Clandeboye

Clandeboye Clann Aodha Buidhe(Irish)
1295–1605
Coat of arms
O'Neill of Clandeboyec.1500
Common languages	Irish
Government	Elective monarchy
King / Chief
• 1295-1347	Henry O'Neill(first)
• 1618	Conn O'Neill(last)
History
• Established	1295
• Disestablished	1605
Preceded by Succeeded by Earldom of Ulster Kingdom of Tyrone Kingdom of Ireland
Today part of	United Kingdom

ClandeboyeorClannaboy(IrishClann Aodha Buí,"family of Hugh the Blond" ) was a kingdom ofGaelic Ireland,comprising what is now southCounty Antrim,northCounty Down,and the barony ofLoughinsholin.The entity was relatively late in appearance and is associated partly with theGaelic resurgenceof theHigh Middle Ages.The O'Neill Clandeboy (Ó NéillClann Aodha Buidhe) who reigned in the territory descended fromHugh Boy O'Neill,aking of Tyrone.His descendants took advantage of the demise of theEarldom of Ulsterduring the latter 14th century and seized vast portions of territory. Clandeboye's main seats of power wereShane's CastleandCastle Reagh.

The kingdom came to an end at the dawn of the 17th century after Conn O'Neill, the last head of the Clandeboye O'Neills of Upper Clandeboye, signed away two-thirds of his land to his close associatesHugh MontgomeryandJames Hamiltonwho proceeded to privately settle their land with settlers from Great Britain just prior to the largerPlantation of Ulster.Conn died in 1618. James Hamilton became the firstViscount Claneboyein 1622.

Etymology

The spelling of the name has varied over the years, and had been written variously asClandeboye,Claneboye,Clandyboy,Clannaboy,andClanaboy. Clandeboye has also been adopted as the name of anelectoral wardofNorth Down Borough Council.It has survived as a geographical location in modern times as an area ofBangor,County Down,Northern Ireland.

History

14th century: emergence and position

Main articles:Bruce campaign in IrelandandHistory of Ireland (1169–1536)

See also:Kingdom of Tyrone,Kingdom of Ulster,andEarldom of Ulster

Arms of de Burgh,Earls of Ulster.The O'Neills benefited from the decline of theEarldom of Ulsterduring the Gaelic resurgence of the 14th century.

The emergence of the Kingdom of Clandeboye is closely associated with the history of its neighbour theKingdom of Tyroneand the Gaelic resurgence of the 14th century.TheO'Neill dynastythat ruled Tyrone had established themselves as a serious power in Ireland by the 13th century, providingBrian Chatha an Dúna O'Neillwho was a late claimant to theHigh Kingship of Irelandbefore falling at theBattle of Downin 1260.

The O'Neills were, locally, engaged in rivalries with theNormanEarldom of Ulsteramong other regional foes. In the 12th century, following theNorman invasion of Ireland,the Normans had taken from the native GaelicKingdom of Ulstersome lands and established their Earldom in the north-eastern corner of Ireland.Subsequently, they were engaged in conflicts and mutual raidings with their direct neighbors theNorthern Uí Néill.

By the 14th century, the Earldom of Ulster was under the Ulster branch of thede Burgh dynasty(other branches of this kinship group held territories elsewhere in Ireland, but became heavilyGaelicised). TheBruce campaign in Ireland,with the defenders of the Anglo-alignedLordship of Irelandbeing led byRichard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster,suffered significantly during the conflict. Eventually the Norman title to the Earldom of Ulster passed to the Mortimer family. Niall Mór O'Neill,King of Tyrone(1364–1397) created a vacuum in the area by driving out some of the Anglo-Norman settlers.The Kingship of Tyrone had in recent times been contested by two sets of cousins, one of which was the Clandeboye O'Neills (descended fromHugh Boy O'Neill), who had provided three Kings of Tyrone in the 13th century, before losing out to the line descended from Aodh Reamhair O'Neill (son ofDomhnall O'Neill), whom all subsequent Tyrone kings would descend from.

