Finula MacDonald was the daughter of James MacDonald of Isla, and Agnes Campbell, and gained the nick-name Ineen Dubh. She was brought up at the court of the Stuarts and in 1569 married Hugh O'Donnell. Together with her mother, she recruited the majority of Scots mercenaries into Ireland at that time. She was given lands by her husband, on the banks of Lough Foyle, and fortified houses at Mongavlin and Carrigans, which allowed her to retain close contact with her homeland. She maintained a body-guard of Scottish auxiliaries. She bore Sir Hugh O'Donnell four male children and was determined to ensure the succession of her eldest son, Hugh Roe O'Donnell, to whom she gave birth in 1572. While Hugh Roe was imprisoned, and his competitor Hugh O'Gallagher was gaining strength, she arranged for O'Gallagher to visit Mongavlin, and had him killed. She offered bribes, sureties and hostages to Perrot in 1588 to try and obtain Hugh Roe's release and in 1590, seeing Donnell O'Donnell as a threat, she defeated and killed him at Doire Leathan, Tirconnell. In 1593 she was described by Miler Magrath as 'a cruel, bloody woman who has committed sundry murders'. Her military strength and influence is seen as the decisive factor in the ultimate election of Hugh Roe O'Donnell to succeed his father as king of Tirconnell.

Born:	c.1500
Died: