Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan
Encyclopedia
Robert William Hugh O'Neill, 1st Baron Rathcavan PC
(8 June 1883 - 28 November 1982), 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
.
, and the uncle of Lord O'Neill of the Maine, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
. He was educated at Eton
and New College, Oxford
, he was subsequently called to the Bar at Inner Temple
. He served as a Major in the British Army
.
and then North Antrim
. From 1939-1940 he was Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma.
O'Neill was also elected to represent Antrim
in the Northern Ireland House of Commons in 1921 and served as its first Speaker
, before standing down from his seat in 1929. The latter year he was created a Baronet, of Cleggan in the County of Antrim. In 1934, he was appointed High Sheriff of Antrim
.
From 1933 to 1939, O'Neill was the Chairman of the 1922 Committee
. He also sat on the Privy Council of Ireland
, its successor, the Privy Council of Northern Ireland
and the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
. From 1939 to 1940, he was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma, and was the Lord Lieutenant of Antrim
from 1949 to 1959.
O'Neill retired from the Westminster Parliament in 1952, having become the Father of the House
the previous year, and was raised to the peerage as Baron Rathcavan, of The Braid in the County of Antrim, in 1953.
.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(8 June 1883 - 28 November 1982), known as Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt, from 1929 to 1953, was an Ulster Unionist
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
member of both the UK Parliament and the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
.
Background and education
O'Neill was the third son of Edward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'NeillEdward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'Neill
Edward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'Neill , known as Edward Chichester until 1855, was an Irish peer and Conservative politician....
, and the uncle of Lord O'Neill of the Maine, 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...
. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, he was subsequently called to the Bar at Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. He served as a Major in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Political career
Although O'Neill contested the constituency of Stockport in 1906, he was first elected to the Westminster Parliament for Mid-Antrim in 1915, he later represented AntrimAntrim (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:...
and then North Antrim
North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Its current member is Ian Paisley Jr.-Boundaries:North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland...
. From 1939-1940 he was Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma.
O'Neill was also elected to represent Antrim
Antrim (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Antrim was a county constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1921 - 1929. It returned seven MPs, using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
in the Northern Ireland House of Commons in 1921 and served as its first Speaker
Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons
The Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons was the presiding officer of the lower house of Parliament in Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972.The Speaker had an official residence, Stormont House...
, before standing down from his seat in 1929. The latter year he was created a Baronet, of Cleggan in the County of Antrim. In 1934, he was appointed High Sheriff of Antrim
High Sheriff of Antrim
The High Sheriff of Antrim is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Antrim. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258...
.
From 1933 to 1939, O'Neill was the Chairman of the 1922 Committee
1922 Committee
In British politics, the 1922 Committee is a committee of Conservative Members of Parliament. Voting membership is limited to backbench MPs although frontbench Conservative MPs have an open invitation to attend meetings. While the party was in opposition, frontbench MPs other than the party leader...
. He also sat on the Privy Council of Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
, its successor, the Privy Council of Northern Ireland
Privy Council of Northern Ireland
The Privy Council of Northern Ireland was a formal body of advisors to the sovereign and was a vehicle for the monarch's prerogative powers in Northern Ireland. It was modelled on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom....
and the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. From 1939 to 1940, he was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma, and was the 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 1949 to 1959.
O'Neill retired from the Westminster Parliament in 1952, having become the Father of the House
Father of the House
Father of the House is a term that has by tradition been unofficially bestowed on certain members of some national legislatures, most notably the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. In some legislatures the term refers to the oldest member, but in others it refers the longest-serving member.The...
the previous year, and was raised to the peerage as Baron Rathcavan, of The Braid in the County of Antrim, in 1953.
Personal life
Lord Rathcavan died in 1982 at the age of 99 and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, PhelimPhelim O'Neill, 2nd Baron Rathcavan
Phelim Robert Hugh O’Neill, 2nd Baron Rathcavan PC , was a politician in Northern Ireland and a hereditary peer in the British House of Lords....
.