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Red Hugh: Prince of Donegal
In 1587, teenaged Hugh Roe O'Donnell, son of the rulers of Donegal, is seized by the English and imprisoned in Dublin Castle for three years before escaping to join in the struggle to rid Ireland of English rule.
202 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
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362 people want to read
About the author
Robert T. Reilly
17 books3 followers Robert (Bob) T. Reilly was born in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1923. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army and saw service as a First lieutenant with the 78th Division in Europe. He was a POW for six months, and received numerous decorations. After the war Reilly completed his Ph.D. at Boston University.
Reilly's Irish interests involve the American Committee for Irish studies and the Irish American Cultural Institute, where he held a national directorship. Reilly has lived in Ireland and has also led tours there since 1966.
It was when he was teaching Irish Literature at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, that he had the inspiration to write Red Hugh. "I did it as a bet with myself that I could write a book," he recalls. His first attempt at the story of Hugh O'Donnell was rejected by a publisher, so he tossed the manuscript out and started over. This time the tale was successful and became the first of several historical fiction books the author has written.
Having married Jean McKenzie of Omaha, Nebraska after World War II, Reilly and his wife had ten children and many grandchildren. Robert Reilly died in 2004.
Reilly's Irish interests involve the American Committee for Irish studies and the Irish American Cultural Institute, where he held a national directorship. Reilly has lived in Ireland and has also led tours there since 1966.
It was when he was teaching Irish Literature at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, that he had the inspiration to write Red Hugh. "I did it as a bet with myself that I could write a book," he recalls. His first attempt at the story of Hugh O'Donnell was rejected by a publisher, so he tossed the manuscript out and started over. This time the tale was successful and became the first of several historical fiction books the author has written.
Having married Jean McKenzie of Omaha, Nebraska after World War II, Reilly and his wife had ten children and many grandchildren. Robert Reilly died in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 9, 2017
It's been a few years since I read this, and so my memory is a little vague on some points. I actually got this from the library, because I watched Disney's version of it. (it kept pretty close to the book:) )
Young Hugh is tricked on board his enemy's ship and held captive for three years with other Irish prisoner's, by the English. After finally making his escape, he uses his knowledge of English battle techniques and habits, acquired from his years of study in prison, to defeat the enemy and regain his castle once again.
I really need to read it again; I liked the Irish history in it, even though I thought the ending a trifle harsh and.. decidedly Irish. :) Since I am, I can say it. ;) (I also remember it being sadder than the Disney, but then 99% of Disney movies end happier than the books-Bambi and Bami's Children for example.) But I think that it's just the Irish way of telling a story, just as each nation has it's different style, and such.
Young Hugh is tricked on board his enemy's ship and held captive for three years with other Irish prisoner's, by the English. After finally making his escape, he uses his knowledge of English battle techniques and habits, acquired from his years of study in prison, to defeat the enemy and regain his castle once again.
I really need to read it again; I liked the Irish history in it, even though I thought the ending a trifle harsh and.. decidedly Irish. :) Since I am, I can say it. ;) (I also remember it being sadder than the Disney, but then 99% of Disney movies end happier than the books-Bambi and Bami's Children for example.) But I think that it's just the Irish way of telling a story, just as each nation has it's different style, and such.
April 27, 2020
Just as good as when my Mom read it to me years ago. A beautifully-written, old-fashioned, heroic adventure about overcoming impossible odds. Highly recommended.
August 30, 2017
I read this aloud to my 9-year-old son after a trip to Dublin Castle sparked my interest in this historical character. We both enjoyed the book immensely. Danger, escape, siege, sword fights -- everything a 9-year-old boy (and his aging mother) would want in a book. If I had read it on my own, I might have given it 4 stars, simply because I would have liked more (it's for a younger audience), but he gave it a solid 5 stars, and I loved reading it with him.
August 3, 2012
Thoughts on the Overall Book: I enjoyed it a lot. It was a quick read and very engaging. Of course, the real story of Red Hugh (which from what I know about it, seemed to be portrayed pretty accurately in this novel) is amazing in itself and makes for the perfect YA adventure novel. This has been a book I have wanted to read for a while now and I was not disappointed with it.
Characters: I think the author does a good job portraying Hugh. He is an identifiable young character, and again, from what I have read in the history books, he seemed pretty much in character. I also liked the supporting characters, Martin the bard, and McSweeny who is Hugh's foster father were some of my favorites. I really liked Leeds as a villain as well. He was detestable enough and made a good match against Hugh's character.
Problems/What bothered me: I didn't really have any problems with this book. I think that the author could have expanded some things, but it is not bad as it is. It just seemed that some parts skipped around too much. It's not confusing, it just seemed like hurrying a bit, but this probably wouldn't bother everyone who read it.
