List of rulers of Tyrone

This article lists the rulers of Tyrone (Irish: Tír Eoghain) from 1185 to 1616. They are listed from their date of accession to date of death, unless otherwise stated.

Prior to this, the ruling dynasty - the Cenél nEógain - were most of the kings of Ailech. During the tenth and eleventh centuries, two main septs within the dynasty emerged; the Meic Lochlainn and the O'Neill. The latter family pushed aside the Meic Lochlainn, and from 1241 onwards the kingdom was ruled exclusively by members of the O'Neill family.

For the offshoot Clandeboye O'Neill kingdom, distinct from Tyrone, that was ruled by the descendants of Hugh Boy O'Neill, see List of rulers of Clandeboye.

Kings of Tyrone, 1185—1607

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Name Portrait Birth Marriage(s) Death
Domhnall mac Aodha Mac Lochlainn
1185–1186
1187–1188
Son of Aodh Mac Lochlainn unknown 1188
Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh
1186–1187
Son of Aodh Ó Flaithbheartaigh unknown 1197
Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn
1188–1196
Son of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn unknown 1196
Aodh Méith mac Aodha O'Neill
1196–1201
1201–1230
Son of Aodh an Macaoimh Tóinleasg O'Neill Bean-Midhe 1230
Conchobhar Beg mac Conchobhair Mac Lochlainn
1201
Son of Conchobar mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn son of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn unknown 1201
Niall Ruadh mac Aodha O'Neill
1230
Son of Aodh an Macaoimh Tóinleasg O'Neill Nuala O'Connor 1235
Domhnall mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn
1230–1232
1235–1238
1239–1241
Son of Muirchertach Mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn son of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn unknown 1241
Domhnall Óg mac Aodha Méith O'Neill
1232–1235
Son of Aodh Méith mac Aodha O'Neill unknown 1235
Brian Chatha an Dúna O'Neill[1]
1238–1239
1241–1260
Son of Niall Ruadh mac Aodha O'Neill and Nuala O'Connor unknown 16 May 1260
Hugh Boy O'Neill[2]
1260–1261
1263–1283
Son of Domhnall Óg mac Aodha Méith O'Neill unknown 1283
Niall Culanach O'Neill
1261–1263
1286–1290
Son of Domhnall Óg mac Aodha Méith O'Neill unknown 1290
Domhnall O'Neill
1283–1286
1290–1291
1295–1325
Son of Brian O'Neill Gormhflaith O'Donnell 1325
Brian O'Neill[3]
1291–1295
Son of Hugh Boy O'Neill and Eleanor de Angulo unknown 1295
Henry O'Neill[3]
1325–1345 (Contested)
Son of Brian O'Neill unknown 1347
Aodh Reamhair O'Neill
1325–1345 (Contested)[4]
1345–1364
Son of Domhnall O'Neill and Gormflaith O'Donnell unknown 1364
Niall Mór mac Aodha Reamhair O'Neill[5]
1364–1397
Son of Aodh Reamhair O'Neill unknown 1398
Niall Óg mac Néill O'Neill
1397–1402
Son of Niall Mór mac Aodha Reamhair O'Neill Una O'Neil 1403
Brian Óg mac Néill Óg O'Neill
1402–1403
Son of Niall Óg mac Néill O'Neill and Una O'Neill unknown 1403
Domhnall mac Éinri Aimhreidh O'Neill
1404–1410
1414–1419
1421–1432
Son of Éinri Aimhreidh O'Neill son of Niall Mór O'Neill unknown 1410
Eoghan mac Néill Óg O'Neill
1410–1414
1419–1421
1432–1455
Son of Niall Óg mac Néill O'Neill and Una O'Neill Catherine MacMahon 1456
Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill
1455–1483
Son of Eoghan mac Néill Óg O'Neill Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh 1484
Conn Mór mac Éinri O'Neill
1483–1493
Son of Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill and Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh Cumach O'Cahan
Eleanor FitzGerald
8 January 1493
Éinri Óg mac Éinri O'Neill
1493–1498
Son of Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill and Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh unknown 21 August 1498
Domhnall Clarach O'Neill
1498–1509
Son of Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill and Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh unknown 6 August 1509
Art mac Aodh O'Neill
1509–1513
Son of Aodh O'Neill of the Fews son of Eoghan mac Néill Óg O'Neill unknown 1513
Art Oge O'Neill
1513–1519
1470
Son of Conn Mór mac Éinri O'Neill and Cumach O'Cahan
unknown 1519
Conn Bacagh O'Neill
1519–1558
1484
Son of Conn Mór mac Éinri O'Neill and Eleanor FitzGerald
Alice FitzGerald
Sorcha O'Neill
16 July 1559
Shane O'Neill
1559–1567
1530
Son of Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone and Alice FitzGerald
Catherine McDonnell
Margaret O'Donnell
Catherine MacLean
2 June 1567
Cushendun
Turlough Luineach O'Neill
1567–1593
1532
Son of Niall Connellagh O'Neill son of Art Oge O'Neill
Agnes Campbell 10 September 1595
Hugh O'Neill
1593–1607
1550
Son of Matthew O'Neill, 1st Baron Dungannon (legitimised son of Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone to Alison Roth) and Siobhan Maguire
Katherine O'Neill
Siobhán O'Donnell
Mabel Bagenal
Katherine Magennis
20 July 1616
Rome

It could also be argued that Conn Bacach had taken the title Earl of Tyrone in 1542, as part of the process of surrender and regrant, and in the process had waived his title. Whether he could waive it without consulting his clan derbfine is part of this debate.

Conn Bacach's grandson Hugh was not proclaimed king at Tullyhogue in 1593, but assumed the title after arranging to pay Turlough Luineach an annuity.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Disputed High King of Ireland 1258-1260.
  2. ^ Last king to be styled King of Ailech.
  3. ^ a b Also King of Clandeboye.
  4. ^ O'Byrne, Emmett. "O'Neill (Ó Néill), Aodh Reamhar (Aodh Mór)". Dictionary of Irish Biography. His succession to the kingship was the result of the deaths by violence of three of his brothers, in 1318, 1319, and 1325, the last of whom, Cú Uladh, died in the same year as their father. Aodh Reamhar assumed the leadership, but much of his early reign was dominated by his struggle with Henry O'Neill (qv) of the Clann Aodha Buidhe. By the middle of the 1330s Aodh Reamhar had established himself as a rival king of Tyrone in opposition to Henry, and proved to be an astute warrior and politician
  5. ^ Also styled as King of Ulster 1364.

Bibliography

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  • "Kings of Tír Eógain and Earls of Tyrone, 1185-1616", pages 211-213, "A New History of Ireland", Volume 9: Maps, Genealogies, Lists; A Companion to Irish History Part II", edited by T. W. Moody, F.X. Martin, F.J. Byrne, Oxford, 1984.