When some ninety-nine persons, led by Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, sailed from Rathmullen County Donegal on 14 September 1607, it was destined to be probably the most momentous event in the history of the island of Ireland. The flight paved the way for the plantation of Ulster which introduced into that province Scots Presbyterians a sectarian division which still after four hundred years, defies the best efforts of the British and Irish governments to resolve. Spain, from where it was hoped a new expedition would be launched, was the destination of the Earls, but bad weather forced them to land in France, from where they headed towards Flanders, then a Spanish dependency.