‘Sir, this woman continues to be a most repugnant member of the community, she fights with any woman who passes through the townlands and she hates men even more.’
‘Is this true, Molly?’ There was no reply.
Her gaze diverted to the window, where she could see another family of travellers passing by with horses and carts.
‘Yes, it is, I hate travellers in these parts. Why can’t they keep away, and why did you have to come to Carn?’ Molly gave a wry smile back to Tibbot.
‘Molly, I came here to help the Lynotts regain their pride and maybe their fortune.’
Tibbot thought for a moment. Maybe she had suffered just as much as any other Lynott. Maybe she would need to understand that not all strangers were bad.
The girl was different to any other and there was something that drew him to her. Behind her acidity and cynicism, he could sense something special.
‘Would you come and live here with my mother in Carn Castle for some time. I want you to understand that we are here to help. I think you may also help me understand the Lynott story better.’
‘No, never; I know your plan, you want to take me for your whore.’
Tibbot was shocked.
‘You are wrong, you shall be in the care of my mother, she will ensure that you wash yourself and wear clothes befitting a young woman, not the rags which hang on you now.’
‘I shall not.’
‘Then the alternative is that you are judged by the Brehon and may be cast away from these townlands. I feel that you must love your father and brother. Do you want that for them?’
Molly froze and thought for a while.
‘If what you say is true, and I will be helping the clan, then you must promise that while I am without any further sin, you must prevent the Brehon from bringing the law onto me.’
Tibbot felt surprised, she had succumbed and agreed to stay at Carn. Emily was reluctant at first but respected the decision made by Tibbot. Any resistance would be to undermine his position. It would also provide her with a new purpose. She took Molly under her wing and over the weeks, she became more tamed and less bitter.
Tibbot kept his distance and watched her most when she was not looking directly at him, such as in church while the mass was assembling and leaving after the blessing and even at times when she was washing in the river. This way he could gain a better understanding of her personality as he watched her interact with other people. He became captivated by her spirit and personality. Tibbot was aware that she was the girl who had been attacked by the Barrett rent collector, which had provoked the eventual blinding of a clan. She had wasted many years feeling pain and guilt, but when she was in the company of Emily, her personality became more open and showed some willingness to discuss her fears. There developed a mutual attraction and excitement between them.
Molly remained at Carn and by the next summer, she and Tibbot were married. Weddings were a great occasion for all Irish, but the marriage of a handsome chief and leader to such a beautiful woman was to be a very special time for the clan. The marriage, along with any offspring, would seal the union of the two clans.
Between the Wars
Many of the faithful rebels were now left without coordinated leadership and control. There were some skirmishes and resistance but nothing to compare with the attrition of the Nine Years War. The seasoned rebels had been salaried, but by now their numbers had dwindled as they returned to their home communities. The wealth required by the earls to provide protection by mercenaries and redshanks was increasing while funds were diminishing and many redshanks and gallowglass returned to Scotland. Some, those who were awarded land, settled on their newly assigned property according to their payment. The English administration also needed to pull back on expensive costs and had concentrated on the northern provinces to oversee the continuation of the plantation of the English into Ulster.
Duald and Cirilo had been in full time service with the earls and were considered to be true and loyal Irish fighters. As valuable gunners, the Welshmen of Tyrawley had been an asset to the cause. Times were changing though, and the rebels were now without strong leadership. There was a lack of appetite for further war with the English and “rebel resolve” was weakened. For some years, the Welshmen had not been in direct combat, having been re-assigned to protecting the tower houses and other clan based strongholds. Since the threat of English rule had been the main concern over recent years, there had been a reduced threat to the new earls and landowners from other Irish factions. Their tradition laid down that they were still clansmen and as such had a right to protect their property from all intruders.
The two gunners served successfully side-by-side for several more years at the strongholds, training men to use the cannons and culverins. The other Welshmen had gone their separate ways but were not without praise and adoration from kinsmen once it was realised who they were. For the earls though, castle artillery became an expensive luxury and so Duald and Donovan were assigned as farm workers.
By 1613, both men were still great friends, but at 45 years old they were becoming too old to fight and serve as the Tyrawley gunners. They left the service of the chiefs to live a life fulltime on the land. In order to provide some protection for Donovan, Duald gave the impression to all who asked that he was his slave and property, although the notion that a commoner could own a slave seemed a little un-orthodox.
That summer, the two were camped up at Kinsale, working seasonally for anyone who would give them employment. Duald was aware of the terrible attack on his people in the Mayo townlands by the Barretts. His heart’s desire was to return to Tyrawley and to be with his clan folk was a reasonable one. Furthermore, he knew that as a returning Lynott warrior, he would be treated as a hero, respected and would not be left wanting. He realised that his valuable eyesight would enable him to get employment, land, livestock and maybe even leadership and status as an elder of the clan.
Donovan had not shared all the details of his time in Tyrawley. Duald was unaware of Donovan’s short time with the Bourkes and his love for the chief’s daughter, Emily, but he had discerned that Donovan would not be able to return to Mayo with his friend. He pondered the future for a long time and struggled with what he was about to say next. Duald loved Donovan dearly but knew that this was a time of change. Nothing would stay the same and the day always comes when every Irish man must return to his clan.