By 1347,Muirchertach Ceannfada O'Neillwas the first King of Clandeboye not to be also King of Tyrone, controlling the parts of the old Earldom of Ulster taken over by the O'Neills. Most of their territory was east of theRiver Bann,in what would today be called southCounty Antrimand northCounty Down.The part of Clandeboye territory which was west of the River Bann wasLoughinsholin,in what is todayCounty Londonderry,including part of theSperrin Mountains.This O'Neill line, which had lost out on the Kingship of Tyrone, although technically at firstuirrithe(under-kings) of their Tyrone cousins, soon established their own autonomy. Geopolitically, they looked to offset the power of their Tyrone neighbors, by forming alliances with other powers in the area; theMacDonnells of Antrim(a clan of fairly recent Highland Scots descent descended from John of Islay, Lord of the Isles), the powerfulO'Donnells of Tyrconnelland, when it suited, theKingdom of England's Lordship of Ireland based inDublin.Clandeboye's lands were suited tocattlegrazing and so their rulers were able to attain a significant level of wealth through this.

15th century: shifting alliances

Towards the end of the 14th century and into the early 15th century, the Clandeboye shifted away from theirrapprochementwith their O'Neill of Tyrone cousins and as with the case of their neighbours to the south, theMagennisclan ofIveagh,entered into an alliance with the powerfulO'DonnellsofTyrconnellunderTurlough an Fhíona O'Donnell(1380—1422).An ascendant maritime kingdom based in the north-west of Ireland, able to put into the field a strong army with aGallowglassbasis, Tyrconnell mounted a serious challenge to Tyrone's domination of the north of Ireland: Clandeboye and Iveagh saw this as an opportunity to assert more independence for themselves.As part of this complex patchwork of alliances, which spread throughout all of Ireland, there was a wider implication for geopolitics in theBritish Islesand indeed European politics, in the context of theHundred Years' War;one faction made alliances with thePlantagenetKingdom of England,the other with theStewartKingdom of Scotland(and thus, by implication of theirAuld Alliance;theKingdom of France).Thus, whenRichard II of Englandvisited Ireland and gained the "submission" of a number of Gaelic Irish and Gaelicised chiefs in 1395,there were a few notable absences: the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell (friends of Stewart Scotland) and their Irish allies such as the O'Neills of Clandeboye,Burke of MayoandO'Connor Ruadh of Roscommon,who never submitted.

Despite being a relatively junior kingdom, Clandeboye was able to hand military defeats to ostensibly stronger powers which tried to invade them during the reigns of the brothersMurtagh Roe O'NeillandHugh Boy II O'Neill,closely guarding their autonomy. For example, Eoghan O'Neill, King of Tyrone, invaded Clandeboye in 1444 but was defeated. His son Éinri (Henry) O'Neill, the King of Tyrone, tried the same again while invading Clandeboye in 1476, but he too was defeated. Meanwhile, during the reign ofConn O'Neill,when the Anglo-controlled Lordship tried to revive its colony in Ulster, appointing Patrick Savage ofLecaleas the Seneschal of Ulster, he was captured in 1481 by the Clandeboye forces and was subsequently "blinded and castrated in captivity", making him unfit to carry on his duties.

16th century: weakening and decline

Main articles:Tudor conquest of IrelandandHistory of Ireland (1536–1691)

The Kingdom of Clandeboye had been divided in the early 16th century into "Lower Clandeboye" and "Upper Clandeboye", following a decline in power of the last undivided King of Clandeboye,Murtagh Dulenagh O'Neill.His nephews from two of his older brothers, who had also been Kings of Clandeboye (Phelim Bacagh O'NeillandNiall Oge O'Neill), took advantage of their uncle's weakness and established themselves. This situation was recognised as such and reported byThomas Cusack,theLord Chancellor of Irelandin his letter to theDuke of Northumberlandon the current state of Ireland in March 1552. Neighbouring the Clandeboye to the north-east were a group ofHighland Scotsin theGlens of Antrim.They wereGallowglasssoldiers under the leadership of theMacDonnell of Antrimwho had established themselves by the mid-16th century as Lords of the Glens (the remaining parts of the area which Normans had previously held as theEarldom of Ulster). During a conflict with them, the heir to Clandeboye, Niall O'Neill (son ofHugh O'Neill) was killed in 1537, weakening the natural succession. To the west of Clandeboye were their more powerful O'Neill kinsmen, theO'Neills of Tyrone(from whom the Clandeboye's had branched off in the 13th century).

