Earldom of Ulster

Arms of Richard of York
(Image: European Heraldry)

Shortly after the death of Strongbow in 1176, HENRY II granted "Ulidia," the present counties of Antrim and Down, and afterwards called among the Anglo-Irish "Ulster," to

De Courcy arms

SIR JOHN DE COURCY (1150-1219),

Who having distinguished himself during the reign of HENRY II, in that monarch's wars in England and Gascony, was sent into Ireland, in 1177, as an assistant to William FitzAldelm, in the government of that kingdom. 

Sir John having prevailed upon some of the veteran soldiery to accompany him, invaded the province of Ulster with twenty-two knights, fifty esquires, and about three hundred foot soldiers; and after many hard-fought battles, succeeded in attaching that quarter of the kingdom to the crown. 

For which important service Sir John was created, in 1181 (being the first Englishman dignified with an Irish title of honour), EARL OF ULSTER.

His lordship remained in high favour during the remainder of the reign of his royal master, and performed prodigies of valour in Ireland; but upon the accession of KING JOHN, his splendour and rank having excited the envy of Hugh de Lacy, appointed Governor of Ireland by that monarch, Lord Ulster was treacherously seized while performing penance, unarmed and barefooted, in the churchyard of Downpatrick, on Good Friday, 1203, and sent over to England, where the King condemned him to perpetual imprisonment in the Tower, and granted to de Lacy all of Lord Ulster’s possessions in Ireland.

After the Earl of Ulster had been in confinement for about a year, a dispute happening to arise between KING JOHN and PHILIP II of FRANCE concerning the Duchy of Normandy, the decision of which being referred to single combat, KING JOHN, more hasty than advised, appointed the day, against which the King of France provided his champion; but the King of England, less fortunate, could find no one of his subjects willing to take up the gauntlet, until his captive in the Tower, the gallant Earl of Ulster, was prevailed upon to accept the challenge.

But when everything was prepared for the contest, and the champions had entered the lists, in presence of the monarchs of England, France, and Spain, the opponent of Lord Ulster, seized with a sudden panic, put spurs to his horse, and fled the arena; whereupon the victory was adjudged with acclamation to the champion of England.

The French king being informed, however, of Lord Ulster’s powerful strength, and wishing to witness some exhibition of it, Lord Ulster, at the desire of KING JOHN, cleft a massive helmet in two at a single blow.

The King was so well satisfied at this signal performance, that he not only restored Lord Ulster to his estates and effects, but desired him to ask anything within his gift and it should be granted.

To which Ulster replied, that having estates and titles enough, he desired that his successors might have the privilege to remain covered in the presence of His Majesty, and all future Kings of England; which request was immediately conceded.

He married Affreca, daughter of Godred Olafsson, King of Man and the Isles, and by Scandinavian and Irish help managed to maintain his possessions of Ulidia against all the power of the viceroy Hugh de Lacy, whom he defeated in a battle at Down in 1204; however, in May, 1205, KING JOHN bestowed the Earldom on

HUGH DE LACY (c1176-1242), who, according to Matthew Paris, a most famous soldier, obtained the earldom of Ulster from KING JOHN, by betraying and delivering into that monarch's power the celebrated John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster.

De Lacy arms

He subsequently, however, incurred the displeasure of the King, and was himself driven out of Ireland.

His wife was Emmeline, daughter and heir of Walter de Riddlesford, by whom he left at his decease an only daughter and heir, MAUD DE LACY, who wedded

WALTER DE BURGH (c1230-71), Lord of Connaught, and, became in consequence EARL OF ULSTER (second creation), in her right at her father's decease in 1242, and in his own right in 1264.

The issue of this marriage consisted of four sons, namely,

RICHARD, his successor;

Theobald, died at Carrickfergus;

William;

Thomas.

The eldest son,

RICHARD DE BURGH, 2nd Earl (1259-1326),

Usually called the Red Earl, the most powerful subject in Ireland, and general of all the Irish forces in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Gascony, was a great soldier and statesman. He founded the Carmelite monastery at Loughrea, built the castles of Ballymote, Corran, and Sligo, and eventually retired to the monastery of Athassel, where he died in 1326.

This nobleman married Margaret, daughter of John de Burgh.

De Burgh arms

The second son of the marriage,

JOHN DE BURGH, wedded Elizabeth, third daughter of Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester, and died in 1313, having had one son,

WILLIAM DE BURGH, 3rd Earl (1312-33), who succeeded his grandfather in 1326, was knighted at London, 1328, and sat in the parliament in Dublin the following year. 