Conclusion: 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was a well written fictionalized version of Red Hugh's story. Not as good as Rosemary Sutcliff's historical novels, but still good.
Recommended Audience: I'd say anyone ages 12 and older would enjoy this book, but there was nothing kids younger than that couldn't read in it either. it can appeal to both girls and boys, though probably more boys since Hugh is a male protagonist.
Characters: I think the author does a good job portraying Hugh. He is an identifiable young character, and again, from what I have read in the history books, he seemed pretty much in character. I also liked the supporting characters, Martin the bard, and McSweeny who is Hugh's foster father were some of my favorites. I really liked Leeds as a villain as well. He was detestable enough and made a good match against Hugh's character.
Problems/What bothered me: I didn't really have any problems with this book. I think that the author could have expanded some things, but it is not bad as it is. It just seemed that some parts skipped around too much. It's not confusing, it just seemed like hurrying a bit, but this probably wouldn't bother everyone who read it.
Conclusion: 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was a well written fictionalized version of Red Hugh's story. Not as good as Rosemary Sutcliff's historical novels, but still good.
Recommended Audience: I'd say anyone ages 12 and older would enjoy this book, but there was nothing kids younger than that couldn't read in it either. it can appeal to both girls and boys, though probably more boys since Hugh is a male protagonist.
February 13, 2014
Takes Place: 16th Century Ireland
Reading Level: 4th-6th Grade
Content Level:3rd-5th
Swearing: None
Violence: Sword fights, battles, while in prison some captives are beaten
Sexual Content: 1 kiss
The threat of an invasion from Elizabeth I's soldiers looms over Donegal as young Hugh O'Donnell must assume the crown from his invalid Father. Their plans are thwarted when the English take Hugh captive and imprison him. Without Hugh, Donegal and the rest of Northern Ireland will fall. Somehow Hugh must find a way to escape and regain power in order to free Ireland from English hands.
Reading Level: 4th-6th Grade
Content Level:3rd-5th
Swearing: None
Violence: Sword fights, battles, while in prison some captives are beaten
Sexual Content: 1 kiss
The threat of an invasion from Elizabeth I's soldiers looms over Donegal as young Hugh O'Donnell must assume the crown from his invalid Father. Their plans are thwarted when the English take Hugh captive and imprison him. Without Hugh, Donegal and the rest of Northern Ireland will fall. Somehow Hugh must find a way to escape and regain power in order to free Ireland from English hands.
April 27, 2010
I haven't read this book but it was written by my favorite college professor, Bob Reilly. He was an incredible man who did so much good for so many people. He died a few years ago but I still think of his classes, his lively humor, and his colorful stories. It was an honor to be one of his students.
November 7, 2022
Here's a great historical-fiction to begin before St. Patrick's Day!
Hugh is a prince of Ireland. But ascension to the throne will not be an easy one if Elizabeth, Queen of England, has anything to do with it.
When Hugh agrees to visit the fair with his almost-betrothed, he's in for more than he bargained for. Not only will it be an adventure of a life time, but an adventure just to stay alive!
Based on true events, this book couples great story-telling with noble characters, making for a nice choice for your next family read-aloud. And if you and your family like G. A. Henty books, than you're in for a treat!
Cleanliness: nothing really to note.
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Hugh is a prince of Ireland. But ascension to the throne will not be an easy one if Elizabeth, Queen of England, has anything to do with it.
When Hugh agrees to visit the fair with his almost-betrothed, he's in for more than he bargained for. Not only will it be an adventure of a life time, but an adventure just to stay alive!
Based on true events, this book couples great story-telling with noble characters, making for a nice choice for your next family read-aloud. And if you and your family like G. A. Henty books, than you're in for a treat!
Cleanliness: nothing really to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
August 4, 2017
Robert T. Reilly's first novel, Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal, features some charming scenes and fine uses of language. Its pacing, though, detracts. Its action scenes lack punch. The storytelling didn't match the potential of the story.
A map appears at the front of the book. It would have behooved me to have referenced it frequently. Much of the story takes place in the woods, wilds, and villages of Ireland, and much of the time I had no idea where the characters were nor of the significance of their locations.
While I enjoyed reading the novel, I was glad when I finished.
A map appears at the front of the book. It would have behooved me to have referenced it frequently. Much of the story takes place in the woods, wilds, and villages of Ireland, and much of the time I had no idea where the characters were nor of the significance of their locations.
While I enjoyed reading the novel, I was glad when I finished.
