People and Stories

Aindrias Ó Baoighill was born at Maol na Mine Beag near Glenties. In 1905 he became a Conradh na Gaeilge travelling teacher, and he taught Irish in Fanad, Carndonagh and Glenfinn. In the 1920s he became registrar of births, marriages and deaths at Stranorlar.^27,28

He wrote Sgéilíní na Finne, An Dílidhe and An tAiridheach, and translated Lorna Doone, Silas Marner and An Úir Dhubh into Irish. From 1949 until his death he wrote a monthly column of Tír Chonaill news in An tUltach under the pen name “Fiach Fánach”.^27,28

The sources disagree on several points: whether he was a native speaker, his mother’s home place, and the date of An Dílidhe (1930 or 1932).

ainm.ie counts Micí Sheáin Néill among the greatest storytellers of Rann na Feirste in the second half of the twentieth century. His father and grandfather were storytellers before him. At sixteen he went to Scotland to work with his father.²⁹

From 1954 the Irish Folklore Commission collector Seán Ó hEochaidh wrote down more than a thousand pages from him. His niece Bidí Ní Bhaoill (c.1928–1991) and her daughter both won Oireachtas storytelling prizes.^29,30

Domhnall Ó Baoighill was recorded for the Royal Irish Academy’s Doegen scheme telling the tale “Feardhomhain”. On his form he said he lived at An Chlasaidh until 18, went to Scotland for the season until 24, was in America until 29, and then went to London each season for nine years before settling at home.⁶

Irish was his mother tongue. Énrí Ó Muirgheasa and Edmund Curtis printed stories they took from him. Three of his seven sons emigrated to Philadelphia between 1923 and 1925.^6,32

He was 68 when recorded but 77 at his death in 1941, so his birth year is uncertain.

Listen to the recording (doegen.ie)

Pádraig Ó Baoighill sang five songs for the Doegen scheme, among them “An draighneán donn”. He was born at Loughanure. According to his form he went to Scotland each season from the age of 16, and spent from 21 to 32 in America before settling at Leitir Catha as a farmer.^7,33

His parentage is Ó Duibhín’s inference (“seems likely”), and his age at death is given as 67 or 71.

Listen to the recordings (doegen.ie)

Niall Ó Baoighill was appointed Bishop of Raphoe in 1591. The Annals of the Four Masters name him in 1597 as one of the two bishops then in the country. He died at Gleann Eidhnighe on 6 February 1611 and was buried at Inishkeel.^26,4

Donagh Mooney’s history of the Franciscans calls him the last bishop of Raphoe. In the Irish text of the Annals his surname is spelt “Ó Buidhill”.^5,4

Show on the map

The Annals of the Four Masters name chiefs of the name again and again: the Cammhuinealach (“wry-necked”) Ó Baoighill, “head Chieftain of the Three Tuathas”, killed in 1247; Maol Ruanaidh, Chief of the Three Tuathas, killed in 1281; and Aindiles, “chief of Tir-Ainmirech”, killed in 1343.²

Turlough Roe Ó Baoighill died at his own fortress in 1591 and was buried at Donegal “in the burial-place of his ancestors”. In 1607, months before the Flight of the Earls, Tadhg Óg Ó Baoighill died at Druim Arc “near Baile-Ui-Bhaoighill”.⁴

Show on the map