He was murdered on the 6th June, 1333, by Robert FitzRichard de Mandeville and his servants, near Shankill church, outside Belfast, in going to Carrickfergus. His wife and only daughter retired to England; and so barbarous an affair causing a prodigious outcry, the Lord Justice called a parliament, by whose advice he sailed to Carrickfergus; but, before his arrival, the country people had destroyed the murderers, with their abettors, killing, in one day, three hundred.

The wife of this nobleman was Maud, third daughter of Henry Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, grandson of HENRY III; and the only issue of this illustrious alliance,

THE LADY ELIZABETH DE BURGH (1332-63), de jure COUNTESS OF ULSTER, espoused, in 1352,

LIONEL, of Antwerp, KG, third son of EDWARD III, who became, in consequence, 4th Earl of Ulster, Lord of Connaught; and created, in 1362, DUKE OF CLARENCE.

This prince went over to Ireland, and was appointed Lord Lieutenant thereof in 1361.

By the great heiress of De Burgh he left, at his decease, one daughter,

PHILIPPA (1355-82), who was given in marriage, at the age of thirteen, by her grandfather, EDWARD III, to

EDMUND MORTIMER, 3rd Earl of March, and, in consequence of his marriage, 5th EARL OF ULSTER.

The issue of this marriage,

ROGER;

Edmund;

Elizabeth; Philippa.

The 5th Earl's elder son,

ROGER DE MORTIMER, 6th Earl of Ulster (1374-98), wedded Allianore, eldest daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, and had issue,

EDMUND, his successor;

Roger;

Anne; Eleanor.

The elder son,

EDMUND, 7th Earl (1391-1425), and 5th Earl of March, died without issue, and the heir to his estates was the son of his sister, the Lady Anne and the Earl of Cambridge,

RICHARD, 3RD DUKE OF YORK (1411-60), as 8th Earl of Ulster, who wedded Cecily Neville.

The eldest surviving son of this marriage,

EDWARD (1442-83), 4TH DUKE OF YORK, 9th Earl of Ulster, ascended the throne as EDWARD IV, when the Earldom of Ulster merged with the crown.

1st Baron Kingsale

THE LORD KINGSALE IS PREMIER BARON OF IRELAND

The early lineage and origin of this ancient barony is obscure. One authority states that Miles de Courcy may have become Lord Courcy of Kinsale about 1340, though considers it more probable that the barony was acquired fifty years later.

In 1397, William de Courcy received a patent as Dominus et Baro de Courcy. The numbering of the barons varies, some sources including the holders of the ancient barony; others commencing with the barons confirmed by letters patent. The feudal titles of Lord Courcy and Lord Ringhorne, probably created on the 12th century, are also held.

The family of COURCY claims alliance with most of the royal houses of Europe, paternally through the Dukes of Lorraine, and maternally through the ducal house of Normandy. LOUIS IV, King of France, born in 920, wedded, in 939, Gerberga of Saxony, daughter of HENRY THE FOWLER, King of Germany, by whom he had two sons, Lothair, who succeeded to the French throne (and with whose son, LOUIS V, the race of monarchs descended from Charlemagne ceased), and CHARLES, Duke of Lower Lorraine; whose immediate descendant,

ROBERT DE COURCY, Lord of Courcy in Normandy, in 1026, was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD DE COURCY, who accompanied his sovereign WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, into England, and distinguishing himself at the battle of Hastings, participated largely in the Conqueror's spoil, having been allotted numerous lordships; amongst which was that of Stoke, in Somerset, and thence denominated Stoke Courcy (Stogursey).

His lordship died in 1098, and was succeeded by his son,

ROBERT, as 2nd Baron of Stoke Courcy, who founded the nunnery of Cannington, Somerset.

This nobleman was steward of the household to HENRY I, and to his daughter, EMPRESS MATILDA; by the former of whom he was appointed one of the greater barons of Westminster.

His lordship espoused Rohais, daughter of Hugh de Grandmesnil, Lord of Hinckley, Leicestershire, and Lord High Steward of England, by whom he had five sons, and was succeeded by the eldest,

WILLIAM, 3rd Baron of Stoke Courcy, and royal steward to HENRY I.

This nobleman, having no issue, was succeeded by his brother,

ROBERT, 4th Baron of Stoke Courcy, who, during the reign of KING STEPHEN, had a principal command at the battle of Northampton against the Scots.

This feudal lord wedded Avice, daughter and co-heir of William Meschin, and was succeeded by an only son,

ROBERT, 5th Baron, father of

WILLIAM, 6th Baron of Stoke Courcy, Royal Steward to HENRY II, who died in 1171, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN DE COURCY (1150-1219), 7th Baron of Stoke Courcy, who having distinguished himself during the reign of HENRY II, in that monarch's wars in England and Gascony, was sent into Ireland, in 1177, as an assistant to William FitzAdelm in the government of that kingdom.

Sir John having prevailed upon some of the veteran soldiers to accompany him, invaded the province of Ulster, with twenty-two knights, fifty esquires, and about three hundred foot-soldiers, and, after many hard-fought battles, succeeded in attaching Ulster to the English monarchy.

By many prosperous battles fought with great risk to his life, he subdued Ulster to the obedience of HENRY II.

He stretched the bounds of the English Pale as far as Dunluce, in the most northern parts of the province, which he endeavoured to secure by building castles and fortresses in convenient places.

Sir John established Inch Abbey, near Downpatrick, County Down, in 1177.

For this important service Sir John was formally created, in 1181 (being the first Englishman dignified with an Irish title of honour) EARL OF ULSTER, and Lord of Connaught; with a grant by patent to him and his heirs, that they should enjoy all the land in Ireland he could gain by his sword, together with the donation of bishoprics and abbeys; reserving from him only homage and fealty.

In 1182, he was constituted sole Governor of Ireland.

By his reputation and conduct he brought the whole kingdom in one year into such regularity and order that " a man with a wand, having treasure about him, might travel along the country with safety."

His lordship continued in high favour during the remainder of the reign of his royal master, and performed prodigies of valour in Ireland.

This splendour and rank having excited the envy of Hugh de Lacy, appointed Viceroy of Ireland by KING JOHN, Sir John, the Earl of Ulster, was seized while performing penance unarmed and barefooted in the churchyard at Downpatrick, County Down, on Good Friday, 1204.

He was sent over to England, where he was condemned to life imprisonment in the Tower of London.

KING JOHN granted to de Lacy all of Sir John's possessions in Ireland, and, in 1205, created him EARL OF ULSTER.

After Sir John had been in confinement about a year, a dispute happening to arise between KING JOHN and PHILIP II of France, concerning the Duchy of Normandy, the decision of which being referred to single combat, KING JOHN, more hasty than advised, appointed the day, against which the King of France provided his champion;

But the King of England, less fortunate, could find no one of his subjects willing to take up the gauntlet, until his captive in the Tower, Sir John de Courcy, was prevailed upon to accept the challenge.

However, when everything was prepared for the contest, and the champions had entered the lists, in the presence of the monarchs of England, France, and Spain, the opponent of the Sir John, seized with a sudden panic, put spurs on his horse and fled the arena; whereupon the victory was adjudged with acclamation to the champion of England.

The French king being informed, however, of Sir John's powerful strength, and wishing to witness some exhibition of it, his lordship, at the desire of KING JOHN, a sturdy helmet was laid on a block of wood, which Sir John cleft asunder, and with the same blow struck so deep into the wood, that no person present except himself could withdraw his sword.

The King was so well satisfied that this signal performance, that he not only restored Sir John to his estates and effects, but desired him to ask anything within his gift, and it should be granted.

His Majesty would now have restored his earldom, which was held back by Hugh de Lacy, who refused to surrender it.

KING JOHN could only accede to Sir John de Courcy the permission to repair to Ireland to re-conquer it for himself; at the same time granting to him and his male heirs the privilege of appearing covered before the Kings of England.

To which Sir John replied, that having estates and titles enough, he desired that his successors might have the privilege to remain covered in the presence of His Majesty, and all future kings of England, which request was immediately conceded.

Contrary winds prevented his succeeding in several attempts to cross the Irish Sea.

Sir John de Courcy died in France in 1219, and was succeeded by his only son,

MILES DE COURCY (c1286-c1344), who, being unable to recover his father's earldom, was created, ca 1340, BARON KINGSALE, in Ireland, as a compensation for the earldom of Ulster, which was retained by Hugh de Lacy.

His lordship was thereafter obliged to reside in Ireland, and neglected to claim the English barony of Stoke Courcy.

For three centuries afterwards the honours descended uninterruptedly to,

JOHN, 13th Baron, died in 1628, leaving four sons,

GERALD, his heir;
Edmond, dsp;
PATRICK;
David, grandfather of JOHN, 25th Baron.

The eldest son,

GERALD, 14th Baron, died without male issue, about 1642, leaving a daughter, MARY, who wedded firstly, John Galway, of Kinsale; and secondly, Donogh O'Driscoll.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

PATRICK, 15th Baron, who died about 1663, leaving four sons and three daughters, viz.

JOHN, his successor;
Edmund, dsp;
Miles, father of GERALD, 24th Baron;
Gerald, dsp;
Alice; Elizabeth; Margaret.

