THE BARONS O'NEILL WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ANTRIM, WITH 64,163 ACRES
The house of O'Neill boasts of royal descent, and deduces its pedigree from CONN O'NEILL, Prince of Tyrone, who, upon relinquishing his royalty, was created EARL OF TYRONE, by HENRY VIII, in 1542.
AODH or HUGH VII surnamed BUIDHE or BOY, Prince of Tyrone was slain by Brian MacMahon and the Oriels and Gilla Isa O'Reilly 1283, after having fought the people of Cenél Conaill at the Battle of Disert-da-Crich.
SHANE McBRIAN O'NEILL, of Edenduffcarrick Castle, called after him Shane's Castle, was the last Captain or LORD OF CLANABOY.
SIR HENRY O'NEILL, Knight, of Shane's Castle, born ca 1600, who married Martha, daughter of Sir Francis Stafford, Governor of Ulster, and had an only daughter,
Sir Henry, by his will dated 1637, entailed his estates on the heirs male of his uncle, Con McBrian O'Neill.
His son,
BRIAN I, was by the influence of Richard Burke, the Red Earl of Ulster, inaugurated Prince of Tyrone, 1291.
Slain by Donnell, son of Brian O'Neill, 1295, he was father of
HENRY, Prince of the Clann Aodha Buidhe (afterwards called Clanaboy) 1319, whose son,
MURCHEDACH, MUIRCHERTACH or MAURICE VI,
Surnamed Ceannfada (the Strong-Minded) otherwise known as O'Neill Buidhe, was Lord of the Baronies of Castlereagh, Lower Ards, Tuam, Antrim, Massarene and Belfast, of the towns of Carrickfergus, Belfast, and Lisnagarvey, and of the Baronies of Loughinsholin.
He died in 1395, leaving issue,
BRIAN II, surnamed Ballagh (Freckled), Prince of Clanaboy, killed 1425.
His son,
AODH, or HUGH VIII, "the most renowned, hospitable, and valorous of the Princes of Ireland in his time," died in 1444, leaving a son,
CONN, who defeated the English at Beann Uamha (Cavehill), 1468, and died in 1482, having had issue, a son,
NEILL MÓR O'NEILL, Prince of Clanaboy during the reign of HENRY VII, who reconstituted the monastery of Carrickfergus, 1497.
He had with other issue,
1. Brian (III) Ballagh (The Freckled), Prince of Clanaboy, from whom descends in the male line, the well-known branch of the royal house of O'Neill, which settled in Portugal in 1736;2. PHELIM BACCACH, of whom we treat.
PHELIM BACCACH O'NEILL, Lord of Clanaboy, in the reign of HENRY VIII, had issue,
1. BRIAN McPHELIM BACCACH, his heir.2. Hugh McPhelim Baccach, father of SIR HENRY O'NEILL, 1st Baronet.
The elder son,
SIR BRIAN McPHELIM BACCACH O'NEILL (c1520-74), Lord of Clanaboy, lived at Edenduffcarrick Castle, and had two sons,
SHANE McBRIAN, his successor.Con McBrian, slain 1585.
In 1573 Brian McPhelim Baccach O'Neill was arrested by Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, at a grand entertainment in the castle of Belfast given by O'Neill to that nobleman, and he and his wife and brother were executed. ELIZABETH I disapproved of the act, and divided North Clanaboy, in Antrim, between Brian McPhelim's sons.
The elder,
SHANE McBRIAN O'NEILL, of Edenduffcarrick Castle, called after him Shane's Castle, was the last Captain or LORD OF CLANABOY.
He joined Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, in the war against ELIZABETH I, burned Carrickfergus, and submitted in 1586.
Shane McBrian married firstly, Rose, sister of Sir Arthur Magennis, Lord of Iveagh, and had a son,
1. HENRY (Sir), his heir.
He wedded secondly, Anne, daughter of Brian Carrach O'Neill, Lord of Loughinsholin, and had by her, with issue,
2. Arthur, father of CORMAC, who succeeded to Shane's Castle;3. Phelim Dubh, grandfather of "French" John O'Neill;4. Shane Oge.
Shane McBrian O'Neill died in 1616, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
SIR HENRY O'NEILL, Knight, of Shane's Castle, born ca 1600, who married Martha, daughter of Sir Francis Stafford, Governor of Ulster, and had an only daughter,
Rose, who married Randal, 1st Marquess of Antrim.