‘Donovan, you have heard of the vengeance of the Barretts and the Daille La’. This was the day that the Barretts blinded a whole clan, including the men folk of my family. I am sorry my friend, but I now feel the pull of my tribe and the day is coming when I must settle back in the townlands as a sighted man.’
Donovan immediately understood and his eyes filled with tears as he stood up, swallowed a choke and moved around the campfire to put his arm around Duald. Another phase in Donovan’s life was about to begin.
‘My friend, please do not feel regret for your feelings within. I foresaw and realised many months ago that this time would one day come. We are both now wiser and you have your family. I wish I could go back with you to Tyrawley to return to my dearest Emily, but that cannot be.’
‘Who is Emily?’
‘Emily Bourke is the daughter of the MacWilliam. For your own sake, I have not told you these many years, but she is the woman I have loved for almost all of my days. I could love no other like this woman. The Bourke Clan would kill me if I were to return to Tyrawley; I cannot see her again. You will remember that day at Dromahair. It was the attack of the gallowglass which confirmed the hatred the Bourkes have for me.’
‘I realise why they would want you killed. A foreign suitor for a clan chief’s daughter would not be accepted. What were you thinking of Donovan?’
‘My mind was on nothing but love, my friend!’
‘Donovan, I will miss you and our times together, my brother.’
The men had arrived at the understanding they would soon be going their separate ways. Don
ovan continued to reflect on his former years as a slave and his time with Emily, the girl he loved so much. They talked for hours over their times together and made their plans jointly. The encounter with MacSweeney, the gallowglass, had been a clear warning to Donovan that he would not be welcome in Mayo. He would surely be killed by the Bourkes. Perhaps any of the Welshmen would kill him if they knew who he was. He also believed from MacSweeney’s rantings that Emily may also be dead. Donovan ultimately believed that if she was alive, then there would never be any possibility of reconciliation with her. What would a lady such want with a black slave anyway? For a short time after the demise of the Spanish Armada, their love was strong and intense. Donovan had come to believe that Emily would by now have settled down into a new life with a husband and family. As a long integrated servant of the Irish, he knew the clan customs and beliefs. He was acutely aware that if she was still alive, in all probability, she had moved on with her life and would have been betrothed and married, probably to a cousin within the Bourke community or into an allied clan by now.
He was unaware that Emily had eyes for no man after their brief time together.
Since the battle at Moyry Pass and the day Donovan saved Duald’s life, there had been an unspoken, yet mutual pledge of protection and they had become inseparably good friends. Their relative older age and maturity made the bond even more robust. By now though, Donovan considered himself to be Irish and had no wish to return to a life of Spanish slavery. He, therefore, desired to remain in Ireland, even as a slave. He had once been given an opportunity as a Spanish national in Ireland to travel to the Spanish Netherlands with the earls. The offer meant that he could have joined as one of the privileged ninety or so people that were to sail with them. The faithful had believed the earls went to Spain to gain support from the Spanish for a further war against the English. In time, however, it became clear though that they largely left Ireland, never to return.
Over the years, stories and myths emerged, some of them very accurate and true, regarding the Spanish Armada and the people who came ashore in Ireland. There were also some Irish men on board armada ships and they were often left behind. These men often told their stories of being press-ganged and forced to serve and many being spared the gallows, maybe to avoid the charge that they had collaborated with the enemies of the English. Other accounts told of the fate of the Duquesa Santa Ana and the Gerona which led Donovan to believe that his Spanish master, Dominic, was in all probability dead. He was right. Almost all the contingent perished on board the Gerona.
Despite not knowing the fate of Dominic or his mother, Juana in Cadiz, he felt that there was nothing but suffering awaiting his return to Spain. Following the flight of the earls and his subsequent partnership with Duald, he had felt as though he was almost a free Irish man. He had the respect and companionship of Duald and life had been reasonably comfortable. Without security for Donovan from within a clan outside of Tyrawley, his future was bleak, unless he could start a new life away from Mayo, perhaps in Cork.
One day, while camped at Cork, the two men devised a plan and decided to execute it immediately. There was little point in Donovan attempting to survive as a free black slave. He was clearly not of Irish origin and his Spanish tattoos would betray him, indicating that he was a slave of some description. If he had been freed, he would be a target for abduction at any time. If he was seized, then he would be forced back into slavery or even sold on again for profit. He might be persecuted, beaten and be without any form of security. On the other hand, if Donovan was destined to live his remaining years as a slave, then Duald could profit from the sale of Donovan, but only if they chose their client carefully. They would also be able to take reasonable steps to ensure Donovan was under the employment of a benevolent master rather than one that would treat him badly. This was Donovan’s idea and at the outset was not accepted by Duald, but it was not long before they agreed this could be a good plan for them both, as long as Duald could find the right master for Donovan.
Standing at the wooden drawbridge in North Street, they discussed their mutual gratitude.
‘Donovan, I thank you for your friendship over these many years, I will miss your smiles, your prayers and tales of Spanish life. You have taught me many lessons and saved my life many times. I thank you friend. I will never forget you. I will seek out Emily Bourke and if she has a mind for meeting with you, I will inform her of your situation. If I can, I will send word to you on her fate.’
