Phelim Caoch O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Phelim Caoch O'Neill was a Prince of the Cenél nEógain
from 1517 to 1542.
The first son of King Conn Bacach O'Neill. Conn came from a long line of Ulster
kings and was known throughout all the O'Neill provinces as "The O'Neill" or the most supreme among all the O'Neill Lords. Phelim's mother was Lady Alice Fitzgerald, the daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare
. His father and maternal grandfather were probably the two most powerful men in Ireland in the 1540s.
, then King of Tir Eoghan. Phelim was raised in the Gaelic
fashion at the family castle in Dungannon in County Tyrone
, and was groomed to one day be the King of Tir Eoghan himself. At the time of his birth, his uncle was King, but at his death in 1519, his father assumed the throne of Tir Eoghan, and the over-chiefship of all three O'Neill houses: Tir Eoghan, the Fews, and Clanaboy. He was the supreme ruler of all of Ulster. Phelim grew up learning the diplomacy and art of rule and war in northern Ireland. He took part in activities of his father's kingdom, including a stint as a hostage to the English just before his death. A part of Irish culture of that period was the custom of raiding. Raids against neighboring lords for cattle was a primary past time for young noblemen. Especially in Ulster, cattle was main element of wealth. Thus raiding punished or promoted a junior Lord in the O'Neill world. The O'Neills had a continuous series of battles with the Antrim Scots, led by the MacDonells.
. He gained this patrinomy based on being fostered by the Clan Brassill in southern Ulster, after the death of his father.
. One is left to wonder what might have happened had Phelim lived. After Phelim died, Conn Bacach was left with Shane, a boy of only 6 or 7 years old, and an illegitimate teenage son named Mathew Kelly. Had Phelim lived perhaps the warfare of the 1550-1560s might not have taken place.
Cenél nEógain
Cenél nEóġain is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Eógan mac Néill , son of Niall Noígiallach who founded the kingdom of Tír Eoghain in the 5th century...
from 1517 to 1542.
The first son of King Conn Bacach O'Neill. Conn came from a long line of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
kings and was known throughout all the O'Neill provinces as "The O'Neill" or the most supreme among all the O'Neill Lords. Phelim's mother was Lady Alice Fitzgerald, the daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare
Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare
Gerald Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, KG , known variously as "Garret the Great" or "The Great Earl" , was Ireland's premier peer...
. His father and maternal grandfather were probably the two most powerful men in Ireland in the 1540s.
Early life
Phelim Caoch (the blind) was the eldest son of Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of TyroneConn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone
Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone King of Tír Eógain, c. 1480–1559.-Biography:A son of Conn Mór, King of Tír Eógain, grandson of Henry Ó Néill, the King of Tír Eógain, was the first of the Ó Néills whom the attempts of the English in the 16th century to subjugate Ireland brought to the front as...
, then King of Tir Eoghan. Phelim was raised in the Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
fashion at the family castle in Dungannon in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, and was groomed to one day be the King of Tir Eoghan himself. At the time of his birth, his uncle was King, but at his death in 1519, his father assumed the throne of Tir Eoghan, and the over-chiefship of all three O'Neill houses: Tir Eoghan, the Fews, and Clanaboy. He was the supreme ruler of all of Ulster. Phelim grew up learning the diplomacy and art of rule and war in northern Ireland. He took part in activities of his father's kingdom, including a stint as a hostage to the English just before his death. A part of Irish culture of that period was the custom of raiding. Raids against neighboring lords for cattle was a primary past time for young noblemen. Especially in Ulster, cattle was main element of wealth. Thus raiding punished or promoted a junior Lord in the O'Neill world. The O'Neills had a continuous series of battles with the Antrim Scots, led by the MacDonells.
Later life
Phelim was married to Honora O'Neill, daughter of Sir Phelim O'Neill, lord Edenduffcarrick and the Clanaboy O'Neills. They had a son named Tirlough Brassileagh O'NeillTirlough Brassileagh O'Neill
Tirlough Brassileagh O'Neill was the son of Phelim Caoch O'Neill, Prince of the Cenél nEógain.As the grandson of Conn O'Neill, then King and later Earl of Tyrone, he was fostered by the McCann clan in the area to the south of Lough Neagh known as clan Brassill area.When Tirlough's father died in...
. He gained this patrinomy based on being fostered by the Clan Brassill in southern Ulster, after the death of his father.
Events Surrounding his Death
It was a raid against the neighboring Scottish clan, the MacDonalds of Antrim that cost him his life. In early 1542 he was "cut down by a single thrust from a MacDonell gallowglass" according to his obituary in the Annals of the Four Masters of Ireland. Phelim Caoch died prior to his father's submission to King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. One is left to wonder what might have happened had Phelim lived. After Phelim died, Conn Bacach was left with Shane, a boy of only 6 or 7 years old, and an illegitimate teenage son named Mathew Kelly. Had Phelim lived perhaps the warfare of the 1550-1560s might not have taken place.
Sources
- Annals of the Four Masters, a.d. 1542
- O'Neill, the Ancient and Royal Family