Owen Roe O'Neill
Owen Roe O'Neill Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1585 |
Died | 6 November 1649 (aged 63–64) Cloughoughter Castle, County Cavan, Kingdom of Ireland |
Resting place | The Abbey, Cavan, Ireland |
Other names | Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill |
Occupation(s) | Mercenary, Soldier |
Known for | Irish General |
Title | Commander of the Ulster Army |
Predecessor | Sir Felim O'Neill of Kinard |
Successor | Bishop Heber MacMahon |
Spouse | Rosa Uí Néill |
Parent | Art MacBaron O'Neill |
Owen Roe O'Neill (Irish: Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill; c. 1585 – 6 November 1649) was a Gaelic Irish soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster. O'Neill left Ireland at a young age and spent most of his life as a mercenary in the Spanish Army serving against the Dutch in Flanders during the Eighty Years' War. After the Irish Rebellion of 1641, O'Neill returned and took command of the Irish Confederate Ulster Army. He is known for his victory at the Battle of Benburb in 1646.
O'Neill's later years were marked by infighting amongst the Confederates, and in 1647 he led his army to seize power in the capital of
Early life
O'Neill was the illegitimate son of
His year of birth is unknown but was likely to have been around 1585. It is also not known exactly where he was born, but it was probably near Loughgall in County Armagh where his father's estates were and where O'Neill spent much of his youth.[1] His mother was the daughter of Hugh Connolly O'Reilly, lord of Breifne O'Reilly in County Cavan.
O'Neill was educated by
Several of his elder brothers also took part in the rebellion, some of whom died fighting. Another, Brian MacArt O'Neill, was hanged for manslaughter in 1607. One of his nephews was Daniel O'Neill, a Protestant who became a noted cavalier in England during the 1640s. Another of his nephews, Hugh Dubh O'Neill fought in the Confederate Wars and famously inflicted heavy casualties on Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army during the Siege of Clonmel in 1650.[3]
In Spanish Service
As a young man O'Neill left Ireland (likely in 1607 during the Flight of the Earls).[4] He grew up in the Spanish Netherlands and served for 40 years in the Irish regiment of the Spanish army. Most of his combat was in the Eighty Years' War against the Dutch Republic in Flanders and against the French in the Franco-Spanish War. He distinguished himself notably at the Siege of Arras in 1640, where he commanded the Spanish garrison and held out for 48 days with 2,000 men (many of whom were fellow Irishmen), against a French army of 35,000.[5] Throughout his career O'Neill was known to be an expert in defensive warfare.
Like many Irish officers in Spanish service, O'Neill was deeply opposed to
However, in 1642, O'Neill planned to return to Ireland with 300 veterans to aid the Irish Rebellion of 1641, apparently at the invitation of one of the organizers of the rebellion Rory O'Moore. He was given money by the Pope, with which he bought a frigate, the St. Francis, and also purchased weapons and canons to arm the ships. The ship, often described as the flagship of the Confederate naval forces during the war, was the first to fly the Confederate flag. He was joined by several of his countrymen and his sons. They managed to evade several Royal Navy vessels which were specially deployed to intercept O'Neill. Upon landing in Ulster he was met by Sir Felim O'Neill who escorted him to the Irish-held fort of Charlemont.[7]
Twelve more ships from continental Europe carrying experienced Irish officers along with weapons and supplies for the Irish war effort would land in Ireland later, reviving the rebellion, and adding considerable knowledge and experience to the Catholic ranks, which would prove extremely valuable.[8]
Return to Ireland
The rebellion had broken out in autumn 1641, with the rebel leaders issuing the
The subsequent war, known as the Irish Confederate Wars, was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms—civil wars throughout Britain and Ireland. Because of his military experience, O'Neill was recognised on his return to Ireland, at Doe Castle in County Donegal on 8 July 1642,[9][10] as the leading representative of the O'Neills and head of the Ulster Irish. Sir Phelim O'Neill resigned the northern command of the Irish rebellion in Eoghan Rua's favour and escorted him from Lough Swilly to Charlemont.
