The O'Neill Crest. The O'Neill name has been one of the most prestigious of Irish families for more than 1000 years. The most important royal family in Irish history was, without doubt, the UiNeill. Niall means "champion" and was first used by Domhnall, grandson of Nial Glum Dubh (black knee). The O'Neills go farther back, claiming descent from the legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages. They were one of the dynastic branches of the Conn-folk, or Connachta. The Ulster O'Neills, Princes of Tyrone, Kings and Princes of Ulster and High Kings of Ireland, are accredited with having the oldest traceable history in western Europe. The name of O'NEILL is one of the, if not the, most illustrious in all Ireland. Derivations of the O'Neill name are: Neill, O'Neal, Neal, O'Neale, Neale, O'Neel, Nell, McNeel, Nail, O'Nail, Nehill, O'Neilan, Nelan, Neilan, Nealon, Neylon, Neiland, Neeland.

Web Pages having extensive O'Neill family  information are located at URL:O'Neill Memories hosted by Alan; and URL: O'Neill hosted by Michael. These two web sites should be most interesting to researchers of the O'Neill name.

  INTRODUCTION: WHO ARE THE O'NEILLS

The 'Family of O'Neill' and its ancestors extending back nearly 1,000 years in Ireland is the best recorded and, until the early 17th century, was the longest reigning royal family in Europe.

From its first use as a surname, the name of O'Neill was guarded and protected and used by those only of agnatic descent from Niall Glundubh, the 170th Ard Ri (High King) of Ireland, and continues to this day in various forms and spellings, but quite recognizable nonetheless throughout the five continents.

The first person to bear the name O'NEILL was Eogah Ruadh O'neill (Owen Roe).

The O'NEILLS are descendants of the Ui Neill, themselves the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages, living about 400 AD. The O'NEILLS take their actual surname from Niall Glundubh (Black-knee) who was slain fighting the Danes in 919 and not from Niall of the Nine Hostages as so many imagine. The mighty Ui Neill dynasty divided into two in the 400's, the Northern Ui Neill remained in the north while the Southern Ui Neill moved to Meath and the eastern midlands - they took it in turns to be Kings of Tara and, later, High-Kings of Ireland.

In the eleventh century Anrothan, younger son of AEDH Athlamhan 'the Handy' O'NEILL, KING OF ULSTER 1030-1033 (Royal Heir of Ireland who was given the throne during his father's pilgrimage to Rome but who died in his father's lifetime in November 1033) moved to Scotland and married the daughter of the King of Argyll and received wide lands there. According to the mediaeval Irish and Scottish genealogies he was ancestor of the MacLachlans of Strathlachlan, The Lamonts of that Ilk (of whom the Lyons of Glamis, Earls of Strathmore, are probably cadets), the MacSorleys of Moneydrain, the MacEwans of Otter, the entire Clan Neill in Scotland (i.e. the MacNeills of Barra and the McNeills of Gigha and Colonsay), the MacSwins of Castleswin, and the MacSweeneys of Donegal.

For centuries the O'Neills were Kings of all-Ireland, Kings of Ulster and Princes of Tyrone.

Sir Neill O'Neill of Killegeagh, died in 1690 in the Battle of the Boyne.

In the twelfth century the 'Neill clan divided once more. Aedh (Hugh) Macaemh Toinleasg (the 'Lazy-arsed Youth') O'Neill, King of Cenel Eoghain 1176-1177, Royal Heir of Ireland, slew his father's slayer, 1160; restored O'Neill power after his auguration at Tullyhogue; established his rule over all Tir Eoghain (Tyrone) and became supreme in the north of Ireland.

Amongst other issue he had two sons: AEDH Meth 'the Fat' O'Neill, King of Northern Ireland, ancestor of the O'Neills of Clannabuidhe (Clanaboy) and, in the female line, The Hon. Lord O'Neill (Shane's Castle), the late Lord O'Neill of the Maine.

Shane the Proud, that is Sean A. Diomais, 1532-1567. Source: Francis Bigger Collection in the Linenhall Library, Belfast.

Niall Ruadh 'the Red' O'NEILL, KING OF ULSTER 1230, had  (with other issue) a son BRIAN O'NEILL, LAST NATIVE KING OF IRELAND 1258-1260. King Niall's descendants were styled Ua Neill Mor (The Great O'Neill) to distinguish them from their rivals of the Clannabuidhe (Clanaboy) branch whose Chief was styled The O'Neill Buidhe, or The O'Neill of Clannabuidhe. This Niall was the direct ancestor of the Great Red Hugh O'Neill, the last King of Ulster, inaugurated on the royal stone at Tullyhogue in 1594. When this main line of the clan died out, the O'Neills of the Fews became their successors. ART O'Neill, King of Ulster 1509-1514, was assisted in holding his appanage of the Fews against the English by 'his cousin king Conn Mor O'Neill' in 1487. His grandson Henry O'Neill, Lord of the Fews was living in 1563; he married Joan, widow of Ferdorcha O'Neill, 1st Baron of Dungannon, and mother of the Great Red Hugh (above), daughter of Cuconnaght Maguire, dynast of Fermanagh and by her had a son Turlough (or Terence) O'Neill, Lord of the Fews. Turlough was succeeded by his son Henry of the Fews who left issue (with a younger son Shane (or John), father of Thomas 'Johnson" (John's son) from whom the Johnson baronets of New York claim descent). It is from this issue that Don Carlos, the present O'Neill Mor - Chief of his Name descends.

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March 1998, Lloyd Pearson. All rights reserved.