Matthew O'Neill (abt. 1520 - abt. 1558)

Born about 1520 in Ulster, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Joanna (McGuire) O'Neill — married 1 Oct 1542 (to 1558) in Ulster. Ireland

Descendants

Died about 1558 at about age 38 in Ulster, Ireland

Matthew O'Neill was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

This profile is being included in the O'Neill Dynasty & Name study - a sub-project of the Irish Roots Project

Matthew O'Neill has Irish ancestors.

Biography

Matthew "Feardorcha" O'Neill, 1st Baron Dungannon, was the possibly illegitimate son of the Irish King Conn Bacach O'Neill. His parentage has not been proven. He was born in about 1520. When Conn traveled to England to submit to Henry VIII, Matthew traveled with him and was granted the title of Baron Dungannon. ^[1]

This angered Matthew's half brother Shane O'Neill, who felt he was entitled to the distinction because he was the eldest legitimate son. Shane also refused to submit to the English, and surrender the Irish titles. This became a source of major conflict between Shane and Matthew, resulting in Matthew being killed by Shane's men in 1558. ^[1]

Matthew married Joanna McGuire, and had the following children:

• Brian Mac Baron O'Neill
• Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone
• Cormac Mac Baron O'Neill.
• Art MacBaron O'Neill, whose son was the great soldier Owen Roe O'Neill, a major force in the Irish Rebellion. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Wikipedia, Matthew O'Neill

• O'Gorman, Thomas. "A Notice of the Career of Shane O'Neill (Surnamed An Diomais, or "The Proud") Prince of Tirowen, 1520-1567", The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (McGlashan & Gill, Dublin, 1889) Vol. 18, Page 453
• The Peerage