Who was Eoghan Rúa?

Contributed by Pat Fitzpatrick

When Kilcoo Gaelic Club was founded in 1906 it was named after the incomparable Owen Roe O’Neill. He was the son of Art McBaron O’Neill, a younger brother of the great Hugh, who was Earl of Tyrone. The exact date of his birth is a matter of conjecture as some of his biographers suggest 1582 and some as late as 1590. However, it is very certain that he was born sometime between these two dates.

Owen Roe and his brother Art were sent to Salamanca in Spain to be educated privately. He had a flair for languages and it is known that he spoke all the main European languages. After the completion of his education, Owen Roe, or Don Eugenio O’Neill, as he was known on the continent, and his brother entered military service in the Spanish Netherlands, which for many years was the theatre of a great war. Although he was in the Archduke’s army it was really the Spanish army as the Archduke was politically subject to the King of Spain. During his military career, which lasted over 40 years, O’Neill proved himself to be a brilliant tactician and strategist. Even though he had limited resources he was expected to produce victories for Spain and because of this he was forced to develop his own methods of war. Unlike other generals he did not believe it necessary to have huge numbers or even up-to-date equipment to win battles. Instead he relied on bluff and his ability to outwit and deceive the enemy: a company of a couple of hundred men suitably deployed on a hillside could be made to appear as several thousand. He also excelled in creating unrest and mutiny in enemy ranks.

Undoubtedly the highlight of his career on the continent was in 1640. The two great powers, then, were France and Spain, but Spain had only limited forces to defend Flanders, which the French were preparing to attack. In June two French armies each numbering 40,000 were on their way to Dunkirk intending to cut off Flanders from Spanish help. Right in the path of this huge army lay the little town of Arras. Owen Roe O’Neill with only 1500 Irish soldiers was given the doubtful honour of defending the town for the glory of the King of Spain. Fearing annihilation the inhabitants of the town begged O’Neill to surrender, but he refused. When the vanguard of the French army attacked they were allowed into the centre of the town, their retreat cut off and they were taken hostage. When the French army moved Owen Roe up and trained their big guns on the town they were reminded by O’Neill of the French prisoners in exposed positions inside and the French gunners refused to open fire on their comrades. The French raised a further 20,000 men but the whole affair was becoming the laughing stock of Europe with 100,000 men unable to overcome O’Neill and his 1,500 Irishmen. Owen Roe held out for three months eventually forcing the French to sign a treaty whereby the defenders would only be required to vacate the town and so, with their force and arms intact, their banners waving and bands playing they withdrew. As they left Arras they were acclaimed by the on looking French soldiers. The French commander, Marshal La Meillerai, embraced Owen Roe, telling him “You were magnificent, Mon Colonel, you surpassed us in all things save good fortune.”

After Arras Owen Roe settled in Brussels from where he directed The Catholic Rebellion in Ireland, which had begun in 1641. The British were so fearful of O’Neill that they warned the Spanish that if Owen Roe or the Irish were allowed to return to Ireland, England would regard it as an act of war and would join in the continental war against Spain. However, in 1642, Owen Roe sailed for Ireland and following a circuitous route he arrived at Doe Castle in Sheephaven Bay, Co. Donegal together with two ships he had captured on the way. He was soon leading the Catholic army in Ulster and conducting a very successful campaign against the Scots and English. His major and most celebrated victory was in 1646 near Benburb where he defeated the Scottish General Robert Monroe, thus emulating his uncle Hugh who had defeated the English army led by Sir Henry Bagenal at the Battle of Yellow Ford in 1598. Owen Roe soldiered on for three more years although his health was in decline. Ireland’s greatest son passed away on 6 November 1649 and he is buried in the old Franciscan monastery in Cavan.