Battle of Binnion Hill

The Battle of Binnion Hill was fought in 1557 when John O’Neill, the Grandson of Con O’Neill assembled an army to attack Tirconnell, modern day County Donegal. O’Neill’s plan was to defeat Manus O'Donnell from the Kinel-Connell and thus be the only King in Ulster.
O’Neill’s army consisted of people from Oriel, modern day Counties Armagh, Louth and Monaghan and from Dundalk, County Louth. Also, part of O’Neill’s army was Hugh O’Donnell and his followers. They marched from their stronghold in Tyrone until they reached Carraig Laith . O’Neill set up his camp here which lies between the River Mourne and River Finn. Carraig Laith is close to where the two rivers meet to create the River Foyle. The Kinel-Connell was in turmoil at this time as Calvagh O'Donnell had his father locked up for two years so that he himself could be ruler of the O’Donnell’s and O’Donnell lands. Calvagh, unsure of what to do in the event of an attack from the O’Neill’s consulted with his father who advised not to attack the O’Neill’s but to wait until they crossed the river and then to attack their camp at Carraig Laith. Calvagh who had sent his cattle into the wilds of Tirconnell to protect them from the O’Neill’s, but on hearing this John O’Neill declared that even if they got passed his army with their animals he would follow them until they submitted to his authority. O’Neill and his army left their camp in Tyrone, crossing the River Finn and marched towards Raphoe then along the Laggan to a place called Baile-aighidh-chaoin, where they set up a new camp. This is now known as Balleeghan townland, close to the banks of Lough Swilly in Raymoghy Parish. Calvagh who was at a meeting on the summit of Bennin . . Others with Calvagh were his son Con and Walter McSweeney, who had brought two companies of gallowglasses of the McSweeney’s of Fanad, also there was Donnell Gorm McSweeney and his followers who were the descendants of Donnell.

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