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'Grave of king Conn O'Neill' up for sale


Eldorado

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"Richard III of England was the king buried beneath a car park in Leicester. His body, it seemed, lost forever until excavators found remains in 2012.

"Now, four centuries after the death of a Gaelic lord, the site in east Belfast where historic records say he is buried is up for sale to developers.

"Look around the place names in east Belfast and you might notice a theme: Connswater Shopping Centre, Connswater Bridge, Connswater River.

"They are named after Conn O'Neill, the Lord of Upper Clandeboye, referred to by some as the last King of Castlereagh, who ruled from 1601 to 1619."

Full monty at the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49657762

Clandeboye at Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clandeboye

 

"A member of a minor branch of the powerful Ulster Gaelic noble family, Conn McBrien O’Neill succeeded his cousin, Sir Conn McNeill Og O’Neill, in the lordship of upper Clandeboye in 1589. The fort of Castlereagh, and territory from Belfast to a few miles from Portaferry, passed into his possession under English law.

"However, O’Neill’s relationship with the English forces under Arthur Chichester deteriorated, and in 1601, during a ‘grand debauch’ at Castlereagh, some of O’Neill’s retainers fought English troops from the garrison of nearby Belfast. The fracas, often deprecated as little more than a drunken brawl, may actually have involved more than 350 fighters."

Full article at NI Culture: https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/420/conn-oneill

Coronation Chair of the O'Neils of Castlereagh, at the Library of Ireland: https://www.libraryireland.com/articles/CoronationChairOneilsDPJ1-26/index.php

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They don't brawl like they used to eh?  Lads? 

Up the Foxes I say, all the way to the top we say... Up and attem... 

 

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Quote

"Ideally, I would like Belfast City Council to buy it and turn it into a car park to commemorate Conn O'Neill.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49657762

Fixed the article.

That is what the councils do best.:(

 

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'ere, what's ye goot against Wally McMart? 

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8 minutes ago, third_eye said:

'ere, what's ye goot against Wally McMart? 

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Who the heck is Wally McMart?

Do you mean Robert McAlpine re: building the car park? 

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10 minutes ago, freetoroam said:

Who the heck is Wally McMart?

Do you mean Robert McAlpine re: building the car park? 

The cousin of the American, Walmart 

:D

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3 minutes ago, third_eye said:

The cousin of the American, Walmart 

:D

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Lol.

A Walmart in Ireland might not be a bad idea. Can't wait to see the photos of the nutters shopping there after the pubs close.

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i suspect that the people of Connswater area were not aware of the linkage in the name to Conn O'Neill.

Removing the Conn from Connswater is more likely than a commemorative plague.

Edited by RAyMO
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16 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

i suspect that the people of Connswater area were not aware of the linkage in the name to Conn O'Neill.

Removing the Con from Connswater is more likely than a commemorative plague.

They should be aware

Quote

Look around the place names in east Belfast and you might notice a theme: Connswater Shopping Centre, Connswater Bridge, Connswater River.

They are named after Conn O'Neill,

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49657762

Hopefully the schools and families have done their duties over the years and taught the new generations about the history. But saying that, if they had, I am surprised someone has not dug up the area to try and find his grave. Where is Tony Robinson when you need him? 

Edited by freetoroam
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Ps: i posted TONY not Tommy.

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Ahhh...  Time for a Time Team cunning plan... 

~

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26 minutes ago, freetoroam said:

Hopefully the schools and families have done their duties over the years and taught the new generations about the history. But saying that, if they had, I am surprised someone has not dug up the area to try and find his grave. Where is Tony Robinson when you need him? 

he was a Gaelic king. people in the connswater  area have no interest in a Gaelic king. well most of them.

Edited by RAyMO
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1 minute ago, RAyMO said:

he was a Gaelic king. people in the connswater  area have no interest in a Gaelic king.

They should have said that when their shopping centre, bridge and river were named after him. Seems pointless if they do not see the meanings behind the names because they do not care. 

 

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34 minutes ago, freetoroam said:

They should have said that when their shopping centre, bridge and river were named after him. Seems pointless if they do not see the meanings behind the names because they do not care. 

 

this from the article linked by the OP. Its quite interesting and telling.

"Accounts suggest Conn O'Neill was imprisoned for treason by Sir Arthur Chichester in Carrickfergus Castle after fighting broke out between Conn's troops and English soldiers in Belfast.

He escaped with the aid of Ayrshire aristocrat Sir Hugh Montgomery and fled to Scotland.

In exchange for the promise of a royal pardon, Conn would give up much of his land, leading to an influx of Scottish settlers.

He is believed to have died in poverty in about 1619, living in a small house in Holywood."

The people living in Connswater today, due to NI demographics are likely direct descendants of the Scottish settlers. To them Conn O'Neill would be less a king and more a traitor.

Edited by RAyMO
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1 hour ago, third_eye said:

All I can say is "Hooray for Hollywood"

~

You off the tea and on the wine now? 

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