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| The present Lord O'Neill with a portrait of Rose, Marchioness of Antrim |
He died in 1638, and was succeeded by his daughter Rose, Marchioness of Antrim, who dsp 1695, when the estates devolved, under the will of her cousin,
CORMAC O'NEILL, of Shane's Castle, Colonel in the Army, son of Arthur O'Neill, son of Shane McBrian O'Neill, by his 2nd wife.
He dsp, and was succeeded by his nephew,
CHARLES O'NEILL (c1663-1716), of Shane's Castle, MP for Randalstown, 1697-9, 1713-14, Bangor, 1707-13, who wedded the Lady Mary Paulet, eldest daughter of Charles, 1st Duke of Bolton; at whose decease without issue, the estates passed to his kinsman,
JOHN O'NEILL (1665-1739), of Shane's Castle, known as French John, who married Charity, daughter of Sir Richard Dixon, and had issue,
CHARLES O'NEILL (c1663-1716), of Shane's Castle, MP for Randalstown, 1697-9, 1713-14, Bangor, 1707-13, who wedded the Lady Mary Paulet, eldest daughter of Charles, 1st Duke of Bolton; at whose decease without issue, the estates passed to his kinsman,
JOHN O'NEILL (1665-1739), of Shane's Castle, known as French John, who married Charity, daughter of Sir Richard Dixon, and had issue,
Henry (disinherited), m and had issue, MARY, m REV ARTHUR CHICHESTER; great-grandmother of 1st LORD O'NEILL of Shane's Castle;CHARLES, his successor;
Catharine, m 7th Viscount Mountgarret.
French John O'Neill’s eldest son, Henry, was said to be “sensitive, gifted, and musical,” and was bullied by his father to such an extent that he was disinherited for marrying Mary ______, widow of Captain John Bickerstaffe, of "Rosegift" in the townland of Largy, one of his tenants.
French John died in 1739, and was succeeded by his second son,
CHARLES O'NEILL (c1702-69), of Shane's Castle, MP for Randalstown, 1727-69, who married, in 1737, Catherine, third daughter and co-heir of the Rt Hon St John Brodrick (eldest son of Alan, 1st Viscount Midleton, Lord Chancellor of Ireland) by Anne, only sister of Trevor, Viscount Hillsborough, father of 1st Marquess of Downshire, and had issue,
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| Charles O'Neill MP (Image: the Lord O'Neill KCVO) |
CHARLES O'NEILL (c1702-69), of Shane's Castle, MP for Randalstown, 1727-69, who married, in 1737, Catherine, third daughter and co-heir of the Rt Hon St John Brodrick (eldest son of Alan, 1st Viscount Midleton, Lord Chancellor of Ireland) by Anne, only sister of Trevor, Viscount Hillsborough, father of 1st Marquess of Downshire, and had issue,
JOHN, his heir;
St John, MP for Randalstown, 1771-6;
Anne, m Rt Hon R Jackson.
Charles O'Neill was succeeded by his elder son,
THE RT HON JOHN O'NEILL (1740-98), 1ST VISCOUNT O'NEILL, of Shane's Castle, Privy Counsellor, MP for Randalstown, 1761-83, County Antrim, 1783-93, who wedded, in 1777, Henrietta Boyle, daughter of Charles, Viscount Dungarvan, and had issue,
His lordship, Governor of Antrim at the outbreak of an uprising, was mortally wounded by an assailant in 1798, having received wounds from insurgent pikemen previously.
He was succeeded by his elder son,
CHARLES HENRY ST JOHN, 2nd Viscount and 1ST EARL O'NEILL (1779-1841), KP, PC, of Shane's Castle, Colonel, Antrim Militia, Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim, 1831-41, Vice-Admiral of Ulster.
His lordship was advanced, in 1800, to the dignities of Viscount Raymond and EARL O'NEILL.
He was appointed a Privy Counsellor and installed a Knight of St Patrick in 1809.
The 1st Earl died, unmarried, from a complication of gout and influenza at Shane's Castle.
The earldom of O'Neill consequently expired, and the viscountcy devolved upon to his brother,
JOHN BRUCE RICHARD, 3rd Viscount (1780-1855), MP for County Antrim, 1802-41, Constable of Dublin Castle, 1811-55, Vice-Admiral of Ulster, General in the Army, who died unmarried, when the titles expired.
