Patrick Denis O'Donnell
Encyclopedia
Patrick Denis O'Donnell, (January 9, 1922–January 1, 2005), was an Irish military historian
, writer, former UN
peace-keeper, and retired Commandant of the Irish Defence Forces
.
, only child of Denis O'Donnell
, and Hannah Leane, and was also known as "Paddy" or "P.D.". He was a direct descendant of John O'Donnell of Ardfert
, and descended from an O'Donnell of Tyrconnell, following on the implantation of O'Donnells in Ardfert by Prince Hugh Roe O'Donnell
en route to the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, as recorded in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. He married Stephanie Sarah Teresa Tyndall
in 1952, daughter of David P. Tyndall
and Sarah née Gaynor, and they lived in Fingal
, north Dublin. They had three children, Frank (see Francis Martin O'Donnell
), Sally, and Nola. He was a cousin of Maurice Gerard Moynihan
, with shared interests in historical matters.
Schools and joined the Irish Army
in 1940. He successfully completed management
and psychology
courses at the School of Management at Rathmines Technical School. He graduated from the Irish Military College in the Curragh, and was commissioned in 1943. He also graduated from the Infantry School on 13 April 1949, with distinction. Later he attended the Public Relations Institute of Ireland in the early 1960s, and conducted public relations campaigns for the visit of US President John F. Kennedy
to Ireland in 1962
He served during the "Emergency" as the period of the Second World War was known in then-neutral Ireland
. He served briefly, with commendation, as a United Nations
Military Observer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation for Palestine
(UNTSO), during the years 1965-1967, successively in Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Damascus
.
Later, he held senior responsibilities in the Observer Corps (the Irish Army's unit for mitigation and preparedness in the event of nuclear war
), military intelligence
, and border security. An amateur artist in his spare time, he designed the insignia of the 5th Infantry Battalion. He rose to the rank of Commandant
(Major) before retirement. He was awarded the United Nations Medal by the United Nations Secretary-General on 30 November 1965, and the United Nations Peacekeepers Medal by the Irish Government in 1991, in recognition of his service in the cause of world peace.
He was keenly interested in Irish and Middle Eastern history and was a member of the O'Donnell Clan Association. He was very active in O’Donnell Clan research for many decades, and at one time represented the Irish Defence Forces and the Military History Society in these matters. He frequently corresponded also with the Spanish and Austrian members of the clan of the O’Donnells of Tyrconnell. Of note, he also wrote a published series on the history of military barracks in Ireland, and lectured at the Old Dublin Society. He also researched Theobald Wolfe Tone
’s death, discovered his tomb, and published several articles on evidence that it was an assassination rather than suicide.
In 1980, he also published the first Map of the War of Independence, showing ambushes, raids, burnings and other incidents in the early 1920s. He wrote several series on topics of American military history. Some of his written material on military technology has been used for instructional purposes at the U.S. Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. In December 1994, he presented his military memorabilia and artifacts to the National Museum of Ireland
. (Evening Press, 20 December 1994)
He also wrote on Irish non-military history including legends of famous castles such as Castlemartin and Ballyheigue
, where a tale of a ghostly appearance was picked up later by the American expert on the paranormal, Hans Holzer
, in his book The Lively Ghosts of Ireland. He was best known abroad for his book The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century, (published by Anvil Books, Dublin, 1975), a sociological analysis of rural inter-clan feuding, and its exploitation as a form of control to contain rising agrarian agitation in the 19th century in Ireland.
He was frequently consulted as an authority on various historical matters, and was often cited at home and abroad in other works. He wrote over 1,000 articles and was a frequent contributor to leading Irish newspapers and periodicals, including An Cosantoir
, the journal of the Irish Army
, and The Irish Sword
, the journal of the Irish Military History Society. He was a member of many associations (PEN/writers, Public Relations Institute of Ireland, the US President John F. Kennedy Association). He also held the position of Hereditary Lord Steward for Tyrconnell, with prerogatives as deputy to the Lord High Steward of Ireland
(Great Seneschal of Ireland), and also succeeded to an Irish territorial barony, originally dating back to a grant by King John
in 1208 and a related manorial lordship. He was also a member of the Knight
s of St. Columbanus, and of the lay Third Order of the Dominicans
, and also received the Silver Cross of Honour of Jerusalem.
