Red Hugh

Set at the end of the 16th century, Red Hugh tells the story of the kidnap and imprisonment of Hugh O'Donnell by the English colonisers of Ireland. Red Hugh was almost 15 at the time of his capture in 1587 and spent four years imprisoned in Dublin Castle. Hostage taking was not uncommon in the Ireland of the time, and Hugh's significance was as son and heir apparent to his father, The O'Donnell, an important chieftain whose lands lay in the north-west corner of Ireland. Twice during his imprisonment Hugh escaped. The first time he was recaptured and brought back to the Castle following a freezing January journey across the Wicklow mountains. A year later he again escaped, successfully this time, although he again suffered intense pain in his feet, adding to the hazards of the journey and bringing his captors close. The 16th century is a confusing time in Irish history. There was intense rivalry between chieftains, who sometimes united with each other against the English, and who at other times united with the colonisers in an effort to seize the lands and weaken the power of neighbouring landowners. Lisson has carried out studious research into the period and the narrative is supported by a map, family trees of the O'Donnells and O'Neills, a list of the main characters (there are quite a few), and a pronunciation guide to Irish words in the text. The story of Red Hugh O'Donnell is exciting and Lisson has obviously tried hard to animate him as a heroic and likeable figure. While Red Hugh would be useful in a study of the period, a form of Hiberno-English imposed on the speech of the characters makes the narrative considerably less accessible than it might be. It is unlikely that many young readers will read this book for their own interest or pleasure.