Shane O’Neill


Life
?1530-1567 [2nd Earl; Shane the Proud]; son of Con Bacach O’Neill (created Earl in 1562); refused to accept succession of his younger brother Matthew; raised faction; intrigued with Antrim Scots; expelled his father and Matthew (baron of Dungannon), 1556; defeated by O’Donnells, 1566; murdered his brother, 1558; recognised by Elizabeth on accession, but recognition revoked, 1560;
 
captured Calgagh O’Donnell; harrassed English army; attempts made to assassinate him by Sussex; signed Treaty of Kildare and visited court of Elizaberth, 1562; treaty of submission; intrigued with Spanish; acknowledged as captain of Tyrone, 1562; failed to keep conditions; advantageous treaty with English, Drumcree, 1563; destroyed Scottish settlements in Antrim, and captured chief of MacDonnells, 1565;
 
intrigued for support of Mary Queen of Scots; offered submission to France against England; invaded Pale but failed before Dundalk, 1566; burned Armagh, 1566; defeated by McDonnells at Letterkenny, 1567; took refuge with Mcdonnells, returning their chiefs; murdered by McDonnells at Cushendun, on instigation of gov. of Carrickfergus, who obtained reward; his head sent to London. ODNB DIB

 

Criticism
Elizabeth Linington, The Proud Man (1955), hist. romance; Ciaran Brady, Shane O’Neill (Dundalgan: Historical Association of Ireland 1996), 76pp.

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