Outline

Ó Domhnalláin was the eponymous subject of a poem by Antoine Ó Raifteiri

Antoine Ó Raifteiri

Antoine Ó Raifteiri was an Irish language poet who is often called the last of the wandering bards.-Biography:...

, concerning a duel he fought, which is believed to have been one of the very last, if not the last, ever fought in County Galway

County Galway

County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

, once notorious for such events.

Circumstances

Ó Domhnalláin was from Balleighter or Ballydonnellan. He was a good friend with Patrick Callanan of Skycur but a dispute arose one night during at party at Callanan's house. Ó Domhnalláin initially did not wish to attend as he did not have suitable clothes, but Callanan loaned him something suitable.

Causes of the duel

During the party, Ó Domhnalláin made advances towards a good-looking young blonde woman, who was Callanan's lover. Words were exchanged between the two men, and a challenge for a duel was issued. They agreed to meet in Madden's field at Belview. Both arrived at the appointed time with two large crowds of followers. Callanan was recorded as been in a good mood because he had a well-earned reputation as a marksman.

The duel

Just before the duel was to start, a nervous Ó Domhnalláin attempted to make up with Callanan, who very bluntly refused. The men were placed some twenty to thirty yards apart and the ring of the signal bell, both fired. It was Ó Domhnalláin, however, who proved to have the greater speed and agility and fired first. Callanan dropped to the ground and died immediately.

Afterwards

Raifteiri composed a ballad

Ballad

A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...

 on the event congratulating Ó Domhnalláin, in a tone that suggests the poem was seeking favour from him.

The identity and fate of Callanan's lover is unknown.

See also

• Flann Óge Ó Domhnalláin
  Flann Óge Ó Domhnalláin
  Flann Óge Ó Domhnalláin was Chief Poet of Connacht.Ó Domhnalláin was a member of an Irish family of Bards, originally located in Ballydonnellan, County Galway...
  
  , chief poet of Connacht
  Connacht
  Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
  
  , died 1342.
• Padraig Ó Domhnallain
  Padraig Ó Domhnallain
  Padraig Ó Domhnallain,, Irish short-story writer, born 1884.Born at Oughterard in 1884, he became a member of the Gaelic League in the early 1900‘s, and was a local organiser. He and Colm de Bhailís assisted Patrick Pearse during his time at Rosmuck, in collecting poems and songs of the region...
  
  ,, short-story writer, born 1884.
• John Donnellan
  John Donnellan
  John F. Donnellan is a former Irish politician and sportsperson. He served as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dáil Éireann for twenty-five years. He played Gaelic football with his local club Dunmore McHales and with the Galway senior inter-county team in the 1960s.-Early & private life:John...
  
  , former Irish politician and sportsperson, born 1937.

Reference

• The Parish of Lawrencetown and Kiltormer, Tadhg Mac Lochlainn
  Tadhg Mac Lochlainn
  Tadhg Mac Lochlainn was an Irish local historian.Mac Loughlin was a native of Killure, near Ballinasloe, and an innovator in the promotion of local studies, been the author of half-a-dozen books on the subject, as well a number of articles...
  
  , 1982.