The Red Hand is a main feature of the O'Neill coat-of-arms (above).
Long ago it was said that a Viking ship was approaching the coast of Ulster and the captain told his crew that the first sailor who touched the shore with his right hand would have it for himself. Two sailors then lowered themselves into coracles and rowed for the shore.
One of the sailors was called Niel, a popular Scandinavian name.
He was losing the race but was eager to have the land, so Niel cut off his right hand and tossed it to shore. Consequently, his right hand became red with blood.
The red hand of O'Neill eventually became the emblem of Ulster.
When JAMES I initiated the Plantation of Ulster he created the order of Baronet which His Majesty sold for £1,000 a time.
He chose the Red Hand as the Order's insignia though, unfortunately, a herald erroneously used the left instead of the right hand and there has been confusion ever since!
The present Lord O'Neill KCVO TD is 4th Baron and lives at Shane's Castle in County Antrim.
6 comments :
So is there a definitive answer as to whether the hand should be right or left?
I noted earlier today that the graves of IRA members killed in the 1920-22 pograms all have right hands, as does the railing of the Merchant Hotel....
I always thought the left-hand was the correct one - most people being right handed, it makes sense that someone would cut off the 'useless' hand using the 'useful' hand. Actually, it doesn't make sense at all, but ho-hum!
According to the legend and the O'Neill Arms the right hand is correct! Who am I to argue with them. :-)
Perhaps Niel was cack-handed!
The Ulster Steamship Co., or Head Line, used the famous red hand as it's emblem. However it used a left hand, as it was reckoned that O'Neill was likely to be right handed, and thus would sever his left hand using his sword.
Told you it was confusing!
My maiden name is O'Neill and my father told us this story as children and said it was our very distant grandfather. I will have to inquire as to which hand he was told.
Heremon the Milesian Prince was father of the O'Neill clan.His right hand held the axe that severed his left in 1015 B.C.The ancient O'Neill crest shows the left on their sheild up until King James introduced the Baronet titles.I think you are getting confused with the viking nial Glundubh and his golden hand etc.
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