The destruction of Clandeboye was closely associated with the activities of theEarl of Essexin Ireland.

During theTudor conquest of IrelandunderHenry VIII,whereby the English were attempting to establish theKingdom of Ireland,various Gaelic kings were offered a policy ofsurrender and regrant.They could keep their traditional territories as lords, so long as they legally and culturallyAnglicised,joined theAnglican Churchand pledged allegiance to Henry VIII:Conn Bacach O'Neilltook him up on the offer, exchanging theKingship of Tyronefor theEarldom of Tyronein 1542. The heir to this title was theBaron Dungannon:Conn Bacach's sonShane O'Neillwas overlooked and the title went instead to Shane's illegitimate alleged half-brotherMatthew O'Neill.During the 1550s and 1560s, Shane (later known as "the Proud" ) arose to assert his rights, protesting toElizabeth Iand inflicted notable military defeats on establishment figures such as theEarl of Essex.

The O'Neills of Clandeboye diligently offered their services up to the Crown forces during the campaign of Shane O'Neill. Part of the backstory of this was thatBrian Faghartach O'Neill(the oldest son of the aforementionedNiall Oge O'Neill) was assassinated by a then 20-year-old Shane O'Neill in 1548.Brian Faghartach was the first Lord of Upper Clandeboye, thought likely to be involved in a surrender and regrant, allowing him to establish himself as a Lord of a portion in the now split up Clandeboye. When Shane rose up, he was able to establish his influence over Clandeboye and force it into being one of hisurriaght(subsidiary) territories.AtCarrickfergus,an Anglo-Irish crown garrison had been established underWilliam Pierswith the support ofBrian McPhelim O'Neill,the Lord of Lower Clandeboye, who was subsequently knighted for supporting them against Shane the Proud and also the Scots in the Glens of Antrim.Brian McPhelim and some of his relatives acted as intelligence agents to Piers, playing a role in undermining Shane at theBattle of Farsetmorein 1567.

Piers as the Seneschal of Clandeboye, was keen to encourage provincial Gaelic clans loyal to the Crown in Ulster as a balance against the influx of Scots, whose presence was unwelcome to the English: a policy which seemingly boded well for Clandeboye. Seeing himself as in a secure position, Brian McPhelim decided to flex his power and waged a private war against the Tyrone successor of Shane,Turlough Lynagh O'Neill.A year after the death of his father, Turlough had declared loyalty to Elizabeth I and so Brian McPhelim's adventurism did not impress the authorities. Elizabeth I made a grant of the entire territory of Clandeboye in 1571 as part of the so-calledEnterprise of Ulster:SirThomas Smith,her principal Secretary of State was granted what would becomenorth Downandthe Ards,while theEarl of Essexwas also to be a major beneficiary with a grant of all ofCounty Antrimexcept for the Route and the Glens (the land had previously been claimed as part of the "Earldom of Ulster" during medieval times, this being the basis of the Crown's grant).The plan was tocolonisethe land withEnglish Protestantsin a foreshadowing of theUlster Plantation.Sir Brian McPhelim upon finding this out in a booklet published by Smith felt betrayed by the Queen's "duplicity", having felt he was safe in his position due to his allegiance to the Crown and past service to it.Instead of allow his lands to be colonised, Sir Brian McPhelim elected upon ascorched earthpolicy, burning down any buildings in his territory which could be used as a prospective garrison or could be used for colonisation.

