Niall McNeill facts for kids

Niall MacNeill (born 1899, died 1969) was an Irish soldier and a scientist who studied insects. He was especially interested in Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) and Heteroptera (true bugs).

Niall MacNeill was the son of Eoin MacNeill, who helped start the Irish Volunteers. This group was important in forming the Irish Army. Niall joined the Irish Volunteers and later became an officer in the Irish Army.

A Soldier and Mapper

Niall MacNeill became a high-ranking officer, a colonel, in the army. He was an expert in surveying, which means making detailed maps of land. He even trained with a special engineering group called the Royal Engineers on the Isle of Wight in England.

After he left the army, Niall MacNeill worked for the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. This is the official mapping agency for Ireland. In 1935, he became the Assistant Director there, helping to lead the mapping work for the country.

Studying Insects

Niall MacNeill is most famous for his work on young dragonflies and damselflies, which are called larvae. He worked closely with other scientists like A. Eric Gardner and Frederic Charles Fraser. He was also good friends with them and with another famous insect expert, Cynthia Longfield.

Niall MacNeill was a member of important scientific groups. He was part of the Royal Irish Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. These memberships showed that he was a respected and important scientist in his field.