Upon arrival in Ireland, he received a letter from an English parliamentarian general by the name of Leslie, telling O'Neill that he was sad O'Neill, as an experienced officer, was committing himself to such a cause and that he should return to Spain. O'Neill responded that his cause in Ireland was far more honourable than an English general fighting against his own King.[8]
But distrust between the kinsmen was complicated by differences between Owen Roe O'Neill and the
Mainly because Preston had been given the available military resources, O'Neill was outnumbered by the Scottish
Campaigns of 1643-45
With a stalemate in Ulster following the Battle of Clones, the Confederate Supreme council ordered O'Neill and the Ulster Army to join Thomas Preston's Leinster Army in campaigns against Royalist strongholds in the midlands. Despite the animosity between O'Neill and Preston (which often led to difficulties when they campaigned together), the campaign was successful, with several royalist strongholds in the Midlands, especially in the Counties of Meath and Westmeath being captured or destroyed. They also raided much of the area for supplies.[8]
In one famous battle, O'Neill's army was confronted by a British force under the command of Lord Moore. According to legend, O'Neill simply went over to a cannon, took aim, and blew off Lord Moore's head. After losing their commander, the British force retreated without a fight.
After the midlands campaign, O'Neill was ordered to return to Ulster with Lord Castlehaven to conduct offensive operations against the territory held by the Covenanters. These attacks descended into a series of skirmishes but, despite being relatively unsuccessful, provided an important experience to the troops of the Ulster Army. O'Neill was deeply irritated that Castlehaven had been put in charge of the army instead of him, especially when the campaign failed. O'Neill later accused Castlehaven of cowardice, a dispute that was brought before the Supreme Council. At one point, O'Neill even considered leaving and returning to Spanish service, but was ultimately compelled not to with the arrival of weapons and reinforcements sent by the Papacy.[7]
O'Neill returned to Ulster, where the Ulster Army set up winter headquarters at the town of Belturbet in County Cavan. The army, now better trained and experienced than ever before, emerged a transformed force in the spring of 1646, and prepared to destroy the Covenanters.[8]
Battle of Benburb
In 1646 O'Neill, with substantial
Upon receiving the news of the Confederate victory, the Pope, delighted at the news of a Catholic triumph over the Protestants, sent O'Neill the sword belonging to his great uncle, the Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, who had led the rebellion against the English in the Nine Years' War. After the defeat in the conflict, he had fled Ireland during the Flight of the Earls in an attempt to gain support from Catholic powers in Continental Europe, where he died in Rome in 1616.[4]
Coup d'état and siege of Dublin
In November O'Neill and Preston attempted to besiege Dublin.[15] On 2 November they sent an ultimatum to Ormond to admit a Catholic garrison into the town.[16] When Ormond refused, the two generals marched to Lucan west of Dublin where they were joined by the Nuncio.[17] With winter approaching and hearing that Parliamentarian troops had landed in Dublin, O'Neill abandoned the siege.[18]
Campaigns of 1647
By 1647, the Confederate council was becoming increasingly concerned that the Royalist garrison in Dublin was planning to hand the city over to the Parliamentarians rather than let it fall into the hands of the Irish. For this reason, O'Neill and Preston were ordered to join forces to capture the city before any Parliamentarian forces could arrive. This was the largest army ever put together by the Confederates.[8]
O'Neill and Preston set up camp between Lucan and Celbridge. Neither man was the overall commander, with both holding equal levels of command. However neither man trusted the other, and their personal dislike of each other led to constant argument and bickering between the two. For a month or so they could not agree on a plan of action and in this time the city was handed over to the Parliamentarians under the command of Michael Jones. The Royalist commander of Dublin, Ormond, said he "preferred English rebels to Irish ones". Afterwards, both generals retreated.[8][4]