Smith had sent his illegitimate son, also named Thomas, along with the 800 English colonists who had set off fromLiverpoolto Ards: in October 1573, Thomas Smith Jnr was shot dead by an Irishman he had employed as a labourer.A couple of years later Smith Snr had abandoned the project completely. Essex, who had only recently been made an Earl, encouraged byLord Burghley,was more directly involved on the ground and had most of his fortune at stake. Haunted by an outbreak ofplagueat Carrickfergus in 1573–74, which decimated Essex's forces, he fled to theEnglish Pale,being based atDublinandDroghedafor the rest of his time, only entering Ulster on raids against O'Neill and others.Evidently frustrated, Essex had Piers arrested and accused him of passing intelligence to Sir Brian McPhelim (Piers was later released). In November 1574, Sir Brian McPhelim had invited Essex toBelfast Castleto a feast where they would discuss concluding a peace. At the end of the three day feast, Essex's men, suddenly fell upon their Irish hosts and carried out theClandeboye massacre,where 200 men, women and children were murdered without warning.Sir Brian McPhelim, his wife and his half-brother Rory Oge MacQuillin were all taken hostage to Dublin where they were hanged for opposing the plantations.The following year, Essex was responsible for an even more gratuitous massacre in Ulster, this time against the MacDonnells of Antrim in theRathlin Island massacre(Essex accused the Clandeboye O'Neills and MacDonnels of being co-conspirators against the English colonists), before Elizabeth I called an end to "the Enterprise" in 1575.Before his own death in 1576, Essex was able to sow division among the ranks of the Clandeboye by declaring Niall McBrian Fertagh O'Neill (grandson of Niall Oge O'Neill and son-in-law of Sir Brian MacPhelim) as rightful lord of all Clandeboye.

17th century: divisions and dissolution

Shane's Castle,Edenduffcarrick on the north-east shores ofLough Neaghwas contested by Clandeboye O'Neills.

Various different factions of the Clandeboye O'Neills felt aggrieved by the unexpected selection of Niall McBrian Fertagh O'Neill (whose father had been assassinated by Shane O'Neill) as lord of Clandeboye, causing internal conflict. The situation was such that the English authorities in the form ofJohn Perrot,the newLord Deputy of Ireland,intervened in 1584. Lower Clandeboye was split into two: three-quarters, based aroundBelfast,were awarded to Shane McBrian O'Neill (son of the late Sir Brian McPhelim O'Neill), while the remaining quarter, based aroundEdenduffcarrick,was awarded toHugh Oge O'Neill(son of Sir Brian McPhelim's brother Hugh).Meanwhile, Conn McNeill O'Neill, the son of Niall McBrian Fertagh O'Neill, was confirmed in his lordship of Upper Clandeboye.Shane McBrian O'Neill and Hugh Oge O'Neill bitterly contested the control of Lower Clandeboye, particularlyShane's Castleat Edenduffcarrick. Despite an attempt at arbitration, Hugh Oge was killed at the Castle in the dispute in 1586 and was succeeded by his brother Neill McHugh O'Neill at Lower Clandeboye (Edenduffcarrick), the conflict between the two factions caused "great dissension between them and great slaughter often by both parties committed."

Shane McBrian O'Neill of Lower Clandeboye (Belfast) was aMember of ParliamentforCounty Antrimin 1585. He briefly rebelled against the Crown duringTyrone's Rebellionin 1598 but was soon reconciled and was pardoned as a result. The English authorities were unable to hold back the forces ofHugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyroneand so when his nephewBrian MacArt O'Neillwas sent into Clandeboye to control its military affairs, it brought the area into collaboration. This conflict, in alliance withHabsburg Spain,was a predominantly Ulster-based Irish Rising against Protestant English rule and brought together what were usually enemies such as the O'Neills of Tyrone and theO'Donnells of Tyrconnellin common cause. The Earl of Tyrone had been married to Shane McBrian's sister Katherine O'Neill for a time but the marriage was annulled. Only minor engagements, no major battles, took place as the area had suffered significant depopulation due to the conflicts brought about by Essex and Smith's attempted colonisation.The main negative effect on Clandeboye was the actions ofArthur Chichesterafter 1601, who set about burning destroying crops and animals as well as killing men, women and children without scruple. Historical records of the period say that in Clandeboye as a result of Chichester's acts, the people were reduced tocannibalism,corpses had green-mouths from eating grass and dead bodies were piled by the roadsides.This destruction was supposedly to stop Clandeboye being used as a supply base for Tyrone, but had a secondary purpose as, Chichester, in financial difficulties from his estatesDevon,sought land to take in Ireland.

