Sir Turlough McHenry O'Neill (died 1608) is known for having been killed together with his father, Henry, fighting for the crown in O'Doherty's Rebellion and for being the father of Sir Phelim O'Neill, who started the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

Birth and origins

Turlough was a son of Henry Oge O'Neill and his wife Cortine (or Catherine) O'Neill. Turlogh's father was called "oge" (

cf. The abbreviation ''cf.'' (short for the la, confer/conferatur, both meaning "compare") is used in writing to refer the reader to other material to make a comparison with the topic being discussed. Style guides recommend that ''cf.'' be used onl ...

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

'' óg'', young) to distinguish him from Turlough's grandfather who was also named Henry O'Neill. His father was the head of the O'Neills of Kinard, who were a cadet branch that parted from the O'Neill More when Turlough's great grandfather Shane O'Neill (died 1517), a younger son of Conn More O'Neill, King of Tir Eoghan, received Kinard as appanage. His mother was a daughter of

Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone Hugh O'Neill ( Irish: ''Aodh Mór Ó Néill''; literally ''Hugh The Great O'Neill''; – 20 July 1616), was an Irish Gaelic lord, Earl of Tyrone (known as the Great Earl) and was later created ''The Ó Néill Mór'', Chief of the Name. O'Nei ...

. Both parents were thus part of the Gaelic O'Neill Dynasty of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

Tyrone's Rebellion

Turlough's branch of the family had served on

the Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...

's side against Tyrone during the Nine Years' War (1594-1603). They were rewarded by having their land at Kinnard,

County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an administrative division for local government but retai ...

, granted to them directly by the crown. outside of Tyrone's overlordship. Turlogh was knighted on 17 April 1604 at

Rheban Castle Rheban Castle is a castle located in County Kildare, Ireland. Location Rheban Castle is located northwest of Athy, on the west bank of the River Barrow. Hendy Wildlife Reserve lies to the north, and Kilberry to the east, across the Barrow. ...

by George Carey (c. 1541 – 1616), who had for a short time been lord deputy under Mountjoy, Lord Lieutenant, in 1603.

O'Doherty's Rebellion and death

In 1608 he and his father

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

were both killed during O'Doherty's Rebellion. Sir Cahir O'Doherty had, like them, been a loyalist to the Crown, but was driven into rebellion by the treatment he received from local officials, mainly from Sir George Paulet, governor of Derry. On 19 April 1608 he took Derry by surprise in what is called the

Burning of Derry The Burning of Derry took place on 19 April 1608 during O'Doherty's Rebellion when Sir Cahir O'Doherty led a force of rebels to storm Derry in Ulster. He launched his rebellion with an attack on the garrison town of Derry, which was taken tha ...

. Some of his supporters killed Paulet. His forces then rampaged across Ulster attacking those who would not join him. His men attacked Kinnard, burned it and killed O'Neill and his father. O'Doherty was eventually defeated and killed in July at the decisive Battle of Kilmacrennan in County Donegall. Sir Turlough was succeeded by his young son

Sir Phelim O'Neill Sir Phelim Roe O'Neill of Kinard ( Irish: ''Sir Féilim Rua Ó Néill na Ceann Ard''; 1604–1653) was an Irish politician and soldier who started the Irish rebellion in Ulster on 23 October 1641. He joined the Irish Catholic Confederat ...

. His widow Catherine remarried to Robert Hovendon, a Catholic of recent English origin, who was stepfather to Sir Phelim. Their son, also called

Robert Hovenden Robert Hovenden D.D. (1544–1614) was an English academic administrator at the University of Oxford. Hovenden was elected Warden (head) of All Souls College, Oxford in 1571, a post he held until 1614. During his time as Warden of All Souls Co ...

, joined Sir Phelim when he launched the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

Notes and References

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * – 1603–1623 * – (Preview) * – (for timeline) * * – (Snippet view) * – Knights bachelors & Index {{DEFAULTSORT:ONeill, Turlough MacShane 17th-century Irish people Irish knights People from County Tyrone Year of birth unknown 1608 deaths People of O'Doherty's rebellion