Inhabited anciently by the Vennicnii and the Rhobogdii according to Ptolemy, and later formed the northern part of Eircael (or Eargal) which extended into Co. Fermanagh. O'Cannnon (O'Canannain) were kings of Cenél Conaill here until the O'Donnells broke their power in the 13th century.

Septs of Inishowen

The Inishowen Peninsula of Co. Donegal was originally part of the Kingdom of Tirowen (Tyrone) and ruled by Cenél Eoghain septs (descendants of Eoghain, or Owen, a son of Nial 'of the Nine Hostages.' It was divided into three smaller kingdoms, Aileach, Carraig Brachaidhe and An Bhreadach. The O Duibhiorma sept, whose name was commonly misanglicised to "MacDermott," were Kings of An Bhreadach. The O Maolfabhails (MacFall) were Kings of Carraig Brachaidhe (related septs were the O Bruadairs, the O Coinnes and the O hOgains of Telach oge).

Towering in importance over these two smaller kingdoms was the Kingdom of Aileach, held by the descendants of Nial Glundubh, the MacLochlainns and the Ua Neills, who ruled the North of Ireland. To the South of the Inishowen Peninsula lay the Kingdoms of Tir Eanna and Mag Itha, also held by septs of the Cenél Eoghain. The rest of present-day Donegal was held by various septs of the Cenél Chonaill, including the O'Donnells, Lords of Tirconnell, the O'Boyles, O'Gallaghers, O'Doughertys and the branches of the MacSweeneys.

By 1241 A.D., the Ó Neills had achieved the leadership of the Cenél Eoghainn, having defeated the MacLochlainns in the Battle of Caim Eirge of that year. In the late 13th century, the Normans occupied the Inishowen Peninsula and had completed their fortress at Greencastle by 1305. In 1333, they suddenly withdrew from Inishowen, leaving a political vacuum in the area, which was soon filled by the O'Dougherties (formerly Lords of Ard Miodhar) as sublords to the O'Donnell kings of Tirconnell, who are first named lords of Inishowen in the Annals of Ulster in 1342. The Peninsula was thereafter divided into two regions, Sliocht Brian and Sliocht Donnell, named after different branches of the O'Dougherty sept.

The O'Donnells were descended from Conall Golban, and hence the territory attained the name Tyr Connell. The name of the county is derived from 'Dun na nGall' meaning fort of the foreigner because Donegal town was a Viking stronghold in the 9th century. Between the 9th and the 13th century Inishowen was divided into three sectors, Aileach, Bredach and Carraic Brachaidhe (Carraickabraghy) which is situated in the west of Inishowen. Extending from Raphoe, the O'Dohertys were lords of Inishowen peninsula. O'Dooyiorma (O'Dermond) is cited as a chief of Brenach in the parish of Moville. O'Donnelly is cited anciently as a chief in Inishowen. O'Mulhall (Mulfaal) and O'Hogain are cited as chiefs of Carrichbrack (Carrickbraghy) in this barony, in the territory of Tir Eogain. O'Shiel and McDever septs are noted here... Extending from Raphoe, the O'Dohertys were lords of Inishowen peninsula. The McDevitts are offshoots of this family. Mac Duvaney were cited as chiefs of Cinel Enda (Nenna) within Inishowen. O'Harkans were cited as erenaghs of Clonca (Clonska). The O'Duibhdiorma (Dermond, Dermott,...) sept were chiefs of Breadach in Inishowen cited between the 11th and 15th centuries.

A sept in Co. Leitrim closely related to the O'Rourkes, Lords of Breffny, also assumed the suname MacLochlainn from an ancestor named Lochlan. This sept appears in the State Papers of 1591 as one of the chief fighting forces of the O'Rourke chieftains who "shared the lands of Ylaugh and Cleanlough in Co. Leitrim as their inheritance" with the MacMorrices and the MacTiernans of Clann Tiernan. Names of the five baronies in O'Rourke's country, viz., in Mynterolles, two baronies called Leitrim and Moyghell.

The M'Grannells enjoyed these two baronies as their proper lands, until the late O'Rourke's father supplanted them by strong ahdn, and since that time they have lived under the spending and tyranny of O'Rourke. A third barony is called Carryg Allen and is occupied by a sept of the O'Rourkes, called the O'Rourkes of Carryg Allen. All these three baronies lie on this side the mountain Sleighoneron, which divideth the whole country as it were into two parts, the lands and grounds thereof are fruitful, though some bog and woods. The chief freeholders in the country of O'Rourke are the two MacGrannells, in Mynterooles, McGlannough, in the Dartry, the O'Rourkes of Carryg Allen, the O'Rourkes of the Carrhy, and the MacGawrains. The chief ordinary forces and strength of men to serve O'Rourke in his wars are, the McLoughlins, the McMorrices, and the Clantyernene. These had sixteen quarters of land amoungst them as their inheritance, called Ylaugh, and the lands of Cleanlough.

Four of the name appear in the 1609 pardon lists of King James I along with the O'Rourke chieftains. Two of the name received grants of land at about the same date in the Barony of Drumaheir in Leitrim County. The sept appears to have been fairly numerous: in the Census of 1659 the combined returns for the Baronies of Drumheir and Roscloger record the names of 32 MacLoughlin families.

From 1241 on the McLaughlins are mentioned only occasionally in the Annals and were to be found fighting the battles of the north of Ireland under the leadership of the O'Donnells and the O'Doghertys of Cenél Chonaill rather than with the Ulster Cinel Eoghainn. In 1603 the McLaughlins appear in a list of pacificated septs in a grant to Rory O'Donnell and in 1608 are described in the State Papers as being under the protection of Sir Neale Garve O'Donnell and his men.

