Red Hugh O'Donnell, Son of the Earl of Tyrconnell Makes a Dramatic Escape From the Record Tower

On January 6, 1592, Red Hugh O’Donnell, son of the Earl of Tyrconnell, made a dramatic escape from the Record Tower of Dublin Castle, where he had been held prisoner by the English since 1587. - O’Donnell had been kidnapped as a teenager in a calculated move by the English authorities to weaken the powerful Gaelic lords of Ulster. - His imprisonment was designed to undermine the O’Donnell clan and ensure the loyalty of his father to the English Crown. - After nearly five years in captivity, he managed to escape during a snowstorm with the help of allies, including Hugh Roe MacMahon and Art O’Neill (who died from exposure during the escape). - Red Hugh, though severely frostbitten and having lost several toes, made his way back to Donegal, where he was hailed as a hero and soon took up leadership of the clan.

This event marked the beginning of Red Hugh’s active resistance against English rule, eventually leading to his role as one of the principal leaders in the Nine Years’ War (1594–1603), alongside Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone.