Cormac MacBaron O'Neill facts for kids

Sir Cormac MacBaron O'Neill (died 1613) was an important Irish soldier and landowner during the time of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I in Ireland. He belonged to the powerful O'Neill dynasty, one of the most famous Gaelic families in Ireland.

Who was Cormac O'Neill?

Cormac O'Neill was the son of Matthew O'Neill, 1st Baron Dungannon. His father was sadly killed by his half-brother, Shane O'Neill, in 1558. Cormac's middle name, "MacBaron," was a Patronymic, which means it showed that he was the son of a Baron. Cormac's older brother was Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, who became a very famous leader.

How did Cormac and Hugh get their lands back?

Even though their father had faced difficulties, Cormac and Hugh were able to get their lands back in Ulster (a province in northern Ireland). They received help from the English government to do this.

What happened during the Nine Years' War?

Later, Hugh O'Neill, who was now known as the Earl of Tyrone, started a big rebellion against the English in 1594. This war is often called the Nine Years' War. Cormac joined his brother in this fight. He took part in important events like the Siege of Enniskillen and the Battle of the Ford of the Biscuits in the same year.

Even after a major defeat at the Battle of Kinsale, Cormac stayed loyal to his brother. Many other Irish leaders changed sides and made peace with the English, but Cormac did not. After Hugh O'Neill destroyed his own capital, Dungannon, to prevent the English from using it, they continued fighting a guerrilla war. This meant they used surprise attacks and small battles. Cormac even managed to ambush a group of soldiers led by Henry Docwra.

What happened after the war?

The war ended with the Treaty of Mellifont in 1603. This treaty meant that the English Crown pardoned (forgave) Hugh and Cormac, and they got their lands back. However, even after the peace treaty, Cormac's relationship with his brother became difficult.

Why was Cormac O'Neill arrested?

In 1607, Hugh O'Neill and other Irish leaders decided to leave Ireland in what is known as the Flight of the Earls. Cormac O'Neill stayed behind. He rode to Dublin to tell the authorities that his brother had left and that he had no part in it.

However, his story was questioned. He had known about his brother's plans at Dunalonge, which was very close to English army bases in Derry and Lifford. These bases were near Lough Swilly, where the Earls sailed away. Instead of telling these nearby bases, which could have stopped them, Cormac chose to ride all the way to Dublin. This gave his brother more time to escape.

Because of this, Cormac was arrested. He remained in prison for the rest of his life. He was never officially charged with a crime, and government officials privately admitted that he wasn't a threat. Still, they decided to keep him locked up.

What happened to Cormac's children?

Cormac had a son named Bryan Crossagh O'Neill. As part of the Plantation of Ulster (a plan to settle English and Scottish people in Ireland), Bryan was given a small piece of land, about 1,000 acres, in the Dungannon area. Sadly, Bryan was later executed in 1615 because he was involved in a plan against the government in 1614.

Another son, Conn MacCormac O'Neill (also known as Constantino O'Neill), became an officer in the Spanish Army. Some people thought Conn should be the next Earl of Tyrone, but this was never officially recognized. This was because the Crown had previously taken away the title through a process called attainder.