An entry in the State Papers, 1601, describes the McLaughlins as one of several military counselors to O Doherty, "Lords of of senior noble blood" and "greater in power and wealth than many of the others." The townland named for Owen gorme McLaughlin is an extract from 'Inquisitionum in Officio Rotulorum Cancellariae Hiberniae Asservatarum Repertorium' (volume I Donegal AD (1621 11-Jac I)which is probably the source for all of these sources. It is a record of inquisitions of the Court of Chancery of Ireland in the public records and was compiled and printed in the 1840s.

In 1601 two McLaughlin chieftains are listed in the State Papers as dwelling in small castles on the shore of Lough Foyle in Moville Parish in the Inishowen peninsula. Hugh Carrogh MacLaughlyn, described as the "chief of his sept," appears at Caire MacEwlyn (later known as Redcastle). Brian Oge MacLaughlyn is listed a few miles away in Garnagall Castle (later known as Whitecastle). Both small castles were forfeited to the English crown a few years later and were granted to Sir Arthur Chichester as part of a grant which included most of the Inishowen peninsula. Chichester leased them to George Carey and both were in ruins by the middle of the 17th century. In another document of the same yeare Brian oge (of Garnagall castle) is described as the chief of sept, but was temporarily replaced as chief by Owen gorme, brother of Hugh Carrogh, for having fled with the "false O Doherty" (Felim oge). Either Hugh carrogh or Brian oge was the last named McLaughlin chief of sept. Brian oge was probably the last McLaughlin chief of sept. His son Domnall MacBrian oge is the only McLaughlin to retain a freehold in Inishowen under Chichester; and in 1702 an Anna McLaughlin, the daughter of Captain Darby McLaughlin, 1st Lieutenant, Earl of Antrim's Regiment (fought at Limerick and Aughrim) received a grant of nobility and arms from James Terry, the Athlone Herald to James II and his descendents in exile in France.

The McLaughlins formed a large part of the standing army of Sir Cahir O'Dogherty and appear prominently in a pardon list said to have been prepared by local herenagh families in 1602. In 1608 they participated in the brief uprising of Sir Cahir O'Dogherty and were heavily represented in the pardon lists of King James I in 1609.

In 1608 the Plantation of Ulster was begun by the English with the stated intention of removing the native Irish from their lands and replacing them with Scottish and English settlers safely loyal to the English crown. All of the native Irish families of standing were driven out of the more fertile areas of the southern parts of the Inishowen peninsula at this date. Most of the displaced landholding chieftains migrated into the north of the Inishowen peninsula, which was as yet sparsely settled by the English and where the ancient Gaelic order still prevailed. Other Inishowen families are said to have migrated to the Province of Connacht (Mayo) in the west of Ireland at about this time. At the time of the Inquistion in 1609, the O'Doghertys and the McLaughlins were the principle landholders in the Inishowen peninsula. The following names appear in a list of native Irish holding lands under Chichester in 1622:

Felim O Dougherty, John McDwalto McLaughlin, Hugh Carron McOwen McLaughlin, Owen McShane Cugh McLaughlin, Owen Gorme McLaughlin, Donnell McBrian Oge McLaughlin, Nigell Oge McPhelim brosts O Dogherty, Richard O Dougherty, and Hugh McShane Ballagh O Dogherty.

Neither the O'Doghertys nor the McLaughlins received grants of land under the plantation scheme in Kilmacrenan Barony, which was reserved for Scottish Servitors and the native Irish chieftains, although both Donnell McBrian Oge McLaughlin and Richard Oge O Dougherty retained small freeholds in the Inishowen peninsula until they were confiscated in the aftermath of the Irish rebellion of 1641. Several McLaughlins appear in the Census of 1659 as "tituladoes" or the most important person in the district, including Brian Og McGlaghlin, gent., in the townland of Meaneletterbaile and Donnell McGlaghlin, gent., in the townland of Masagleen, both of Moville Parish. Edmund Moder McLaughlin and his son, Hugh, gent., appear in the townland of Tully One Trien in Clonca Parish and Donnell Ballagh McGlaghlin, gent., appears in the townland of Menedaragh, also in Clonca Parish.

The Annals of the Four Masters, thought to have been written by Cu Choigcriche O Cleirigh, one of the Four Masters, head of the Tirconnell sept of the O'Clerys (O'Donovan); held the lands of Coobeg and Doughill in the barony of Boylagh and Banagh, Co. Donegal, from 1631 to 1632, at which date he was dispossessed of his lands and removed, with other Tirconnell families, to Ballcroy, Erris barony, Co. Mayo, under the guidance of Rory O'Donnell, son of Col. Manus O'Donnell, slain at Benburb, 1646. Carried with him his books, his most treasured possession, and later bequeathed them to his sons, Diarmait and Sean. Cu Choigcriche's son Diarmait had a son Cairbre, who removed to the parish of Drung, Co. Cavan, and was the father of Cosnahach (1693-1759). His only son Patrick O'Clery had six sons, one of whom, John O'Clery, removed to Dublin in 1817 bringing with him the Leabhar Gabhala, the Book of Genealogies, the Life of Hugh Roe O'Donnell and the Topographical Poems of O'Dugan and O'Heerin, all in the handwriting of his ancestor, Cu Choigcriche.