The Flight of the Earls: Gaelic Ireland's Last Chapter

In 1607, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, fled Ireland for mainland Europe, taking with them the last hope of independent Gaelic lordship. This episode traces the events that led to their departure—the crumbling Treaty of Mellifont, the erosion of their authority under Lord Deputy Chichester, and the relentless pressure of English law and plantation. We follow their journey from Rathmullan to the Spanish Netherlands, Rome, and eventual exile. Along the way, we explore what the Flight meant for the ordinary Gaelic Irish who stayed behind, and how this single act of departure paved the way for the Ulster Plantation. Drawing on contemporary accounts like Tadhg Ó Cianáin's narrative, we separate legend from historical fact. A story of loss, survival, and the end of a world. #FlightOfTheEarls #HughONeill #RoryODonnell #Tyrone #Tyrconnell #UlsterPlantation #GaelicIreland #Rathmullan #TreatyOfMellifont #LordDeputyChichester #SpanishNetherlands #Rome #TadhgOCianain #IrishExile #17thCentury #IrishHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo