Cormac MacBaron O'Neill

Sir Cormac MacBaron O'Neill (died 1613) was an Irish nobleman, soldier and landowner. A member of the O'Neill clan of Ulster, he supported his brother Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, in the Nine Years' War.

Family background

Parentage Cormac MacBaron O'Neill was the son of Gaelic Irish nobleman Matthew O'Neill, 1st Baron Dungannon. The O'Neill clan ruled Tír Eoghain, a Gaelic kingdom in Ulster. His epithet MacBaron ("son of the Baron") referred to his father's title. Matthew was born from an affair between Conn Bacagh O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone, and Alison Kelly, a blacksmith's wife, but was accepted by Conn Bacagh as his son and tanist (designated heir). but the identity of Art and Cormac's mother is disputed. The historian and genealogist John O'Hart stated that Cormac MacBaron and Art MacBaron were illegitimate. Conversely, historian Emmett O'Byrne stated that all four boys were Siobhan's sons. The historian Paul Walsh stated that Siobhán was Cormac's mother. Hiram Morgan and Darren McGettigan referred to Cormac as Hugh's brother, Nonetheless, his relationship with his brother became increasingly strained, despite the Treaty of Mellifont (1603) in which the Crown pardoned them and restored their lands.

Later life and death When Hugh O'Neill fled Ireland in 1607, Cormac remained behind, riding to Dublin to inform the authorities of his brother's departure, and claiming he had no part in. His claims however were contradicted by the fact he had learned of his brothers intentions at Dunalonge, being only five miles from the garrisons of Derry or Lifford, both near Lough Swilly where the earl departed. Rather than informing either garrison who would have been better placed to prevent the earl from departing he choose to give the earl as much time as possible by riding to Dublin instead. As such he was arrested and remained in prison for the remainder of his life, although he was never charged with any crime and government officials privately admitted he offered no threat, but should be kept locked up.

Cormac remained in Ireland. By the end of the war, Cormac and Tyrone's relationship had become frayed. The historian John McGurk suggested that Cormac had become a political rival to his brother. On 15 September, Cormac travelled to Dublin to inform Chichester of the earls' departure and to petition for a custodiam of Tyrone's estates. Chichester was suspicious that Cormac took a full day to confer this news. Micheline Kerney Walsh, who argued that the Flight was a tactical retreat, stated that Cormac's absence from the Flight was probably pre-arranged with Tyrone, so he could prepare Ireland for the anticipated Spanish expedition. Cormac was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. Three months later, in December 1607, he was sent to the Tower of London. He died in the Tower in 1613.

Marriage and issue Cormac MacBaron O'Neill married Margaret O'Donnell, a sister of Hugh Roe O'Donnell. They had four sons: Brian, Art Oge, Brian Crosach and Conn.

Brian and Art Oge took part in the Flight of the Earls.

Brian Crosach was granted 1,000 acres of land in Dungannon barony as part of the Plantation of Ulster. However, he was hanged in Derry in 1615 for his part in a conspiracy.

Margaret feared for the safety of Conn, her youngest son, who was being sought by authorities. She succeeded in getting him to the Spanish Netherlands, and joined him there in 1622. Conn (also known as Constantino) became an officer in the Spanish Army. He was considered the heir to the Earl of Tyrone by some, but this was not formally recognized because of the Crown's earlier attainder.

Another son of Cormac, named Sean, was a beneficiary in his uncle Hugh O'Neill's will. Sean was brought from Ireland to the Low Countries around 1612 or 1613.