May 28, 2025
Young listeners loved this action-packed story, full of cliffhanging chapter endings and with satisfying comeuppance and reward at the end. Unfortunately, our history studies never addressed these events (the Nine Years War) - we were distracted by the Spanish Armada in our Anglo-centric texts - but it was good to get another alternative view of "Good Queen Bess" (we already knew about her anti-Catholicism from books like Crossbows and Crucifixes: A Novel of the Priest Hunters and the Brave Young Men Who Fought Them).
Subsequent curious inquiry reveals some odd inconsistencies. In the book, Hugh is betrothed to Kathleen, daughter of MacSweeney (his one-time foster father) and we are led to believe that they marry soon after the book's story ends. However, history seems to say that although Hugh was fostered by MacSweeney, he was betrothed to Siobhán, daughter of O'Neill, a different leader entirely (we meet him and some of his family in the book, but no daughter). And apparently there was a parting of the ways between the MacSweeney and O'Donnell clans, with the former defecting to the English side. So I guess the book's version is a (rather significant) simplification of things.
Get out your best brogue if you want to read aloud. It's not as Oirish as some lighter things, but needs gravitas and several different voices for the various characters.
Chapter head illustrations are just average. Unfortunately, none of the significant buildings are depicted. A map would have been welcome, and there are several new words that could have formed a glossary. For example, "kern" and "gallowglass" as well as "shanachie," "currach," "bawn," and "brehon." Most, but not all, are quickly explained in the body of the text - at best just on the first encounter. Listeners also need some explaining of the hammer throw. We had some limited knowledge of Cuchullain, but probably not enough to understand the allusions.
Subsequent curious inquiry reveals some odd inconsistencies. In the book, Hugh is betrothed to Kathleen, daughter of MacSweeney (his one-time foster father) and we are led to believe that they marry soon after the book's story ends. However, history seems to say that although Hugh was fostered by MacSweeney, he was betrothed to Siobhán, daughter of O'Neill, a different leader entirely (we meet him and some of his family in the book, but no daughter). And apparently there was a parting of the ways between the MacSweeney and O'Donnell clans, with the former defecting to the English side. So I guess the book's version is a (rather significant) simplification of things.
Get out your best brogue if you want to read aloud. It's not as Oirish as some lighter things, but needs gravitas and several different voices for the various characters.
Chapter head illustrations are just average. Unfortunately, none of the significant buildings are depicted. A map would have been welcome, and there are several new words that could have formed a glossary. For example, "kern" and "gallowglass" as well as "shanachie," "currach," "bawn," and "brehon." Most, but not all, are quickly explained in the body of the text - at best just on the first encounter. Listeners also need some explaining of the hammer throw. We had some limited knowledge of Cuchullain, but probably not enough to understand the allusions.
March 22, 2010
Another random selection from AMR's shelves on the island. well, not completely random -- i'm pretty certain that my dad used to own this book, and i'm just as certain that it's probably been gotten rid of in the great book purge of 2003. so this seemed likely to be my last chance to read it.
i guess it's a kids book (that seems more obvious from the cover you can see on the link above than the 1966 cover i was holding) -- it's a pretty straightforward adventure story about an Irish prince back in 1580 or so who gets captured by the English and has to escape to help his people resist the forthcoming attack. There's true love, and battling the harsh winter storms, and a showdown with the arch-villain to cap it all off. It's based on true events apparently, and if you're ignorant of your Irish history, the intro leaves no doubt that this particular story has a happy ending -- well, as long as you're on the side of the Irish, and why wouldn't you be? ;-) I probably won't be running around recommending this to people [no, it's not a classic, unless you're really into Irish folktales/histories:], but it was just what i was hoping it would be and thus gets a thumbs up from me.
i guess it's a kids book (that seems more obvious from the cover you can see on the link above than the 1966 cover i was holding) -- it's a pretty straightforward adventure story about an Irish prince back in 1580 or so who gets captured by the English and has to escape to help his people resist the forthcoming attack. There's true love, and battling the harsh winter storms, and a showdown with the arch-villain to cap it all off. It's based on true events apparently, and if you're ignorant of your Irish history, the intro leaves no doubt that this particular story has a happy ending -- well, as long as you're on the side of the Irish, and why wouldn't you be? ;-) I probably won't be running around recommending this to people [no, it's not a classic, unless you're really into Irish folktales/histories:], but it was just what i was hoping it would be and thus gets a thumbs up from me.
