Tirlough Brassileagh O'Neill ( Irish: ''Toirrdhealbhach Brassileagh Ó Néill'') was the son of

Phelim Caoch O'Neill Phelim Caoch O'Neill ( Irish: ''Feidhlimidh Caoch Ó Néill'', 1517-1542) was a prince of the Cenél nEógain. The eldest son of King Conn Bacach O'Neill. The then O'Neill, Conn's dynasty held lordship over significant parts of Ulster. Pheli ...

, a prince of the

Cenél nEógain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history * Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

. A grandson of

Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone Conn may refer to: * Conn (name), a family name and a masculine given name ** Conn, mythological son of Ler (mythology), Ler from the Children of Lir legend ** Conn of the Hundred Battles, a figure from Irish mythology ** Jerome W. Conn, American ...

, then king and later earl of Tyrone, he was fostered by the McCann clan in the area to the south of

Lough Neagh Lough Neagh ( ; ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake on the island of Ireland and in the British Isles. It has a surface area of and is about long and wide. According to Northern Ireland Water, it supplies 4 ...

known as Clan Brassill area. When Tirlough's father died in 1542, he and his family were quickly pushed aside by the internal politics of O'Neill dominated

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

. As a grandson of Conn Bacach, he would eventually be able to attempt a try at the chiefship of all the O'Neills, and thus was seen as a threat by his uncles Shane O'Neill and Mathew Kelly (Ferdocha), baron of Dungannon. In spite of his uncles warfare and attempts to push him out, Tirlough eventually outlived both uncles and grew to some importance in the turmoil of the later 16th century. Tirlough stood for election as The O'Neill in 1583 when it was thought that

Turlough Luineach O'Neill Sir Turlough Lynagh O'Neill (also known as Turlough Luineach) ( Irish: ''An Ridire Toirdhealbhach Luineach mac Néill Chonnalaigh Ó Néill''; – September 1595) was an Irish Gaelic lord of Tír Eoghain in early modern Ireland. He was inau ...

, the reigning O'Neill, had died, and led sizeable groups of fighting men in 1575 and throughout the 1590s during the

Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between Kingdom of France, France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Grand Alliance. Although largely concentrated in Europe, fighting spread to colonial poss ...

. He is listed as having the ability to raise "50 Horse and 200 foot" soldiers out of his territories at 24 hours' notice to fight. Tirlough again made a bid for the lordship in the 1590s, but his cousin,

Hugh O'Neill, 3rd Earl of Tyrone Hugh is the English-language variant of the masculine given name , itself the Old French variant of ''Hugo (name), Hugo'', a short form of Continental Germanic Germanic name, given names beginning in the element "mind, spirit" (Old English ). ...

, bought him off with a gift of territory. In 1595 the English make reference to Tirlough as being part of the leadership in Ulster, but too old to worry about, and he died sometime after. Tirlough was married to an Anabla O'Reilly. They had children: Conn and

Hugh McShane O'Neill Hugh McShane O'Neill ( – after 1621) was an early modern Irish nobleman and rebel associated with the McShanes of Glenconkeyne and Killetra (modern south County Londonderry). This group was also called the "Wild Clan Shanes of Killetragh" or ...

. These sons were fought in the Nine Years' War raiding neighboring clans, and in the 1608 Rebellion.

Sources

*Annals of the Four Masters *Pardon Rolls of King James I *State Papers of Ireland {{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Tirlough Brassileagh Irish lords O'Neill dynasty People from County Tyrone 16th-century Irish people