Skull and bones found in the hunt for Red Hugh
THE hunt for the remains of Red Hugh O’Donnell is believed to be over after archaeologists found a skull and bones in the exact chamber identified as his burial site.
The Irish rebel hero’s dying wish in September 1602 was to be buried in the Chapel of Wonders at a Franciscan monastery in Valladolid in northwest Spain.
Yesterday, after a week-long excavation in Constitution Street in Valladolid, believed to be the chapel site, archaeologists revealed they have uncovered two coffins and at least one set of remains.
It is believed one coffin could be the original which held the remains of explorer Christopher Columbus, who died in Valladolid but whose body was later exhumed and reinterred in Seville Cathedral.
The Mayor of Valladolid, Óscar Puente, yesterday tweeted a photograph showing the excavated site with a human skull and bones.
He wrote: “In the Chapel of Wonders, in the exact place where Red Hugh O’Donnell is believed to have been buried as well as Christopher Columbus, some remains and two coffins have appeared.”
Historian Hiram Morgan, of University College Cork, said the discovery was fascinating and added that O’Donnell’s remains should be easily identifiable – as he had no big toes.
O’Donnell, one of the masterminds of the Nine Years’ War against the English from 1593 to 1603, lost them to frostbite while hiding in the Wicklow mountains after a daring escape from Dublin Castle.
Dr Morgan also said that if the remains turned out to be those of O’Donnell, it could bring answers to the mystery surrounding his death or possible murder.
“Nothing is certain until they do DNA, but his lack of big toes could certainly point the way,” he said.
“Also, if they identify his bones, then they could do tests to discover why he might have died. What disease he had or whether he was poisoned or had a parasite.
“That would lay all that to rest. It’s fascinating, and it would be brilliant if it turns out to be him.”
Along with his father-inlaw Hugh O’Neill, the Earl of Tyrone, Red Hugh led arguably one of Ireland’s most successful rebellions against the English. But he died in Spain aged 29 while trying to secure a second wave of support from the Spanish.
It is believed he contracted an infection, although it has been claimed he was poisoned by British spy James Blake, a merchant sailor from Galway.
Blake claimed that he had assassinated Red Hugh on behalf of the Governor of Munster, George Carew.
But Dr Morgan said it was considered Blake claimed this just to “get some kind of benefit from Red Hugh’s death”.
“He claimed he poisoned him, but there is no proof of that really,” he said.