August 16, 2021
My first review of this book (stars only, no text) is elevated from 2 to 3 stars. The reason is that it is not as bad as 2, but really not good enough to read unless one really wants a beginners look at this figure who is barely visible in history but should probably have a little more recognition. The books is advertised both as YA (young adult) and also as for age groups 7-14. Both of these are appropriate. Reading as an adult it can viewed as an introduction to the historical figure of Prince Red Hugh O’Donnell. For the young reader there is capture and escape from prison, sword fighting, defying the powers that be, young love, and the young generation taking over from the older generation. However the descriptive writing is fairly clumsy, if sufficient to describe what is going on and around the character. The main character is well described, but all the other characters are rather flat. It is useful for a basic description of what happened in that time and place though probably somewhat embellished. I took extensive notes so I can say that I think it's a good source.
June 4, 2010
The Fighting Prince of Donegal (or Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal) follows the teen years of Hugh O'Donnell: his imprisonment in Dublin by the English and his escape from prison.
This was a so-so book. It was interesting, and I'd love to do more reading about Hugh O'Donnell and the O'Neills now. But parts were just a little too far-fetched. Wandering around for days in the snow with no food and no protective clothing, not being able to feel your limbs for about two days of that, and only losing a toe? And this with primitive medicine? Yeah . . . .
This was a so-so book. It was interesting, and I'd love to do more reading about Hugh O'Donnell and the O'Neills now. But parts were just a little too far-fetched. Wandering around for days in the snow with no food and no protective clothing, not being able to feel your limbs for about two days of that, and only losing a toe? And this with primitive medicine? Yeah . . . .
January 12, 2010
I really enjoyed reading this and learning about the courage of Hugh O'Donnell. I love true stories with great role models and reading it has prompted me to find out more about him. I also so the old Disney movie "The Fighting Prince of Donegal" which is based on this book and quite enjoyed it as well!
August 2, 2017
This is one of the best young adult books written. It is fairly historically accurate, it is exciting and enlightening, and contains nothing offensive. This is the story of one of three great Irish princes who were moderately successful in pushing back England. This book is cool because it only covers Red Hugh's youth and success, rather than depressing the reader with what came after.
January 30, 2016
Read this with my daughter for her book report. At first, I wasn't very excited to read it, but we both really enjoyed it. The main character displays great character and courage. We loved the adventure.
December 17, 2008
i loved this book as a teenager. great work blending fiction with myth
August 19, 2011
Inspiring book
January 7, 2014
It was ok. He spends a lot of time in prison or escaping. Not a story about him being Prince.
June 11, 2014
Really good! I love the sort of bardish tone it's written in.
July 1, 2014
Fun family read aloud.
October 12, 2014
Exciting adventure story.
Read
December 23, 2015PG-13
February 2, 2017
I've always enjoyed this little tale. It's well written and fascinating and the plot is very exciting.
December 24, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this classic with my son!
March 19, 2020
A far more interesting way to get an immersive experience in the culture of the late 1500s, Red Hugh offers an action-filled and engaging retelling of the historical figure's adventures.
While I happily worked my way through this, I wouldn't call it outstanding. The characters had personality, but not a lot of emphasis was placed on expanding their backgrounds, showing growth, or connecting them to the reader.
Enjoyable while it lasted, but not overly memorable.
*read for school*
While I happily worked my way through this, I wouldn't call it outstanding. The characters had personality, but not a lot of emphasis was placed on expanding their backgrounds, showing growth, or connecting them to the reader.
Enjoyable while it lasted, but not overly memorable.
*read for school*
March 10, 2020
I enjoyed this fictionalized story of Red Hugh as a teen, escaping from Dublin Castle. I looked up the real Red Hugh and there’s lots of details that were changed (like who he married) that I feel like could have been kept more accurate, even if writing historical fiction. Wouldn’t it make more sense to keep the factual things and fictionalize just the unknown parts of his adventures and interactions?
January 9, 2022
This book takes me back to my childhood obsession of Ireland: an obsession I never outgrew.
I haven’t read much (if any) fiction set in Ireland during the Elizabethan era, but Reilly painted a realistic, intriguing story full of old-fashioned adventures and heroics. Definitely intended for a younger/middle grade audience, but it was still enjoyable as an older reader!
I haven’t read much (if any) fiction set in Ireland during the Elizabethan era, but Reilly painted a realistic, intriguing story full of old-fashioned adventures and heroics. Definitely intended for a younger/middle grade audience, but it was still enjoyable as an older reader!
July 25, 2024
Pre-read for my fifth grader’s homeschool year. This was a fun, exciting read and I think he will love it. Docked some stars because the writing felt clunky, but it’s a great introduction to Irish history for young people.
May 5, 2025
This was okay, fun to read but a bit wordy. It was neat to learn about Irish history. It was not the easiest to read though, not really a page turner for most of the book so I lost motivation halfway through then forced myself through it. There were some exciting scenes though.
June 12, 2018
Great book for young boy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews