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From: Al & Sue O'Neill <>
Subject: Re: O'Neall/O'Neal/O'Neill Family History
Date: Thu, 02 Jan 1997 22:44:26 -0500


Ginny:
Just read your note. I personally find it interesting the way people
discuss their Protestant descendants. I personally believe the Irish
were/are a very resilient people to have survived through the ages
through a multitude of invasions and to assimilate with all the cultures
that married within their's. To learn more of the Ulster O'Neill's
you'd have to start at the beginning...which no one can agree as to
where the beginning begins. Is it with Adam & Eve to Noah to Gael,
father of the gaelic tribes that migrated across the great expanses of
Asia and Europe? Or is all that all fantasy? Do we begin with Mils in
Spain and the trip of his eight sons to the Ilse of Destiny to fulfill
the foretold prophecy as foretold by Moses? Or simply the purpose of
revenge because of the murder of yet another son of Mils? Do we begin
with Eermon (Hermon) the first King of Ireland...or is all this just
more Irish blarney which they take such pride in spinning? Or do we
simply begin where others say is safe to begin...with Nial/Niall "of the
Nine Hostages" and his 4th son Eogan (Owen) whose kingdom was Tyrone
(Tir Eogan) and from whom Niall "Black Knee" was descended...namesake of
the O'Neill's of Ulster of which there are several septs in Ulster
besides the reknown Clanaboy's of Antrim & Down, and Tyrone O'Neills?

Because your ancestors were protestant would not necessarily mean you
might be a Clanaboy O'Neill. I only know for certain that one branch of
this group converted from Catholicism. There are several branches of
this clan of which many did not convert. I have received a number of
comments from deep green irish persons who will have nothing to do with
one of the items I worked so hard on when they discover "that branch"
are on it. With regards to the Hugh discussed at some length earlier, I
am not yet convinced that he was indeed who records made by his
descendants claim he was. The well respected world reknown Burke's,
endorsed by the Royal Family, in it's 104th edition (1st edition being
well before the O'Harts quoted) still makes no mention of him. If this
Hugh is Brian's 3rd son he is without question nobility. I'm still
working on this because of the love of finding the answer to my question
of the conflicting dates presented by his descendants and my research.

Although the Tyrone's may seem to have much of the colourful "fighting
Irish" history the Clanaboy's and others did their fair share. I also
find it interesting when reports write that the "troubles" began at the
turn of this century...sort of makes Strongbow (2nd) to Elizabeth (1st)
amount to very little.

Learning more is a wonderful never ending quest...the thirst for
knowledge is unquenchable. The more you know about your ancestors, the
more you learn about yourself. But beware of the vast amount of
information which often times is conflicting. Keep an open mind as you
read and as a first step to cracking open each new book look at who the
author is and where their alliances lie...history has always been
slanted in the favour of the victor...unless of course the book has been
written by the conquered. Most Roman/Britsh era works were written in
favour of Caesar's viewpoint...with the Celts being the only barabarians
of the time. Most medieval works are written in favour of the "invited"
invader's viewpoint...with the Irish being unruly and once again the
only barbarians...remember O'Riely's Lament...even this noble Irishman
(General) visiting home from Spain was murdered for being a lowly
Irishman who owned a horse. It will be a rollercoaster (spirit lifting,
and then as quickly, lowering) ride.

Alan O'Neill

--

Explore the Irish family O'Neill

http://www.vaxxine.com/family_memories

--

Virginia P. Kobler wrote:
>
> Dear Bob,
>
> Thanks for addressing some concerns which I have had. I, too, have
> O'Neals who were Protestant and migrated from Ulster. I have no idea
> whether there is any relationship between my ancestors and the Hugh
> O'Neal that this group has been discussing at great length or whether we
> are descended from the "nobility."
>
> My O'Neal ancestors lived on the frontier and migrated with it from
> North Carolina to Bedford County, Tennessee where they have left
> thousands of descendants. I would not generalize to say they had no
> slaves and many did fight for the Confederacy. They had intermarried
> with the other Scotch-Irish and had no love for the English and the
> North where the population was of predominantly English descent at that
> time. (There is a school of thought that the "Recent Unpleasantness" was
> simply a continuation of the old English-Scottish wars.)
>
> My earliest ancestor for whom I can prove descent is Moses O'Neal whose
> will was probated in Johnston County, NC in 1813. If anyone has him in a
> database or knows his parentage I would love to communicate with them.
> There was a Zacharias O'Neal also in Johnston County, NC who died in
> 1796 leaving a large family. They may have been brothers.
>
> I would like to learn more about the Ulster O'Neals.
>
> Sincerely, Ginny K.

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