‘If you see her, then please tell her I am Donovan na Long, the dark man of the ships. She will understand who I am. I thank you for the kindness you showed towards me during the years I served you and the princes of Ireland. You have reminded me many times of my Spanish master, Dominic. I do not know what became of him, but I am sure you and he would have been good friends had you met.’
‘Was he noble or humble?’
‘He was both. He was of nobility but with honour and in many ways, he was a modest and kind man just like you. Duald, I am sorry that I will not see you again and sorry that Tyrawley is a place that I cannot go. If you do ever see Emily Bourke, then please tell her of me and that I still love her and I always will. She will know me as Cirilo.’
They hugged and said no more that night.
The next day, Duald was to sell off Donovan as the plan required. The arrangement whereby Duald would profit from the sale of Donavon made perfect sense to them both. In Cork, Duald bartered at the market for the sale of Donovon and refused several offers, suggesting that the price was too low. He was asked what he would accept but usually refused to say or asked for a vastly inflated price. The true reason was that if he didn’t like the clients and could not be sure that they would treat him with any respect, then he refused to agree a deal. He wanted a private sale only and declined go to auction for the same reason.
At the market, Duald was approached by a well-dressed clansman.
‘Will you give me a price and a bill of sale for this slave?’
‘Sir, I am Duald, and the slave is Donovan. We are both from the rebel group of gunners known as The Welshmen of Tyrawley.’
‘What Irishman has not heard of this brave group? They have a reputation which is one of excellence. The slave will be treated well and with due regard, I can promise you.’
Duald eventually sold Donovan to the man who appeared to be fair. He was respected by the people at the market and there was every reason to believe that Donovan would be treated well. The clansman was a representative of Cahir O’Callaghan, sent to the town to obtain servants for the new house. Cahir had recently completed the construction of his tower house after having some of his property and lands returned to him from the English. Some years earlier, many land owners in the area had signed up to the surrender and re-grant proposal which in which recognition of English rule was rewarded with a return of some territory and tenure. Cahir was one of the landowners who accepted the terms. While agreement was seen as treason by many Irish people, it had become common practice in many localities, especially the anglicised ones. This had caused resentment amongst many Irish, particularly as it required the landowner to convert away from the Catholic faith to the new Church of Ireland. Cahir had been awarded his title to land, but the respect he had before the surrender had endured. He had become a much-valued leader of the community. Cahir’s wife was with child and she had the special knack of giving birth to boys. In addition, an extended family lived at the stronghold, which would benefit from an inexpensive servant. O’Callaghan held office within the government and had a keen involvement in all local affairs. He was a powerful and authoritative man.
There was little time and opportunity to question clients on their traits and intentions. The deal looked favourable and both Duald and Donovan were relieved by the new arrangement. They had already said their goodbyes and so parted immediately with no words, just a nod of satisfaction and a slap on the back. Any show of emotion or affection between the two would have raised many eyebrows at the ma
rketplace. It would also have drawn both men to tears.
Donovan quickly found himself in service at the new castle at Dromaneen, working for the O’Callaghans. As well as being assigned the usual hard and dirty tasks, befitting a servant and slave, his skills as a gunner and armourer were also put to use, cleaning and maintaining Cahir’s weapons. In the case of an attack, then Donovan would be expected to fight for the whole clan as well as immediate family. This responsibility, he accepted without question.
Duald in Carn
From the sale of Donovan, Duald had more than enough money to buy an ox for transportation and wasted little time in preparing to leave Cork. He set off the next morning and rode the ox slowly north towards county Mayo. The oxen would provide his transport, requiring only pasture and water on the way. At the end of the journey, it would be sold for meat. The oxen cost less than a horse but would take much longer to complete the journey. This involved the lowest outlay, whilst guaranteeing payback when the animal was sold. Horses were also generally more willing to please and would move faster but the price was higher. Trade in meat was never far away.
After four days, Duald reached Shannon, where he rested. He allowed the ox to graze and rest on common land before resuming the journey. He slept rough near to the beast for fear of attacks by wolves (a slight over-reaction as wolves were almost extinct in these parts) and then “made-ready” to continue to Mayo.
During the night, the ox had become comfortable and was now reluctant to continue with the tiring walk. Despite encouragement, it declined all invitation to move forward, refusing to take one step further. After several hours, making very little progress, Duald finally accepted that the ox was not going to cooperate. Unfortunately for the ox, the decision to refuse movement had been a bad one. Duald was forced to barter the ox for meat. He used more of his money to acquire an old horse for the remainder of the journey. The horse was an improvement on the ox, but the outlay further reduced the profits from the sale of Donovan. Duald was a cautious man and resolved to spend as little as possible on his transport until his future in Tyrawley was clear. The horse was appeared in some discomfort. Duald had acquired much knowledge about animals from Donovan and believed that the bad treatment of animals would either lead to poor service or poor meat. For several hours of the day, he walked at the side of the horse rather than maintain the full burden.
The Welshmen of Tyrawley Page 30