The Barony was revived, however, in 1868, when the 3rd Viscount's second cousin twice removed, the Rev William Chichester (later O'Neill), was created BARON O'NEILL.
THE RT HON JOHN O'NEILL (1740-98), 1ST VISCOUNT O'NEILL, of Shane's Castle, Privy Counsellor, MP for Randalstown, 1761-83, County Antrim, 1783-93, who wedded, in 1777, Henrietta Boyle, daughter of Charles, Viscount Dungarvan, and had issue,
CHARLES HENRY ST JOHN, his heir;Mr O'Neill was elevated to the peerage, in 1793, in the dignity of Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle; and advanced to a viscountcy, 1795, as Viscount O'Neill.
JOHN BRUCE RICHARD, succeeded his brother as last Viscount.
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| 1st Viscount O'Neill (Image: Ulster Museum) |
His lordship, Governor of Antrim at the outbreak of an uprising, was mortally wounded by an assailant in 1798, having received wounds from insurgent pikemen previously.
He was succeeded by his elder son,
CHARLES HENRY ST JOHN, 2nd Viscount and 1ST EARL O'NEILL (1779-1841), KP, PC, of Shane's Castle, Colonel, Antrim Militia, Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim, 1831-41, Vice-Admiral of Ulster.
His lordship was advanced, in 1800, to the dignities of Viscount Raymond and EARL O'NEILL.
He was appointed a Privy Counsellor and installed a Knight of St Patrick in 1809.
The 1st Earl died, unmarried, from a complication of gout and influenza at Shane's Castle.
The earldom of O'Neill consequently expired, and the viscountcy devolved upon to his brother,
JOHN BRUCE RICHARD, 3rd Viscount (1780-1855), MP for County Antrim, 1802-41, Constable of Dublin Castle, 1811-55, Vice-Admiral of Ulster, General in the Army, who died unmarried, when the titles expired.
The Barony was revived, however, in 1868, when the 3rd Viscount's second cousin twice removed, the Rev William Chichester (later O'Neill), was created BARON O'NEILL.
SHANE'S CASTLE demesne lies at Lough Neagh, between the towns of Antrim and Randalstown in County Antrim.
The original Shane's Castle took its name from Shane McBrian O'Neill, last captain or lord of Clanaboy.
There were two principal branches of the House of O'Neill: Tyrone and Clanaboy.
After a long and turbulent history, JAMES I finally settled the O'Neill estates, in excess of 120,000 acres, on Shane McBrian O'Neill, who had made his peace with the Crown.
After passing through several cousins, the O'Neill estates were eventually inherited by Charles O'Neill (d 1769), who built Tullymore Lodge in Broughshane, the dower house of the O'Neills till the 1930s.
Charles also built Cleggan Lodge, originally a shooting lodge until taken over by Sir Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan, in the early 1900s.
Charles's son John, 1st Viscount O'Neill (1740-98) was a highly respected parliamentarian and was tragically killed at the Battle of Antrim in 1798.
Charles Henry St John, 2nd Viscount, was further elevated to become 1st Earl O'Neill and Viscount Raymond (1779-1841), continued his father's tradition as a distinguished parliamentarian and, for his support of the Act of Union, was granted the earldom.
The 1st Earl's younger brother, John 1780-1855), succeeded to the titles as 2nd and last Earl O'Neill when the earldom became extinct.
However, his estates were inherited by his cousin, the Rev William Chichester, who assumed the surname of O'Neill in lieu of Chichester the same year.
In 1868, the barony was revived, when the Rev William was created 1st Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle in the County of Antrim.
This title is still extant today.
The 1st Baron was the great-great-great-grandson of John Chichester, younger brother of Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall. The latter two were both nephews of Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall, and grandsons of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester..
Lord O'Neill was succeeded by his eldest son, the 2nd Baron, who sat as MP for Antrim.
His eldest son and heir apparent, the Hon Arthur O'Neill, was Mid-Antrim MP from 1910 until 1914, when he was killed in action during the First World War the first MP to die in the conflict.
The 2nd Baron was consequently succeeded by his grandson, the 3rd Baron (the son of the Hon Arthur O'Neill), who was killed in action in Italy during the Second World War.
