I'm continually surprised by the diversity of interests pursued by Queen Anne and Magnolia residents. I was at a meeting recently of a group researching their Celtic roots and when the name Neil was mentioned, I was able to tell them that it was part of the great O'Neill clan.
The O'Neills are one of the largest Irish clans, with 29,000 bearing that name in every corner of Ireland alone. Add to that a few hundred thousand American, Canadian, South African, Australian, New Zealand O'Neills, and you may conclude there are a lot of O'Neills to the square mile worldwide.
And not only that, but through the years the name has been changed and misspelled so many times it now includes Neals, Kneales, McNeills and assorted others. The O'Neill name, including all its versions, is one of the greatest surnames in Irish history. It is derived from the word "Niall" - Irish for "champion" - and the O'Neills appear on several pages of Burke's Peerage.
"The O'Neills are said to be the oldest traceable family in Europe," claims Lord O'Neill from his home at Shane's Castle, an equivalent of a family seat. They extend away to the shores of Portugal, where Jorge O'Neill pronounces his name in the English manner.
Shane's Castle is one of the stately homes of Britain that was included in my radio series "Castles and Kings." It is a romantic setting in a grand parkland, on the edge of Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles. In the 16th century the castle was burned down. It was set afire again, accidentally, in 1816 - some say by the castle's banshee, a beautiful red-haired woman in white who occupied a room of her own.
In the ancient days, when the country was ruled by clan kings, the O'Neills were called over-kings or high kings - or, as they called themselves, kings of Tara. From the fifth to the 11th century, they held exclusive possession of the Irish monarchy until they were dethroned for a time by another hero, Brian Boru.
However, the O'Neills were back in power and continued to dominate history as supreme monarchs of all Ireland, until the 19th century. Their exploits inspired a 14th-century poet to write, "To compare any clan with that of the O'Neills, one may as well contend with the ocean."
The present-day Shane Castle boasts a sweeping view over the vast lake - an inland sea, really. It includes gardens of camellias and glasshouses of exotic plants, all set by a craggy shore. The castle library doubles as a cozy sitting room, with a blazing peat fireplace, and the books are quite simply a genealogist's dream.
Tracing your own family history can be a fun and fascinating hobby. You are really recreating a history that's a part of you. Especially now in this computer age there are many websites to help you. You can also receive help from the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City who have a vast amount of family records. If your family is from the British Isles there are many places in Britain that can help you trace your ancestry especially if you know exactly where your family came from. There are birth and death records that used to be in Somerset House, London which now have been moved to Newcastle in the north of England. There are also census records of the public record office, and information can be received from the College of Arms in London. And throughout Britain there are the parish church records that are invaluable to any family history.
There are several genealogical societies in our own fair city that can guide you along the way. They can give you hints and help on where to start, but I'm told that once started, a family history never finishes. So whether your name is O'Neill or any of the above mentioned, you have a very proud heritage.
P.S. A little story to share with you. While attending a function of the Jewish War Veterans, a gentleman named Mike Grenervitz gave an account of his passage through Ellis Island. He was so confused at landing that they scared the vitz out of him and he's been Mike Green ever since. True story.
TTFN.
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