Conn McNeill O'Neill, the Lord of Upper Clandeboye, who was based atCastlereagh,was arrested around Christmas of 1602 (a year after his father Niall McBrian had been killed by Captain Malby). Chichester had arrested him and held him atCarrickfergus Castle,on account of one of O'Neills men having killed a Crown soldier. Chichester offered to execute him without trial, potentially as a pretext to taking land for himself. Fortune favoured Conn McNeill as, on the death of Elizabeth I,James VI of Scotlandascended to the thrones of England and Ireland in July 1603, with the opportunity of a clean slate. Conn McNeill's wife approachedHugh Montgomery,a Scotsman with extensive political connections and agreed if he could break Conn out of jail and arrange a royal pardon for him, then he would share half of Upper Clandeboye with Montgomery.Upon hearing about this,James Hamilton,wanted in on the deal and the plan was changed to a three-way split.The jailbreak was hatched and was successful, the three men visited James and secured the pardon inLondonbefore returning to Ulster viaScotland.Montgomery and Hamilton began a private, non-government plantation of the area with Scots fromAyrshirein 1606 and are seen as founding fathers of theUlster Scots people.Some of the native Irish tenants were moved out toDufferin.

Legacy

O'Neill heirs of Clandeboye

Main article:O'Neill dynasty

Portrait ofSir Neil O'Neill, 2nd Baronetof Killelagh byJohn Michael Wright(1680). He was a 3-times great-grandson ofPhelim Bacagh O'Neill,King of Clandeboye.

The most prominent heirs of the Clandeboye O'Neills were from the Lords of Lower Clandeboye (Belfast) branch, as the successors of Shane McBrian O'Neill, son of the famous SirBrian McPhelim O'Neill.They were able to secureShane's Castleback from their cousins. They were noted for their staunch loyalty to theStuart dynasty,serving in prominent positions in the Army ofCharles II,this included; Colonel Cormac O'Neill (died 1707), Captain John O'Neill (died 1687) and Captain Phelim Dubh O'Neill (died 1676). A son of Captain John was Colonel Charles O'Neill (died 1716) who served in the Army ofJames II.After inheriting Shane's Castle and converting to Anglicanism,John O'Neill(died 1798) from this line was madeViscount O'NeillbyGeorge III.A leading statesman, he died at theBattle of Antrim.His two sons, also Viscounts, were involved in Irish politics too. They established Tullymore Lodge inBroughshaneand Cleggan Lodge, originally a shooting lodge.

A junior line of this branch, the O'Neills of Feeva (descended from Conn O'Neill (died 1585), a younger son of Sir Brian McPhelim O'Neill), were deeply involved inJacobitismin Ireland and internationally. Colonel Conn O'Neill (died 1716) and Captain Conn Modera O'Neill (died 1740) both served in the Army of James II and his son the Old Pretender,James Francis Edward Stuart.Some of these men fled abroad to the European Continent and wereWild Geesewho served in the French and Spanish Armies. Famously, Captain Conn O'Neill of theFrench Armywas present at theBattle of Cullodenin 1746 and was instrumental in askingFlora MacDonaldto helpBonnie Prince Charlieescape the Redcoats from the island ofBenbeculain theOuter Hebrides.Despite initially being a junior line, after the death of the last Viscount O'Neill in 1855, this was the only known surviving branch from Sir Brian McPhelim and still had living members towards the end of the 19th century with Charles Henry O'Neill, a barrister living inDublin,who was recognised as The O'Neill Clandeboye.

