Mr. Froude's account, his trial took place at Kilkenny, under General Feetwood. 196 224 295 323
O'Neill, Owen Roe, General of the Ulster Irish between 1642 and 1649, son of Art O'Neill, who was brother of Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, was born in Ire- land about 1599. He was taken to the Continent by his uncle when he fled in 1607, was educated in the Irish Franciscan monastery at Louvain, entered the Span- ish army, where he was known as Don Eugenio O'Neill, and before long rose to the rank of colonel. He married Rose O'Dogherty, sister of Sir Cahir, From 1 3th June to loth August 1640, with 1,500 foot, chiefly Irish, and 400 horse, he defended Arras against a French force of 25,000 infantry and 9,000 cavalry ; and, although ultimately obliged to capitulate, was per- mitted to march out with all the honours of war, and retire to Douay. In April 1642 he was waited upon at Brussels by a deputation from the northern Irish, then in arms. With the cordial assent of Urban VIII., and by the advice of Luke Wadding, he accepted their ofier of the command of the Ulster forces, and with money sent him by the Pope, purchased a frigate, the St. Francis, and freighted her with arms and munitions. He sailed from Dunkirk about 1 8th June, with his sons Henry, Bryan, and Con ; O'Cahan, Bryan O'Byrne, Owen O'Dogherty, Gerald FitzGerald, and many of his countrymen anxious to join in the struggle. Eluding the vigilance of Eng- lish cruisers, specially despatched to inter- cept her, the St. Francis dropped anchor at Castledoe, in Donegal, towards the end of July. Sir Felim O'Neill, with i ,500 men, escorted him to Charlemont, where he was invested with supreme command in Ulster. The English general, Leslie, wrote that he was sorry a person of his experience and reputation abroad should come to Ire- land to s*^ ond so bad a cause, and ear- nestly besought him to return whence he came, whereupon O'Neill replied that he " had more reason to come to relieve the deplorable state of his country, than Leslie had to march at the head of an army to England against his own King." Twelve more sail afterwards arrived, and landed contingents of officers and men trained in the continental wars, and stores of arms and ammunition contributed by diff"erent European powers. The Confederation of Kilkenny was constituted on 24th October 1642. Eleven spiritual and fourteen tem- poral peers, with 226 commoners, repre- senting the Catholic population of Ireland, assembled, and swore to observe true alle- giance to King Charles, to sustain an Irish
Parliament, to maintain the free exercise of the Roman Catholic faith, and to obey the laws made by the Supreme Council then elected. A declaration of rights was issued, a government constituted, an army organized, a mint established, a great seal cut, and ambassadors were sent to foreign states. O'Neill was appointed to command the Ulster forces, Thomas Preston those of Leinster, Gerald Barry in Munster, John Burke in Connaught. It would be impos- sible clearly to follow O'Neill's course through the troubled politics of the next few years in Ireland, There were the parties of the Confederation and of the English Parliament ; there was Ormond's party, and the party of Rinuccini, the Papal Nuncio; there was General Monro's Scotch Presbyterian party, the party of Inchiquin, and the party of the Old Irish. These factions were much split up, and at times formed the most unlooked-for alli- ances. Union and patriotism were lament- ably wanting. The name of Owen Roe O'Neill stands out more clearly than that of any other of the actors in the drama, as one sincerely anxious to sink personal considerations and serve his country and religion. Only the main points in his career can be noticed. He spent the winter of 1642 in disciplining his levies of Irish kerns, who were thus described by Rinuccini : " The soldiers of Ulster, and, in some parts, those of Connaught, natu- rally accustomed to sufl'ering, and habitu- ated to the frosts of that northern climate, have few wishes and few wants. Caring but little for bread, they live upon sham- rock and butter. Their drink is milk, and, as a great luxury, usquebagh. Pro- vided they have shoes and a few uten- sils, a woollen cloak serves for their covering — more zealously careful of their sword and musket than of their personal comfort. They seldom touch money, and therefore complain but little about it." In May 1643 he successfully repulsed General Monro's attempt to surprise Charlemont. He was deeply mortified at the Supreme Council preferring Lord Castlehaven to him for the chief com- mand of the armies of the Confederation. On 24th June he joined Preston near MuUingar. Their forces numbered about 12,000 men. They reaped the com in Meath, and took the castles of Killelan, Balrath, Ballybeg, Bective, Balsoon, and ArdsaUagh, and defeated Lord Moore at Portlester. On 15 th September O'Neill's progress was stayed by a cessation of arms agreed upon between the Marquis of Ormond and the Confederates. More than a year was passed in negotiations —
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