As of 2010 the title is held by his son, 4th and present Baron, who succeeded in 1944.
The barony of the present creation really descends through marriage from the Chichester family, Earls and Marquesses of Donegall.
Shane's Castle remains one of the largest and finest private demesnes in Northern Ireland, extending to 2,700 acres.
It lies in a particularly scenic, not to say strategic, position on the north-east shore of Lough Neagh between Antrim and Randalstown.
Part of the Estate is a nature reserve.
The O'Neill family has had a hapless history with regard to the fate of their houses: the first Shane's Castle dated from the early 1600s and was utterly destroyed by an accidental fire in 1816.
The family moved to a small house adjoining the stables.
That house was replaced in 1865 by a larger, Victorian-Gothic castle which, tragically, was maliciously burnt in 1922 (as was the nearby Antrim Castle).
Its ruin was subsequently cleared away, and for the next 40 or so years the family lived once again in the stables.
The extensive and fine walled Shane's Castle demesne lies on the north shores of Lough Neagh.
It was established in the 17th century and surrounds a succession of houses on different sites.
There are ruins of the original dwelling on the shores of Lough Neagh and the 18th century house, with a lake-side terrace and a vault of 1722.
The attached and surviving camellia house, also by Nash, of 1815 is full of plants.
The present house (above) was built in 1958 in a pleasant spot to the north-west of the earlier house and south-west of the intermediate 1860s house (by Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon), which was burnt by the IRA in the 1920s.
It is classical, well-proportioned, with a handsome fanlighted doorway.
The parkland is beautiful and contains many well distributed venerable trees.
There are substantial shelter belts, which once accommodated walks and rides. Clumps and plantations also grace the fields.
There has been a long history of ornamental gardens and productive gardens on the site.
It was visited, depicted and remarked upon by various commentators of the 18th and 19th centuries.
A portrait of the landscape gardener John Sutherland by Martin Creggan (1822), hangs in the house.
Early 20th century photographs show well maintained acres in the days when many gardeners were employed to keep up a high standard commensurate with the size of the demesne.
In 1933 the surroundings were described as,
A large and impressive mid- 19th century rockery built in a quarry near the lough shores is not planted up but is kept clear.
At the present time there are beautifully maintained contemporary gardens at the house and adaptations of the walled garden planting for modern use.
Glasshouses have been removed.
The arboretum is being reinforced and much new planting has been added in the vicinity of the house.
There is a family graveyard, with a statue of a harpist by Victor Segoffin of 1923.
There are many well maintained and listed estate buildings such as Ballealy Cottage of ca 1835.
The surviving gate lodges by James Sands are very fine: Dunmore Lodge, ca 1850; Antrim Lodge, ca 1848; White or Ballygrooby Lodge, ca 1848; and Randalstown Gate Lodge, ca 1848, all listed.
The latter lodges belong to a period of enhancement on the demesne.
Two pre-1829 bridges are Dunmore Bridge and Deerpark Bridge.
The deer-park, on the western side of the River Maine, was sold to the Department of Agriculture before the last war and is known as Randalstown Forest.
First published in May, 2010. O'Neill arms courtesy of European Heraldry.
Charles also built Cleggan Lodge, originally a shooting lodge until taken over by Sir Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan, in the early 1900s.
Charles's son John, 1st Viscount O'Neill (1740-98) was a highly respected parliamentarian and was tragically killed at the Battle of Antrim in 1798.
Charles Henry St John, 2nd Viscount, was further elevated to become 1st Earl O'Neill and Viscount Raymond (1779-1841), continued his father's tradition as a distinguished parliamentarian and, for his support of the Act of Union, was granted the earldom.
The 1st Earl's younger brother, John 1780-1855), succeeded to the titles as 2nd and last Earl O'Neill when the earldom became extinct.
However, his estates were inherited by his cousin, the Rev William Chichester, who assumed the surname of O'Neill in lieu of Chichester the same year.
In 1868, the barony was revived, when the Rev William was created 1st Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle in the County of Antrim.
This title is still extant today.
The 1st Baron was the great-great-great-grandson of John Chichester, younger brother of Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall. The latter two were both nephews of Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall, and grandsons of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester..
Lord O'Neill was succeeded by his eldest son, the 2nd Baron, who sat as MP for Antrim.
