilycleary (Ml. O Heachthigheirn) even drew a map of the likely route . If I recall there is a plaque in the area commemorating it as well.

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922083/4850649

"When Red Hugh O'Donnell was camped at Holy Cross on his way to Kinsale in November 1601 to assist the Spaniards, he found himself surrounded by the forces of Carew and Mountjoy. A very great frost came on the night of the 13th of November and impassible bogs to the Slieve Felims became frozen hard. I know the country very well between Holy Cross and Croom, and I know the only great bog on the way is Cummer bog (shown on map at page 5).

There are other smaller bogs but none as large as Cummer. When these bogs became frozen hard that night it was possible for Red Hugh and his army to strike their camp and march away from their enemies. They did so, and in that very famous march they covered about 40 statute miles and camped at Croom next day. They must have followed (at least roughly) the line where is now the Anglesea Line as far as Réidh." 

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922143/4856167/5015381

"When Hugh O'Donnell was proceeding to the Battle of Kinsale in 1599, his march was interupted at Loghbrack, because he could not cross the bogs with his heavy artillery. The bogs were too soft. That night it froze very heavily and early next morning Hugh crossed the frozen bogs safely & proceeded to Kinsale. Logbrach is about 2 miles south of Kilcommon."

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/in-quest-of-living-legends-1.328625

From the Irish Times 
"In the winter of 1601, Red Hugh O'Donnell's forces were confronted by an English army in Co Tipperary as they marched south to Kinsale. O'Donnell's men tramped 40 miles non-stop under cover of darkness across the frozen bogs of the Slieve Felim mountains to escape. A seasoned opponent on the English side, Sir George Carew described this without a grudge as "the greatest night-march in military history". Not only were the iron frosts of a mini-ice age on their side, but O'Donnell's men were bred for distance."


So we can see just now impressive this feat was. There was no road through this area until the 1800s when the Anglesey line was built through the area. I was reminded of reading this event a few years back by the recent Art O'Neill challenge (happening this weekend) which commenorates the escape by Art O'Neill, Henry O'Neill & Red Hugh O'Donnell in 1592 from Dublin Castle in the middle of winter when they treked to Glenmalure in Co. Wicklow.

https://www.historyireland.com/volume-23/the-art-oneill-challenge/

Perhaps Red Hugh learned something about travelling through frozen hills from this event but I'd imagine there were plenty of frozen nights up in Donegal for him too!

Edit

It was great to find a continuation of this folklore recorded near Croom in Co. Limerick between Croom and Manister in relation to a road known as "Bothar Ultach" or Road of the Ulstermen.

Milo Spillane writes about it in the North Munster Antiquarian Journal (2014, 156)

"However, help was at hand in a most unexpected and fortuitous manner. A frost of extraordinary severity set in during the night, which made firm ground of the impassable swamps. When told of this O'Donnell roused his sleeping forces and hastily set out, and under cover of darkness, travelled over the frozen bogs and through mountain valleys until they reached ground at Abington, County Limerick.... The bedraggled army reached the safety of Croom that day without any further interference or hindrance having travelled along what then became known as Bothar na nUltach"

http://www.limerickcity.ie/.../15%20bothar%20na%20nultach...

Looking at Google Maps - a March from Holycross to Croom is circa 40 miles / 60kms via the mountains. Doing that on a frozen night in November was some achievement and surely would be one of the great Irish legends if not for the disaster at Kinsale.