, following a funeral with military honours and a pall-bearer party from the 5th Infantry Battalion, whose insignia he designed, and in the presence of the Chief of Staff, Lt. General James Sreenan
, and accompanied by surviving family members, relatives and friends.
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
, writer, former UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peace-keeper, and retired Commandant of the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
.
Background
He was born in the Kerries Tralee, County KerryCounty Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, only child of Denis O'Donnell
Denis O'Donnell
Denis O'Donnell was a well-known entrepreneur in County Kerry, Ireland, in the early 1900s.-Background:He was born in Tubrid, Ardfert, County Kerry, to Patrick O'Donnell of Tubridmore, and Bridget of Lerrig...
, and Hannah Leane, and was also known as "Paddy" or "P.D.". He was a direct descendant of John O'Donnell of Ardfert
Ardfert
Ardfert is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only 8 km from Tralee.-Origin:...
, and descended from an O'Donnell of Tyrconnell, following on the implantation of O'Donnells in Ardfert by Prince Hugh Roe O'Donnell
Hugh Roe O'Donnell
Aodh Rua Ó Dónaill, anglicised as either Hugh Roe O'Donnell or Red Hugh O'Donnell , was An Ó Domhnaill and Rí of Tir Chonaill . He led the Irish forces against the English conquest of Ireland from 1593 and helped to lead the Nine Years' War from 1595 to 1603...
en route to the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, as recorded in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. He married Stephanie Sarah Teresa Tyndall
Tyndall
Tyndall is the name of an English family taken from the land they held as tenants in chief of the Kings of England and Scotland in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries: Tynedale, or the valley of the Tyne, in Northumberland...
in 1952, daughter of David P. Tyndall
David P. Tyndall
David P. Tyndall was a leading Irish businessman in the 20th century, and played the major role in helping modernize the wholesale and retail grocery trade, consolidate it, and enable the family grocery shop owner adapt to the advent of supermarkets.-Family background:The grandson of John Tyndall...
and Sarah née Gaynor, and they lived in Fingal
Fingal
Fingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
, north Dublin. They had three children, Frank (see Francis Martin O'Donnell
Francis Martin O'Donnell
Francis Martin O'Donnell, KC*SG, KM, KCMCO, is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Slovak Republic. He is a retired former UN official who served most recently as the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in Ukraine, from 30...
), Sally, and Nola. He was a cousin of Maurice Gerard Moynihan
Maurice Gerard Moynihan
Maurice Gerard Moynihan was a senior Irish civil servant, co-drafter of the 1937 Constitution of Ireland, Secretary of the Government of the Irish Free State in 1937, Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland in 1960, and Knight Commander of the Papal Order of St...
, with shared interests in historical matters.
Education
He was educated in Tralee Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
Schools and joined the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
in 1940. He successfully completed management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
courses at the School of Management at Rathmines Technical School. He graduated from the Irish Military College in the Curragh, and was commissioned in 1943. He also graduated from the Infantry School on 13 April 1949, with distinction. Later he attended the Public Relations Institute of Ireland in the early 1960s, and conducted public relations campaigns for the visit of US President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to Ireland in 1962
Military career
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He served briefly, with commendation, as a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Military Observer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation for Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
(UNTSO), during the years 1965-1967, successively in Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
.
Later, he held senior responsibilities in the Observer Corps (the Irish Army's unit for mitigation and preparedness in the event of nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
), military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
, and border security. An amateur artist in his spare time, he designed the insignia of the 5th Infantry Battalion. He rose to the rank of Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
(Major) before retirement. He was awarded the United Nations Medal by the United Nations Secretary-General on 30 November 1965, and the United Nations Peacekeepers Medal by the Irish Government in 1991, in recognition of his service in the cause of world peace.
Historical interests
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
’s death, discovered his tomb, and published several articles on evidence that it was an assassination rather than suicide.
In 1980, he also published the first Map of the War of Independence, showing ambushes, raids, burnings and other incidents in the early 1920s. He wrote several series on topics of American military history. Some of his written material on military technology has been used for instructional purposes at the U.S. Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. In December 1994, he presented his military memorabilia and artifacts to the National Museum of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
. (Evening Press, 20 December 1994)
He also wrote on Irish non-military history including legends of famous castles such as Castlemartin and Ballyheigue
Ballyheigue
Ballyheigue, officially Ballyheige , is a coastal village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is approximately north of Tralee on the R551. Its name is pronounced ....
, where a tale of a ghostly appearance was picked up later by the American expert on the paranormal, Hans Holzer
Hans Holzer
Hans Holzer was an Austrian-born, American pioneering paranormal researcher and author. He wrote well over 100 books on supernatural and occult subjects for the popular market as well as several plays, musicals, films, and documentaries, and hosted a television show, "Ghost Hunter".- Career...
, in his book The Lively Ghosts of Ireland. He was best known abroad for his book The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century, (published by Anvil Books, Dublin, 1975), a sociological analysis of rural inter-clan feuding, and its exploitation as a form of control to contain rising agrarian agitation in the 19th century in Ireland.
An Cosantóir
An Cosantóir is the official magazine of the Irish Defence Forces. It was originally established in December 1940 by Colonel Michael Joe Costello as a means of disseminating training material among the Local Security Force but later became the newspaper of Costello's First Division.In its current...
, the journal of the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
, and The Irish Sword
The Irish Sword
The Irish Sword is the official journal of the Military History Society of Ireland containing articles on the military history of Ireland, book reviews, notes, notices, queries, illustrations and proceedings....
, the journal of the Irish Military History Society. He was a member of many associations (PEN/writers, Public Relations Institute of Ireland, the US President John F. Kennedy Association). He also held the position of Hereditary Lord Steward for Tyrconnell, with prerogatives as deputy to the Lord High Steward of Ireland
Lord High Steward of Ireland
The Lord High Steward of Ireland is a hereditary Great Officer of State in Ireland, sometimes known as the Hereditary Great Seneschal. The Earls of Shrewsbury have held the office since the 15th century....
(Great Seneschal of Ireland), and also succeeded to an Irish territorial barony, originally dating back to a grant by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
in 1208 and a related manorial lordship. He was also a member of the Knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s of St. Columbanus, and of the lay Third Order of the Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, and also received the Silver Cross of Honour of Jerusalem.
Selected works
- Short Histories of Irish Barracks (Collins Barracks, Clancy Barracks, Griffith Barracks, McKee Barracks, Keogh Barracks, Aiken Barracks/Dundalk, Mellowes Barracks/Galway), in An Cosantoir (Journal of the Irish Defence Forces), 1969-1973.
- Irish-American Heroes in the US Navy, in Sunday Press series, Dublin, 1971.
- Chaplain Courageous, USS Franklin, in Sunday Press series, Dublin, 1971.
- Ghosts and Haunted Castles, in Sunday Press series, 1972.
- The Barracks and Posts of Ireland - 21:Collins Barracks, Dublin, part 3, pages 48-52 in An Cosantoir, Dublin, February 1973.
- The Barracks and Posts of Ireland - 22:Royal or Collins Barracks, part 4, the eighteenth century, pages 266-276 in An Cosantoir, Dublin, August 1973.
- Pacific Slaughter - Six US Naval Battles, in Sunday Press series, 1973.
- Wolfe Tone's Provost Prison, in The Irish Sword, no. 42, Volume XI, Military History Society of Ireland, Dublin, 1973.
- The Irish Faction Fighters of the 19th Century", published by Anvil Books, Dublin, 1975.
