A website commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Flight of the Earls goes live today.
Set up by Donegal County Council, the site is part of year-long celebrations to mark the death of the ancient Gaelic aristocracy and beginning of the plantation of Ulster.
The site www.flightoftheearls.iewill be built in three stages between January and March and will incorporate regular updates.
It will have information about the key figures involved in the Flight of the Earls, maps and archives and interesting facts on the pivotal era in Irish history.
The Flight of the Earls took place at midday on Friday September 14th, 1607, when 99 men, women and children of the Gaelic nobility of Ulster crowded aboard ship at Portnamurry, Rathmullan.
Among them was Rory O'Donnell of Donegal and Hugh O'Neill of Tyrone.
They set sail for Spain, where they hoped to muster support from the Catholic King Phillip III and return to liberate Ireland from the English. It became known as the Flight of the Earls.
King Philip was keen not to upset King James of England after a truce was called and the Earls were never to get help from Spain.
PA