The branch of the Clandeboye O'Neills who were Lords of Lower Clandeboye (Edenduffcarrick), successors to Neill McHugh O'Neill, brother ofHugh Oge O'Neill,who ruled Clandeboye north ofKells,generally distinguished themselves by their loyalty to the Tudor and then Stuart Crown in Ireland. Niall O'Neill, the Lord of Lower Clandeboye, had died in 1600 fighting for the Crown during theNine Years' Waragainst the Earl of Tyrone. In 1626, during the reign ofCharles I,his son Niall Og O'Neill (died 31 March 1628) was theHigh Sheriff of Antrim.They served the Royalist cause during theWars of the Three Kingdomsand after showing bravery at theBattle of Edgehill,Niall Oge's son Sir Brian O'Neill was awarded with theBaronetcy of Upper Claneboys.His younger brother, Sir Henry O'Neill, was likewise rewarded with theBaronetcy of Killelagh.The Killelagh O'Neills wereJacobites,loyal toJames IIduring theWilliamite War:SirNeill O'Neillwas hisLord Lieutenant of Armagh.They were stripped of their titles because of this and in any case, soon became extinct. Despite also serving James II, their close cousins, the "Upper Claneboys" O'Neills, in the form of SirBrian O'Neill,managed to survived the OrangistRevolution of 1688politically unscathed before this line eventually became extinct in the male line by 1799.

Jorge Torlades O'Neill Iwas The O'Neill Clandeboye from 1887 to 1890. He and many of his line lived in exile inPortugalfor several centuries.

The Clandeboye O'Neills directly descended from the last sovereign King of Clandeboye,Murtagh Dulenagh O'Neill,continue to exist to this day and claim the title of The O'Neill Clandeboye. After being nudged out of power by junior lines who divided Clandeboye, the senior branch of the family (who retained property inToomefor a time), were implicated in Tyrone's Rebellion, served underOwen Roe O'Neillin his Ulster Army of the Irish Confederate Forces (in the form of Colonel Ever O'Neill) and thenFelix O'Neill(died 11 September 1709), his son, served as part ofLord GalmoyeRegiment in the Jacobite Irish Army, before prolifically serving in theIrish Brigadeof the Royal French Army. Felix's grandsonJoão O'Neillwent toPortugaland settled nearAlmada.His son,Carlos O'Neill,was a Professed Knight of theMilitary Order of Christand was familiar withJohn VI of Portugal.He was the first of many to belong to this Order and to elite positions in Portuguese society: one descendant was even madeViscount of Santa Mónica.They remained in touch with Irish affairs andJorge Torlades O'Neill IIwas a friend ofRoger Casement,donated money to construct anIrish languageschool atTuamand helped to arm theIrish Volunteers.In 1896, this Jorge submitted his genealogy to theSomerset Heraldin London: he was subsequently recognised as having the only pedigree in theOffice of Armsshowing descent from the "Princes of Tyrone and Claneboy." Upon that Letters Patent,Pope Leo XIII,theKing of Spainand theKing of Portugalall recognised him as the Prince of Clanaboy, Tyrone, Ulster, as the Count of Tyrone and the Head of the Royal House of O'Neill and all of its septs.Recognised by theChief Herald of Irelandin 1945 as the Princes of Clannaboy, the current representative is Hugo Ricciardi O'Neill (born 1939).

Tudor-era genocide controversy

Academic studies ofgenocide,such as Ben Kiernan'sBlood and Soil: A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur,have focused on the activities of leading English figures during theTudor conquest of Irelandfrom 1565 to 1603 and the intellectual justifications they developed forethnic cleansingnative populations, especially in Munster and Clandeboye. There is a focus on the so-called "Enterprise of Ulster",which was planned for Clandeboye and the circle of Elizabethan Englishmen involved in forming the intellectual basis for it:Thomas Smith,Humphrey Gilbert,Philip Sidney(whose fatherHenry Sidneywas Lord Deputy of Ireland),Gabriel HarveyandPeter Carew.Others such asEdmund Spenser(for whom Gaelic society was a remnant of "Scythian barbarism" ) were intellectually connected to this circle but not overtly in the Enterprise, more involved in theMunster Plantation.These men were influenced by the classics and in particularLivyandCato the Elder's axiomCarthago delenda est(in their ideal, Gaels were analogous to Carthaginians).

