O'Hingurdil in the Spanish Court?

What happened to the O'Hingurdils after they arrived at the end of their dramatic
 14 day march north with O'Sullivan in December 1602?

Further research by MH, a Hingerty researcher in the USA, has uncovered the next chapter of the story.

(To read the full article go to: O'Sullivan Beare in Spain: Some Unpublished Documents by M K Walsh )

From Ireland to Spain

When the Nine Years' War came to an end in 1603, many Irish lords were pardoned and re-instated by King James. However, Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare was refused a pardon. His estates were confiscated, he was refused freedom of movement and lived in constant fear of imprisonment and death. O'Sullivan and his followers were forced to remain hidden in the mountains. 

In 1604 O'Sullivan and "18 Irish gentlemen" made their escape from Ireland by sea. They landed in France and spent a short time in Bordeaux and then moved on to La Caruna and sought the protection of the Count of Caracena, the Governor of Galicia in Spain in October 1604.

The Count and O'Sullivan were already well acquainted. In 1602 O'Sullivan had sent his eldest son, aged five, to the care and protection of the Count. The Count housed and covered the expenses of O'Sullivan and the Irish gentlemen and he petitioned the King Philip III of Spain on their behalf.

King Philip III of Spain

In November 1604, O'Sullivan was advised to stay at Caruna, to await the King's summons and to put forward his case in writing for the King's consideration.

In January 1605, O'Sullivan and the Count put forward a full report of the worthiness of O'Sullivan and his companions with an application for grants and pensions since they had lost everything fighting for the Catholic King of Spain against the English forces. Their greatest wish was to return to Ireland to a pardon from the English King and to have their lands and possessions returned. They sought the support of the King of Spain to achieve this.

In the report the third gentleman to be listed is "O'Hingurdil"

Is he the man reported on page 169 of "Ireland Under Elizabeth" as cutting off the hand of an assailant, or is that man the next in the list, namely:

At the end of the report the 'other gentleman' are listed:

Unfortunately for O'Sullvan and his companions, the King of Spain had very recently signed a treaty with the King of England. The King and his Council were unwilling to do anything to give offence to the King of England.....

In February 1605 , the Council of State to Philip III wrote of their decision. While acknowledging their bravery and losses, pensions were not allocated. Instead, the Count was given additional funds to continue to support the Irishmen at Caruna- "giving them what is necessary for their subsistence and what is appropriate to the rank and merits of each one, ensuring that the amounts be kept as moderate as possible." 

Eventually, O'Sullivan was given access to the Court, his monetary allocation was increased and two of his sons became pages to the King and were Knighted. He was assassinated in July 1618 in Madrid by a double agent as he was preparing to return to Ireland to lead an uprising

But what of the O'Hingurdils?

A royal order of 25 August 1607 specifies that 'Dionisio Ohingerdel's' salary of 18 crowns was to be paid from the funds of the army of Galicia with which he was serving and describes him as 'thirty years of age, of good build, brown beard, with a scar close to the left eye'. 

What happened to Dionisio? Did he or the other two O'Hingurdil men ever return to Ireland? 

Are there O'Hingurdil descendants to be found in Spain?  What happened to their families?

Who was left in Ireland to become the Hingertys of Tipperary?

As always- more research required........

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