O'Neill then went on the campaign throughout northern Connacht, particularly against English strongholds in County Sligo. This campaign had mixed success, but O'Neill was recalled to Leinster after Preston was defeated by the Parliamentarians near Trim, County Meath. O'Neill drove Jones and his army back to Dublin while the Leinster army regrouped.[8][19]
O'Neill, who was still in northern Leinster, was again called to Preston's aid when the Leinster army was almost destroyed by Jones at the Battle of Dungans Hill. As the remainder of Preston's army retreated, O'Neill arrived just in time to mount a successful rearguard action and annihilated the Parliamentarian advanced guard pursuing Preston. However, with the Leinster army now severely damaged, Leinster was in a precarious position. Afterwards, O'Neill returned to southern Ulster.[19]
Factionalism and disillusionment
In March 1646 a treaty was signed between Ormond and the Catholics, which would have committed the Catholics to sending troops to aid the Royalist cause in the
So alienated was O'Neill by the terms of the peace the Confederates had made with Ormond that he refused to join the Catholic/Royalist coalition and in 1648 his Ulster army fought against other Irish Catholic armies. He made overtures for alliance to
With O'Neill aligned with the Papal Nuncio, Rinuccini had the power to
However, upon hearing of Oliver Cromwell's landing in Ireland and the subsequent Sack of Drogheda, and failing to obtain any better terms from the Parliamentarian forces, he turned once more to Ormond and the Catholic confederates, with whom he prepared to co-operate more earnestly when Cromwell's arrival in Ireland in August 1649 brought a war of horror.[11]
Death and legacy
O'Neill died on 6 November 1649[21] at the O'Reilly stronghold of Cloughoughter Castle on an island in Lough Oughter in County Cavan.[5] One belief was that he was poisoned by a priest who was working for the English, another that he died from an illness resulting from an old wound. However, it is now widely believed that he died from complications to do with gout, which he had complained about several days before his death.[8][7]
Given O'Neill's well-known excellent defensive abilities, and immense experience in siege warfare, he could have been a serious threat to Cromwell's invasion, and that would be reason enough to assassinate O'Neill. However, there is no evidence to support this, and it is generally accepted now that he died of gout.[19] Under cover of night he was said to have been brought to the Franciscan abbey in Cavan town for burial. Local tradition is that he was buried at Trinity Abbey, on an island in Lough Oughter. His death was a major blow to the Irish of Ulster and was kept secret for some time.[5]
After his death, the command of the Ulster army fell to his son Henry Roe until a replacement was found. Catholic nobles and gentry met in Ulster in March to appoint a commander to succeed O'Neill. Their choice was
In the 19th century, O'Neill was celebrated by the
“Did they dare, did they dare, to slay Owen Roe O’Neill?”
“Yes, they slew with poison him they feared to meet with steel.”
“May God wither up their hearts! May their blood cease to flow,
May they walk in living death, who poisoned Owen Roe.”
Tommy Makem composed a song, "The Battle of Benburb", which commemorates O'Neill's 1646 victory over the Scottish Covenanters.
Commemoration
O'Neill is commemorated in the names of several Gaelic Athletic Association clubs in Northern Ireland, including (in Armagh) Eoghan Ruadh Middletown; (in Derry) CLG Eoghan Rua, Coleraine; (in Dublin) St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh GAA, and (in Tyrone) Brackaville Owen Roes GFC; Owen Roe O'Neill's GAC, Leckpatrick; Dungannon Eoghan Ruadh Hurling Club, in Down, Kilcoo Owen Roes GAC and the defunct Benburb Eoghan Ruadh GAC
The
Citations
- ^ Casway 2004, pp. 9–10.
- ^ Casway 2004, p. 851, right column, line 11. "Well educated by continental-trained Franciscans ..."
- ^ Lenihan 2008.
- ^ OCLC 9392864.
- ^ a b c d Bréifne 2006, p. 10.
- ^ Ó Fiaich (2001).