From the reign ofElizabeth I of England,alsoQueen of Ireland,there is historical controversy that individuals in herEnterprise of Ulsterengaged in genocidal activities in Clandeboye.

AlthoughElizabeth Iherself called for "moderation", from 1573, these "theories" would begin to take place on the ground with the activities of theEarl of Essex.He imagined a completely demilitarised Ulster, where no Gael (Irishman or Scots), whetherkerneorGallowglass,would be allowed to bear arms, even spear or axe, on pain of capital punishment. The Irish Gaels of Clandeboye were to be "dispersed into severall Lordshippes and well corrected, yf they breake lawes", those who remained in the area would be reduced to disarmedhelots,tiling the land in agricultural labour under English overlordship. The contemporaryJohn Derricke'sThe Image of Irelande, with a Discoverie of Woodkarne(dedicated to Philip Sidney) further dehumanised the Irish kerns as "noisome worms" and called for Gaels to be "extirped and abolished clean the land." Radical Protestants from the EnglishWest Countrywould be the backbone of this push in both Munster and Ulster. An English official in Belfast during the Clandeboye campaign,Edward Berkeleyurged usingfamineas a weapon of war against the locals, bragging thatgrainhad been taken from them so they had to rely only onmilk(which was "easily taken away" ), commenting on their starvation he said; "How godly a dede it is to overthrowe so wicked a race the world may judge. For my parte I thinke ther canot be a greter Sacrifyce to god."

The most controversial act of Essex's tenure in Clandeboye was theClandeboye massacrein November 1574, whereby, at a feast in Belfast Castle, hosted by SirBrian McPhelim O'Neillwho was attempting to make peace, Essex ordered his men to indiscrimanently and without warning massacre 200 men, women and children associated with his host. Sir Brian himself, along with his wife and half-brother, were taken away to Dublin to be hanged. Nevetherless, on Essex' campaign, Kiernan states that while "Essex's genocidal massacre of the O'Neill sept foreshadowed more aggressive action", as part of his wider project for the fate of the Irish in Clandeboye, if "total annihilation of the local Irish was not his goal, Essex did want them severely reduced in numbers and subjected to English domination."

Kings of Clandeboye

Further information:List of rulers of Clandeboye

The royal inauguration chair of the Clandeboye O'Neills, currently in theUlster Museum.The kings were raised to the throne at Castlereagh.

Below is a list of the O'Neill sovereign Kings of Clandeboye.The last unified king of Clandeboye wasMurtagh Dulenach O'Neill,as the title was subsequently split between Lower Clandeboye and Upper Clandeboye. In 1584, Lower Clandeboye was further split in two, with different bases atBelfastandEdenduffcarrick.Clandeboye itself was later divided betweenCounty Antrim,County DownandCounty Coleraine(laterCounty Londonderry) in theKingdom of Ireland.

Brian O'Neill(1283–1295), alsoKing of Tyrone Henry O'Neill(1295–1347), also King of Tyrone Muirchertach Ceannfada O'Neill(1347–1395) Brian Ballagh O'Neill(1395–1425) Murtagh Roe O'Neill(1425–1441 & 1444–1468) Hugh Boy II O'Neill(1441–1444) Conn O'Neill(1468–1482) Niall Mór O'Neill(1482–1512) Hugh Dubh O'Neill(1512–1524) Brian Ballagh II O'Neill(1524–1529) Phelim Bacagh O'Neill(1529–1533) Niall Oge O'Neill(1533–1537) Murtagh Dulenach O'Neill(1537–)

Lower Clandeboye Brian McPhelim O'Neill(1556–1575) Lower Clandeboye (Belfast) Shane McBrian O'Neill(1584–1616) Lower Clandeboye (Edenduffcarrick) Hugh Oge McHugh O'Neill(1584–1586) Neill McHugh O'Neill(1586–1600) Upper Clandeboye Brian Faghartach O'Neill(–1548) Niall McBrian Fertagh O'Neill(1548–1584) Conn McNeill O'Neill(1584–1619)

Diocese of Down and Connor

Main articles:Roman Catholic Diocese of Down and ConnorandCatholic Church in Ireland

Bangor Abbey,an ancient Gaelic establishment, fell under Clandeboye during the Late Middle Ages.