- Dublin’s Collins Barracks over the years, in Hollybough, December 1994.
- Songs of the War Years, in An Cosantoir, the Irish Defence Journal, July/August 1995.
- Wolfe Tone: Suicide or Assassination, in Irish Journal of Medical Science, no. 57, Dublin, 1997 (with Dr. T. Gorey)
- Dick Dowling, Tuam Emigrant-Texan Hero, in pages 42-58 of Glimpses of Tuam since the Famine, Old Tuam Society, Tuam, 1997. ISBN 0-9530250-0-4
- Titanic errors revealed, in CQD Titanic, the official journal of the Ulster Titanic Society, Issue no. 17, Belfast, Summer 2001.
- The Thermopylae of Lieutenant Dick Dowling, in The Irish Sword, VOL.XXIII, no.91, Military History Society of Ireland, Dublin, Summer 2002 (pages 68-86)
Other references
- Blood Royal - From the time of Alexander the Great to Queen Elizabeth II, by Charles Mosley (genealogist)Charles Mosley (genealogist)Charles Gordon Mosley, born 14 September 1948, is an author, broadcaster, editor, and publisher, best known for having been Editor-in-Chief of Burke's Peerage & Baronetage and of the re-titled 107th edition, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage.-Biography:Mosley was born in London, England...
, published for Ruvigny Ltd, London, 2002 (Patrick Denis O'Donnell listed as Baron, page v) ISBN 0-9524229-9-9 - Dublin Barracks - A Brief History of Collins Barracks, by Mairead Dunleavy, National Museum of Ireland, 2002 (largely based on earlier work by Patrick Denis O'Donnell, as acknowledged in Preface, page 4 by Patrick Wallace, Director, and in Acknowledgments, page 7, Bibliography, page 68, and Notes, pages 67-72).
- The Lively Ghosts of Ireland, by Hans Holzer, Wolfe Publishing Ltd., London, 1967, 1968, reprinted 1970. See Chapter on Ballyheigue, page 32, recalling earlier article in 1962 by Patrick Denis O'Donnell in Ireland of the Welcomes.
- Writer recalls his Tralee Youth, biographical interview with Patrick D. O'Donnell, in The Kerryman, Friday, August 15, 1975 (page 6)
- The Story of Ballyheigue, by Bryan MacMahon, published by Oidhreacht, Ballyheigue, County Kerry, May 1994 ISBN 0-9517658-2-5. See Chapter 18, Legends and Tales, and section The Castle Ghost, page 207 which also recounts the article in 1962 by Patrick Denis O'Donnell in Ireland of the Welcomes.
Tributes
Patrick Denis O'Donnell died in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, after a long illness, and his remains were interred in Glasnevin CemeteryGlasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery , officially known as Prospect Cemetery, is the largest non-denominational cemetery in Ireland with an estimated 1.5 million burials...
, following a funeral with military honours and a pall-bearer party from the 5th Infantry Battalion, whose insignia he designed, and in the presence of the Chief of Staff, Lt. General James Sreenan
James Sreenan
Lt. General James Sreenan is a former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces.A native of Ballymote, County Sligo, Sreenan has been a member of the army since 1963, serving initially with the 5th Infantry Battalion, as well as 8th Infantry Battalion and 20th Infantry Battalion FCA...
, and accompanied by surviving family members, relatives and friends.
- An Appreciation, article on editorial page of The Irish Times, Dublin, 24 January 2005
- Obituary in Le carnet du jour section of Le Figaro newspaper, Paris, 18 March 2005
- Obituary, Esteemed military historian and writer in The Kerryman newspaper, Tralee, January 13, 2005
- Obituary, Army officer was military expert, in Kerry Eye newspaper, Tralee, January 27, 2005
- Obituary P.D. O’Donnell, RIP on page 4 of O’Domhnaill Abu, O’Donnell Clan Newsletter no. 33, Donegal, Spring 2005http://homepage.eircom.net/~vod/BinderODA33.pdf.