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Famous O’Neills- Charles Henry (Cáthal Ainrí) Ó Néill

Cáthal Ainrí Ó Néill, or Charles Henry O'Neill, was the chieftain of the O'Neill dynasty of Clandeboye, (English - The O'Neill Clanaboy, Irish - An Ó Néill Buidhe), from 1855 until his death. The son of Felix-Cunningham O'Neill, Esq., and Mary O'Neill, (who was the daughter of Bernard O'Neill of Ballygrooby and Dunmore and Mary the daughter of John O'Neill, Esq. of Muinterevelin in County Tyrone), Charles Henry was a Dublin Barrister, born at Feeva House in County Antrim near present day Toomebridge on the 25th of December 1809. He married Mary Adeline Louise O'Grady, daughter of James O'Grady, Esq. of the Dal Cassian family, and they had one child. He was the lineal descendant of the last Chieftain of Clanaboy, Briain mac Féilimh Ó Néill, through Briain's son and the last Tanaiste of Clanaboy, Con mac Briain Ó Néill. His daughter Elizabeth Catherine Mary Theresa was the last O'Neill of the Feeva to be born at Feeva House in 1845; which had been the home of this line since Con mac Briain's son Hugh Óge Ó Néill fought alongside Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and was dispossessed of the majority of his estates, and forced to leave Eden-duff-carrick settled in the adjoining lordship The Feeva.

From that time on Edendubhcarrig, later known as Shane's Castle, was in the hands of the descendants of Sir Henry Ó Néill who had converted to Anglicanism and conformed in Elizabethan times. In 1855, on the death of John O'Neill, 3rd Viscount O'Neill, who was predeceased by his elder brother Charles O'Neill, 1st Earl O'Neill, Sir Henry O'Neill's will entailed the Shane's Castle estate on the descendants of Con mac Briain Ó Néill; an event which signified the extinction of issue of his daughter Rose and heirs male in his own line. His daughter named Rose, who was his only heir, and who married Randal MacDonnell, Earl of Antrim (a quo "Randalstown"), but left no issue.

Sir Henry O'Neill, whose Will is dated the 13th September, 1637, had four brothers - 1. Arthur, of Shane's Castle, who was the heir of his brother Henry, in the event of his daughter Rose (Marchioness of Antrim) having no issue; 2. Phelim; 3. Shane Oge, who died without issue, A.D. 1620; and 4. Hugh, who also died, sine prob. Arthur O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, here mentioned, had two sons - 1. Charles (no issue recorded); 2. Captain John O'Neill. This Captain John O'Neill had two sons - 1. Arthur, who died unmarried, in Flanders, in 1702; and 2. Colonel Charles O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, who died without issue. After this Col. Charles O'Neill's death, Henry O'Neill administered on 10th Sept., 1716, but died s.p. The estates then reverted to "Shane an Franca" (or "French John"), son of Brian, son of Phelim, the second brother of Sir Henry O'Neill it is also from French John we get the Portglenone area O’Neills of the Largy, Lisnahunchen, and the Gortgole O’Neills.