Gillaspick MacDonnell was a son of Colla MacDonnell

Colla MacDonnell

Colla MacDonnell was a son of Alexander MacDonnell, Lord of Islay and Kintyre , and Catherine, daughter of the Lord of Ardnamurchan. He died at Kinbane Castle in 1558.-Biography:...

, Captain of the Route and Evelyn MacQuillan. He was killed accidentally in 1571 at Ballycastle

Ballycastle, County Antrim

Ballycastle is a small town in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its population was 5,089 people in the 2001 Census. It is the seat and main settlement of Moyle District Council....

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Biography

Upon the death of his father in 1558 at Kinbane Castle

Kinbane Castle

Kinbane Castle is situated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on a long, narrow limestone headland projecting into the sea, approximately 5 km from Ballycastle on the road to Ballintoy. The name Kinbane means White Head and refers to the white limestone on which the castle stands...

, his uncle Sorley Boy MacDonnell

Sorley Boy MacDonnell

Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill , Scoto-Irish prince or flaith and chief, was the son of Alexander MacDonnell, lord of Islay and Kintyre , and Catherine, daughter of the Lord of Ardnamurchan...

, organised to exchanged the castle with another property at Colonsay. The castle was then presented to Owen MacIan Dubh MacAllister

Owen MacEoin Dubh MacAlister

Owen MacEoin Dubh MacAlister was a son of Alasdair MacEoin Dubh MacAlister, 1st of Loup, Chief of Clan MacAlister. He was killed in battle in Antrim, Ireland in 1571.-Biography:...

, 2nd of Loup, Chief of Clan MacAlister

Clan MacAlister

Clan MacAlister is a Scottish Clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The clan is the earliest branch to have split off from Clan Donald, claiming descent from Alasdair Mòr, son of Domhnall founder of Clan Donald. From Alasdair Mòr the clans takes its surname MacAlister; this surname is an Anglicisation...

 as a reward for their service and loyalty to the MacDonnell clan.

His uncle Sorley Boy ordered the celebration of public games at Ballycastle to celebrate the coming of age of his nephew in 1571.
Bull-fighting was amongst the events that Gillaspick tried and he was gored by the bull and was killed.

Gillaspick left behind a wife and a baby son, Col Ciotach Mac Gillespick Mac Domhnaill

Col Ciotach

Col Ciotach Mac Domhnaill was a Scottish-Irish adventurer of Clan Donald, who became Laird of Colonsay in 1623, by treachery. His name, which means left-handed, was anglicised as Colkitto , and he became a figure of legend...

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