The eldest son,

JOHN, 16th Baron, died in 1667, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

PATRICK, 17th Baron (c1660-69); who dsp and was succeeded by his brother,

ALMERICUS, 18th Baron (c1664-1720); outlawed, 1691, for his adhesion to the fortunes of King JAMES II; but the oulawry was very soon removed, and his lordship took his seat in the Irish parliament in 1692.

This nobleman, in observance of the ancient privilege of his house, appeared in the presence of WILLIAM III covered, and explained to that monarch, when His Majesty expressed surprise at the circumstance, the reason thus:

Sire, my name is Courcy; I am Lord of Kingsale in Your Majesty's Kingdom of Ireland; and the reason of my appearing covered in Your Majesty's presence is, to assert the ancient privilege of my family, granted to Sir John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster, and his heirs, by JOHN, King of England.

The King acknowledged the privilege, and giving Lord Kingsale his hand to kiss, his lordship paid his obeisance and continued covered.

He died without issue, when the title reverted to his first cousin,

GERALD, 19th Baron (1700-59), grandson of Patrick, the 20th Baron; who, upon being presented to GEORGE I, in 1720, had the honour of kissing His Majesty's hand, and asserting his ancient privilege.

His lordship espoused Margaretta, only daughter and heir of John Essington, of Ashlyns, Hertfordshire, and had issue,

Mary;
Elizabeth Geraldine;
Eleanor Elizabeth.

His lordship thus leaving no male issue, the Barony devolved upon his second cousin,

JOHN, 20th Baron (c1717-76), who married, in 1746, Martha, daughter of the Rev William Heron, of Dorchester, Dorset, by whom he had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
William;
Michael, Admiral in the Royal Navy;
James;
Gerald (Rev);
Mary; Martha; Elizabeth; Anne.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN, 21st Baron, who wedded, in 1763, Susan, daughter of Conway Blennerhasset, of Castle Conway, County Kerry, by whom he had issue,

John, died 1813;
THOMAS (Rev), his successor;
Michael, Captain RN;
Gerald;
Martha; Elizabeth; Anne Geraldine; Mary.

His lordship died in 1822, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

THOMAS, 22nd Baron (1774-1832); at whose decease, unmarried, the title devolved upon his nephew,

JOHN STAPLETON, 23rd Baron (1805-47), who wedded, in 1825, Sarah, daughter of Joseph Chadder, and had issue,

JOHN CONSTANTINE, his successor;
Michael Conrad;
Florence Helena; Catherine Adela.

• John Constantine de Courcy, 24th Baron (1827–65);

• Michael Conrad de Courcy, 25th Baron (1828–74);

• John Fitzroy de Courcy, 26th Baron (1821–90);

• Michael William de Courcy, 27th Baron (1822–95);

• Michael Constantine de Courcy, 28th Baron (1855–1931);

• Michael William Robert de Courcy, 29th Baron (1882–1969);

• John de Courcy, 30th Baron (1941–2005);

• Nevinson Mark de Courcy, 31st Baron (b 1958).

 The heir presumptive is the present holder's kinsman, Joseph Kenneth Charles de Courcy (b 1955).

The heir presumptive's heir apparent is his son, Patrick Miles Hugh de Courcy (b 1993).

First published in March, 2016. 

Shane's Castle

THE O'NEILLS 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.

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.

The present Lord O'Neill with a portrait of Rose, Marchioness of Antrim

Sir Henry, by his will dated 1637, entailed his estates on the heirs male of his uncle, Con McBrian O'Neill.

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,

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 Rowegift in the townland of Largy, one of his tenants.

French John died in 1739, and was succeeded by his second son,

Charles O'Neill MP (Image credit: 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,

CHARLES HENRY ST JOHN, his heir;
JOHN BRUCE RICHARD, succeeded his brother as last Viscount.

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.

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 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 it was acquired by Sir Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan, in the early 1900s.

Charles's son John, 1st Viscount O'Neill, 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 2nd World War.

As of 2010^[update] 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.

 

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 present Neo-Georgian house (above) on the estate was built in 1958 for the present Lord O'Neill, to the designs of Arthur Jury, of Blackwood & Jury, architects.

The formal gardens to the south were laid out from the 1960s.

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. 

House of O'Neill

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.

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.

The present Lord O'Neill with a portrait of Rose, Marchioness of Antrim

Sir Henry, by his will dated 1637, entailed his estates on the heirs male of his uncle, Con McBrian O'Neill.

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,

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 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,

CHARLES HENRY ST JOHN, his heir;
JOHN BRUCE RICHARD, succeeded his brother as last Viscount.

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.

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.

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.

 

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, 

‘… 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 the NLI.