The religion which predominated at an official level in Clandeboye wasCatholic Christianity.The territory of Clandeboye was associated with theDiocese of Down and Connorunder theBishop of Down and Connor.This was formed on 29 July 1439 asPope Eugene IVissued apapal bullmerging the positions ofBishop of DownandBishop of Connor(these diocese having been formed in 1111 at theSynod of Ráth Breasail,long before Clandeboye had existed).

Clandeboye hosted some significant monastic houses, typically pre-dating the entry of the O'Neills into the area. Most of these were shut down during thedissolution of the monasteriesunder the influence ofHenry VIIIfrom theTudor dynasty:legislation was introduced into theParliament of Irelandin 1537 and the policy enforced on the ground more directly after 1541 as part of theTudor conquest of Ireland.The most prestigious of which wasBangor Abbey,of ancient Gaelic origin, which was under theAugustinian Canons Regularduring the time of Clandeboye. The Augustinians were also atMovilla Abbey,an old Gaelic foundation.Nendrum Monastery,founded by St. Patrick, was used as a parish church until the 15th century. Other prominent monasteries include the Norman-founded establishments ofGrey Abbey,under theCisterciansandNewtownards Priory,under theOrder of Preachers(Dominicans). TheOrder of Friars Minor Conventual(Franciscans) were also at Carrickfergus Friary, but Clandeboye's influence over them differed from time to time.Holywood Priory,a 7th-century Gaelic foundation, was also placed under the Franciscans by Niall O’Neill after the Black Death.

The local chapel of importance to the O'Neills was Knockollumkille, near their headquarters at Castlereagh, founded byColumba of Ionain much earlier times. By the start of the 18th century, it was no longer in use and all that remains of the actual building of this Church today is part of a wall of the Knock Burial Ground,Clarawood,Belfast.

See also

• Leabhar Cloinne Aodha Buidhe
• Branches of the Cenél nEógain
• Baron Dufferin and Claneboye
• Clandeboye Estate
• Clandonnell

References

Bibliography

• Greer, Roy H (2019).Con O'Neill: Last Gaelic Lord of Upper Clannaboy.White Row.ISBN978-1870132510.
• O'Laverty, James (1878).An Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern, Volume I.Dublin: J. Duffy.
• Farrell, Gerard (2017).The 'Mere Irish' and the Colonisation of Ulster, 1570-1641.Springer International Publishing.ISBN9783319593630.
• Morgan, Miram (1999).Tyrone's Rebellion, The Outbreak of the Nine Years War in Tudor Ireland.Bloydell Press.ISBN9780851156835.
• Kiernan, Ben (2008).Blood and Soil, A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur.Yale University Press.ISBN9780300137934.
• Ellis, Steven G (2014).Ireland in the Age of the Tudors, 1447-1603, English Expansion and the End of Gaelic Rule.Taylor & Francis.ISBN9781317901433.
• Simms, Katharine (2000).From Kings to Warlords, The Changing Political Structure of Gaelic Ireland in the Later Middle Ages.Boydell Press.ISBN9780851157849.
• Duffy, Seán (2005).Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia.Taylor & Francis.ISBN9781135948245.

Sources

Oxford Concise Companion to Irish Literature,Robert Welsh, 1996.ISBN0-19-280080-9

External links

• O'Neill, Prince of Clanaboyat Library Ireland
• Upper and Lower Clandeboye and Carrickfergus (County Antrim and Down) 1300-1600
• Lower Clandeboye and Carrickfergus (County Antrim) 1540-1602
• Upper Clandeboye and other territories (County Down) 1540-1609
• The O'Neills' Inauguration Chairat BBC
• Rise of the Clandeboyeby Martin Mellon
• The Break-Up of the Estate of Con O'Neill, Castlereagh, County Downby D. A. Chart
• Con O'Neill: Life and Legacy