Brian O'Neill, Baron Dungannon facts for kids

Brian Ó Néill, Baron Dungannon (died 18 April 1562) was an important Irish noble during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He belonged to the powerful O'Neill dynasty, a famous Gaelic family from Ulster in Ireland. Brian was involved in many struggles for power and land in his time.

Brian's Family and Early Life

Brian's father was Matthew O'Neill, 1st Baron Dungannon. King Henry VIII of England had given Matthew his title as part of a plan called "surrender and regrant." This plan encouraged Irish lords to give up their traditional ways and accept English titles and laws.

Sadly, Matthew was killed by his own half-brother, Shane O'Neill, in 1558. Before this, Brian himself had been held captive in Scotland in 1556 by James MacDonnell. But he managed to return to Ulster by late 1558 or early 1559.

Fighting for His Family's Rights

After Matthew's death, Shane O'Neill tried to convince the English government that Matthew and his sons were not legitimate heirs. This would mean they had no right to their father's titles or lands.

However, the Viceroy (the Queen's representative in Ireland), The 3rd Earl of Sussex, supported Brian and his brothers. They were based in Dublin. Brian strongly believed he should inherit the Earldom of Tyrone, a very important title. He worked hard to persuade the government to remove Shane from the region of Tír Eoghain, which was the O'Neill homeland.

A Trip to London and a Tragic End

In 1562, both Shane and Brian were told to travel to London. They were to present their arguments directly to Queen Elizabeth I and her advisors. Shane did go to London.

But Brian's journey ended tragically. While he was traveling from Newry to Carlingford, he was assassinated. This means he was murdered. It is almost certain that Turlough Luineach O'Neill carried out the killing on Shane's orders.

Even though Shane made a dramatic speech to the Queen in London, she only partly accepted his claims. Interestingly, Shane himself was assassinated five years later by the MacDonnells of Antrim.

Brian's Successor

After Brian's death, his younger brother, Hugh, became the new head of the Ó Néill family and later the Earl of Tyrone. Brian also had two other brothers named Cormac and Arthur. In the traditional Irish language, Brian was often known as Brian mac Baron Ó Néill, which means "Brian, son of the Baron O'Neill."