Baron O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle
in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. It was created in 1868 for the musical composer The Rev.
William O'Neill
.
Born William Chichester, he succeeded to the estates of his cousin William O'Neill, 3rd Viscount O'Neill, in 1855 (on whose death the viscountcy and barony of O'Neill became extinct) and assumed by Royal license the surname of O'Neill in lieu of Chichester in order to inherit the lands of his cousin, despite not being descended in the male line from an O'Neill. The Chichesters trace their lineage to the name O'Neill through Mary Chichester, daughter of Henry O'Neill of Shane's Castle. Lord O'Neill was the patrilineal great-great-great-grandson of John Chichester, younger brother of Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall
. The latter two were both nephews of Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall
, and grandsons of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester
(see the Marquess of Donegall
for more information). Lord O'Neill was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. He sat as a Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Antrim
.
His eldest son and heir apparent, the Hon. Arthur O'Neill
, represented Antrim Mid in the House of Commons
as a Conservative from 1910 until 1914, when he was killed in action during the First World War, the first MP to die in the conflict. The second Baron was therefore succeeded by his grandson, the third Baron (the son of the Hon. Arthur O'Neill). He was killed in action in Italy
during the Second World War. the title is held by his son, the fourth Baron, who succeeded in 1944. He was Lord Lieutenant of Antrim
from 1994 to 2008. As a descendant of the first Viscount Chichester he is in remainder to the barony and viscountcy of Chichester and, according to a special patent in the letters patent, the earldom of Donegall, titles held by his kinsman the Marquess of Donegall.
Two other members of the O'Neill family have been elevated to the peerage. Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan
, was the youngest son of the second Baron O'Neill, while Terence O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine
, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
, was the youngest brother of the third Baron.
Shane's Castle
Shane's Castle is a ruined castle near Randalstown in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The castle is on the north-east shores of Lough Neagh. Built in 1345 by a member of the O'Neill dynasty, it was originally called Eden-duff-carrick...
in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. It was created in 1868 for the musical composer The Rev.
The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
William O'Neill
William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill
Reverend William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill , born William Chichester, he changed his surname to O'Neill in 1855; O'Neill was an Anglo-Irish hereditary peer, clergyman and musical composer.-Background and education:...
.
Born William Chichester, he succeeded to the estates of his cousin William O'Neill, 3rd Viscount O'Neill, in 1855 (on whose death the viscountcy and barony of O'Neill became extinct) and assumed by Royal license the surname of O'Neill in lieu of Chichester in order to inherit the lands of his cousin, despite not being descended in the male line from an O'Neill. The Chichesters trace their lineage to the name O'Neill through Mary Chichester, daughter of Henry O'Neill of Shane's Castle. Lord O'Neill was the patrilineal great-great-great-grandson of John Chichester, younger brother of Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall
Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall
Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall was an Anglo-Irish politician.Chichester was the son of Lieutenant Colonel John Chichester, of Dungannon, County Tyrone, the latter being the younger brother of Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall...
. The latter two were both nephews of Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall
Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall
Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall was an Irish aristocrat and soldier.He was the eldest son of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester, and made a career as a soldier before being elected to the Irish House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Armagh in 1634 and again in 1640.Having...
, and grandsons of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester
Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester
Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester was the younger brother of Arthur Chichester, Baron Chichester. He was knighted in 1616, and after his brother's death in 1625 was in his memory ennobled as Viscount Chichester, of Carrickfergus in the County of Antrim, and Baron Chichester, of Belfast in...
(see the Marquess of Donegall
Marquess of Donegall
Marquess of Donegall is a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the head of the Chichester family, originally from Devon, England. Sir John Chichester sat as a Member of Parliament and was High Sheriff of Devon in 1557. One of his sons, Sir Arthur Chichester, was Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1604...
for more information). Lord O'Neill was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. He sat as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Antrim
Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
Antrim is former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922-1950.-Boundaries:...
.
His eldest son and heir apparent, the Hon. Arthur O'Neill
Arthur O'Neill
Arthur Edward Bruce O'Neill , was an Irish Ulster Unionist Party politician who was the first MP to be killed in World War I...
, represented Antrim Mid in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
as a Conservative from 1910 until 1914, when he was killed in action during the First World War, the first MP to die in the conflict. The second Baron was therefore succeeded by his grandson, the third Baron (the son of the Hon. Arthur O'Neill). He was killed in action in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during the Second World War. the title is held by his son, the fourth Baron, who succeeded in 1944. He was Lord Lieutenant of Antrim
Lord Lieutenant of Antrim
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Antrim. The office was created on 23 August 1831.*Charles O'Neill, 1st Earl O'Neill 17 October 1831 – 25 March 1841*George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall 24 April 1841 – 20 October 1883...
from 1994 to 2008. As a descendant of the first Viscount Chichester he is in remainder to the barony and viscountcy of Chichester and, according to a special patent in the letters patent, the earldom of Donegall, titles held by his kinsman the Marquess of Donegall.
Two other members of the O'Neill family have been elevated to the peerage. Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan
Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan
Robert William Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan PC , known as Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt, from 1929 to 1953, was an Ulster Unionist member of both the UK Parliament and the Parliament of Northern Ireland....
, was the youngest son of the second Baron O'Neill, while Terence O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine
Terence O'Neill
Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party...
, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
, was the youngest brother of the third Baron.
Barons O'Neill (1868)
- William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'NeillWilliam O'Neill, 1st Baron O'NeillReverend William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill , born William Chichester, he changed his surname to O'Neill in 1855; O'Neill was an Anglo-Irish hereditary peer, clergyman and musical composer.-Background and education:...
(1813–1883) - Edward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'NeillEdward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'NeillEdward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'Neill , known as Edward Chichester until 1855, was an Irish peer and Conservative politician....
(1839–1928) - Shane Edward Robert O'Neill, 3rd Baron O'Neill (1907–1944)
- Raymond Arthur Clanaboy O'Neill, 4th Baron O'Neill (b. 1933)
See also
- Marquess of DonegallMarquess of DonegallMarquess of Donegall is a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the head of the Chichester family, originally from Devon, England. Sir John Chichester sat as a Member of Parliament and was High Sheriff of Devon in 1557. One of his sons, Sir Arthur Chichester, was Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1604...
- Earl O'NeillEarl O'NeillViscount O'Neill was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1795 for John O'Neill, who had earlier represented Randalstown and County Antrim in the Irish House of Commons. He had already been created Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle in the County of Antrim, in 1793, also in the...
- Baron RathcavanBaron RathcavanBaron Rathcavan, of The Braid in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1953 for the Unionist politician Sir Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baronet. He had already been created a Baronet, of Cleggan in the County of Antrim, in 1929...
- Baron O'Neill of the MaineTerence O'NeillTerence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party...
- Robert Torrens O'NeillRobert Torrens O'NeillHon. Robert Torrens O'Neill , was an Irish Conservative, and later Irish Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1910....
- O'Neill dynastyO'Neill dynastyThe O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...