His eldest son and heir apparent, the Hon Arthur O'Neill, was Mid-Antrim MP from 1910 until 1914, when he was killed in action during the First World War the first MP to die in the conflict.
The 2nd Baron was consequently succeeded by his grandson, the 3rd Baron (the son of the Hon Arthur O'Neill), who was killed in action in Italy during the Second World War.
As of 2010 the title is held by his son, 4th and present Baron, who succeeded in 1944.
As a descendant of the 1st Viscount Chichester, he is in remainder to the barony and viscountcy of Chichester and, according to a special patent in the letters patent, the earldom of Donegall, titles held by his kinsman, the present Marquess of Donegall.Two other members of the O'Neill family have been elevated to the peerage: Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan, youngest son of 2nd Baron O'Neill; and Terence O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, youngest brother of 3rd Baron.
The barony of the present creation really descends through marriage from the Chichester family, Earls and Marquesses of Donegall.
Shane's Castle remains one of the largest and finest private demesnes in Northern Ireland, extending to 2,700 acres.
It lies in a particularly scenic, not to say strategic, position on the north-east shore of Lough Neagh between Antrim and Randalstown.
Part of the Estate is a nature reserve.
The O'Neill family has had a hapless history with regard to the fate of their houses: the first Shane's Castle dated from the early 1600s and was utterly destroyed by an accidental fire in 1816.
The family moved to a small house adjoining the stables.
Its ruin was subsequently cleared away, and for the next 40 or so years the family lived once again in the stables.
The extensive and fine walled Shane's Castle demesne lies on the north shores of Lough Neagh.
It was established in the 17th century and surrounds a succession of houses on different sites.
There are ruins of the original dwelling on the shores of Lough Neagh and the 18th century house, with a lake-side terrace and a vault of 1722.
The attached and surviving camellia house, also by Nash, of 1815 is full of plants.
The present house (above) was built in 1958 in a pleasant spot to the north-west of the earlier house and south-west of the intermediate 1860s house (by Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon), which was burnt by the IRA in the 1920s.
It is classical, well-proportioned, with a handsome fanlighted doorway.
The parkland is beautiful and contains many well distributed venerable trees.
There are substantial shelter belts, which once accommodated walks and rides. Clumps and plantations also grace the fields.
There has been a long history of ornamental gardens and productive gardens on the site.
It was visited, depicted and remarked upon by various commentators of the 18th and 19th centuries.
A portrait of the landscape gardener John Sutherland by Martin Creggan (1822), hangs in the house.
Early 20th century photographs show well maintained acres in the days when many gardeners were employed to keep up a high standard commensurate with the size of the demesne.
In 1933 the surroundings were described as,
‘… exceedingly pretty, with old oaks, lovely flowers and enchanting vistas of both river and lake, and with rockeries, water-lily ponds and ferneries in profusion.’
A large and impressive mid- 19th century rockery built in a quarry near the lough shores is not planted up but is kept clear.
At the present time there are beautifully maintained contemporary gardens at the house and adaptations of the walled garden planting for modern use.
Glasshouses have been removed.
The arboretum is being reinforced and much new planting has been added in the vicinity of the house.
There is a family graveyard, with a statue of a harpist by Victor Segoffin of 1923.
There are many well maintained and listed estate buildings such as Ballealy Cottage of ca 1835.
The surviving gate lodges by James Sands are very fine: Dunmore Lodge, ca 1850; Antrim Lodge, ca 1848; White or Ballygrooby Lodge, ca 1848; and Randalstown Gate Lodge, ca 1848, all listed.
The latter lodges belong to a period of enhancement on the demesne.
Two pre-1829 bridges are Dunmore Bridge and Deerpark Bridge.
The deer-park, on the western side of the River Maine, was sold to the Department of Agriculture before the last war and is known as Randalstown Forest.
First published in May, 2010. O'Neill arms courtesy of European Heraldry.
Just a quick correction, Sir Brian mac Felim was not the eldest son, his brother Aodh, ancestor of Sir Neil O'Neill, and Rose, foster daughter of the Marchioness of Antrim, and daughter in law of Colonel Con mac Brian O'Neill, was the elder. I am descended from Con mac Brian through Charles Henry O'Neill, who was The O'Neill of Clanaboy when he died in 1865.
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