- ^ a b c Gardiner 1895.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Webb 1878.
- ^ Casway 1984, p. 62. "Owen skirted the northern coast of Scotland and arrived safely around 8 July at Doe Castle ..."
- ^ Taylor 1896, p. 112. "... landed at Doo Castle ..."
- ^ a b c public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "O'Neill". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 110–111. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ Bowcott (2011).
- ^ Hayes-McCoy 1990, p. 197. "He [Owen Roe O'Neill] listened to the nuncio's plea, 'quitted the opportunity of conquest in Ulster' and marched south."
- ^ Coffey 1914, p. 178. "Now seemed the time to follow up the victory of Benburb and subdue the whole North of Ireland, but it was not to be for letters from the Nuncio cause O'Neill to withdraw from the North and move South ..."
- ^ Ó Siochrú 2009, 13th paragraph. "... in early November [1646] a large confederate army reached the outskirts of Dublin ..."
- ^ Carte 1851, p. 274. "... on Nov. 2 [1646] the two generals joined in sending propositions to the lord lieutenant, demanding the admission of Roman Catholic garrisons into Dublin ..."
- ^ Carte 1851, p. 276. "Preston came with his army to Lucan on Nov. 9, the nuncio arrived there on the 11th"
- ^ Carte 1851, p. 278. "... on the 16th a person came to the door with intelligence that the English forces were landed and received in Dublin. O'Neile ... decamped in the night with his army ..."
- ^ OCLC 55646363.
- ^ O'Sullivan 1983, p. 278. "... on the morning of the 23rd February 1649, Rinuccini quitted 'the place of his refuge' and went on board."
- ^ Taylor 1896, p. 235. "... on the 6th of November 1649, the news was borne to a doomed Ireland that the greatest of her sons was dead."
Sources
- Bréifne (2006). Egan, Terry (ed.). A Travel Guide to Bréifne: the Lost Kingdom of Ireland. Belfast: The Stationery Office Ltd. ISBN 978-0-337-08747-9.
- Bowcott, Owen (2011). "How lies about Irish 'barbarism' in 1641 paved way for Cromwell's atrocities". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- OCLC 1086656347. – 1643 to 1660
- Casway, Jerrold (1984). Owen Roe O'Neill and the Struggle for Catholic Ireland. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania. ISBN 0-8122-7895-X.
- Casway, Jerrold I. (2004). "O'Neill, Owen Roe [Eoghan Ruadh O'Neill] (c.1550–1649)". In ISBN 0-19-861391-1.
- Coffey, Diarmid (1914). O'Neill and Ormond – A Chapter of Irish History. Dublin: Maunsel & Company. OCLC 906164979.
- OCLC 8544105.
- ISBN 0-86281-250-X.
- Lenihan, Pádraig (2008). Consolidating Conquest: Ireland 1603–1727. London: ISBN 978-0-582-77217-5. – (Preview)
- Ó Fiaich, Tomás (2001). "Republicanism and Separatism in the Seventeenth Century". Wayback Machine. Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
- Ó Siochrú, Micheál (October 2009). McGuire, James; Quinn, James (eds.). "O'Neill, Owen Roe". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-906312-21-6.
- Taylor, John Francis (1896). Owen Roe O'Neill. London: T. Fisher Unwin.
- OCLC 122693688.
Further reading
- Davis, Thomas, Lament for the Death of Owen Roe O'Neill
- Lenihan, Padraig, Confederate Catholics at War
- de Mesa, Eduardo ‘The career of Owen Roe O'Neill in the Spanish Army of Flanders (1606-1642): documentation held in Spanish archives’, Archivium Hibernicum. Irish Historical Records, 67 (2014), pp. 7–24.
- Ó Hanrachain, Tadhg, The Catholic Reformation in Ireland
- Rankin, Deana, Between Spenser and Swift – English Writing in seventeenth century Ireland
- OCLC 1042474486.
- Wheeler, James Scott, Cromwell in Ireland