The O'Neill's of the Fews and the O'Neill's of Puerto Rico

The O'Neill's of the Fews and the O'Neill's of Puerto Rico , share many things in common, one of them being the island of Puerto Rico, were many of the O'Neill's of the Fews were born in the 1800's ,and served in the military of Puerto Rico. On the island ,there must be a few descendants of the O'Neill's of the Fews, yet to be found in various areas of Puerto Rico, due to the son's of Don Arturo O'Neill O'Keffe, 2nd Marquez del Norte, who remained on the island and few records have been found, due to the lack of interest, by many of the current O'Neill's in Puerto Rico. One line is established to have a different origin than those of the Fews. These O'Neill's are the descendants of Don Juan O'Neill , whose oral history is totaly different of that of the O'Neill's of the Fews, but more in line with the O'Neill's of Tyrone.

Based on the marriage record of Don Patricio O'Neill Garcia, dated 1778, we do know that these O'Neill's were in Puerto Rico , long before any of the O'Neill's of the Fews, also Don Arturo O'Neill O'Keffe, 2nd Marquez del Norte , was born on St.Croix in 1783, and Don Juan's grandson , Don Jose O'Neill was married the same year that Don Arturo, was married in the year 1802. I researched into Lt.General Felix O'Neill of Creegan , who was born circa 1720's, as the possible father of Don Juan O'Neill, but dates and oral history do not match, Don Felix O'Neill of Creegan , did have a son named Juan O'Neill Valera, who later became a Captain General, but he was born in 1765,and matched to the marriage date of Don Patricio O'Neill Garcia ,shows that Don Juan O'Neill Valera, could have been only 13 years old.

Another name I have looked into is Captain General Felix O'Neill's of the Fews, who was married twice, and did have two sons named Juan and Jose O'Neill Ranisol. But there is no mention of Don Felix O'Neill of the Fews in the Caribbean, although it's very likely he was, but no records of him in military service in the Spanish Netherlands, to my knowledge.

Oral history states that the progenitor of our line was a tall man of blue eyes and dark hair. He arrived in Puerto Rico with his brother both military men from Ireland of Irish ancestry . There are said to have fought in the land were people wore Wooden Shoes and there were windmills ( The Spanish Netherlands, modern day Belgium ) . He was said to have been involved in Piracy and had a violent temper . In our family most males are between the height of 6 ft 4 inches and 5 feet 11 inches ( 193.04 centimeters to 180.34 centimeters )and weight around 230 lbs to 260 lbs. (average of 113 kilograms) . Often of a muscular built with broad shoulders and strong arms. Usually hair turn completely white around the ages of 30 and 40 years. Most males are of dark hair but a few have been nicknamed "Cano" a word to describe some of blond hair. This O'Neill's true oral history show they lived in Spain before migrating to the Spanish Netherlands around the 1600's.
Family oral history states that our origins are from a man named Edmundo , Eamon or a Enrique Rua O'Neill who fought in the Spanish Netherlands . Also men involved in piracy with men named Rocco ( Richard or Ricard) , Gill ( Guillermo) , Juan ( Sean, John) and the head of the clan was a man named Conn or Constantino. This family was ruled by eight heads and all lived in one area were they would all meet after long campaigns or raiding. There are also accounts of a woman named Rose involved in the family or mother of my ancestor.

These men had great knowledge of the sea and the Caribbean. It's believed Patricio O'Neill Garcia had a brother possibly named Jose O'Neill Garcia who left Puerto Rico never to return possibly migrated to one of the neighboring islands or back to Spain or Spanish Netherlands.There is second story that is found among other O’Neill’s of Puerto Rico, is that of the daughter of a O’Neill, had two or three male children with a Indian or African salve and when the father found out he took back his daughter to Ireland or Spain. The two children took their mother’s surname and so did their descendants.

I have researched for the name Edmond O'Neill , but found only records of a Edmond, who died fighting against his cousin Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone. This Edmond was the son of Shane 'Diomas' O'Neill, son of The First Earl , Con Bacagh (The Lame) O'Neill, who died in 1588. Some accounts have Edmund O'Neill (McShane) being hung by his cousin Earl Hugh O'Neill in 1602. Family oral history states that he died in a battle. In search of the name Rose or Rosa I found.


Rose the name of the sister of Edmond who married into the McDonnell clan.

There are various Rose or Rosa O'Neill's and countless Henry's and Conn's among all the clans that could have .

Rose O'Neill of the Fews married a man named Phillip O'Reilly of Co. Cavan.

Rose O'Neill of the Fews 1672-1757 married a Maurice O'More of Co. Mayo.
Rose O'Neill daughter of Sir Henry O'Neill of Shane's Castle of the Clanaboy. She married The Earl of Antrim Randall McDonnell circa the 1600's.
Rose O'Donnell who married Art Oge O'Neill . She was the daughter of Don Manus O'Donnell , Lord of Tyrconnell.
Rose O'Neill , daughter of Teige O'Neill and Mary O'Donnell. She married a MacCallum of Scotland.
Rose McGuiness who married Shane O'Neill , last of the lord of the Clanaboy of Shane's Castle.
Rosa O'Neill 1582- d. Nov 1st 1660 married Owen (Eugenio) Roe O'Neill parents of Henry (Enrique ) Roe O'Neill. She was the sister of Cahir O'Doherty was once married to Cathbar O'Donnell brother of the Earl of Tyrconnell. She lived in Louvain and in 1651 settled in Flanders and lived in Brussels. Currently buried in the Franciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua in Lovain.

There is a distant Rose associated with Henrietta O'Neill daughter of Sarah O'Neill and Henry O'Neill. Henrietta O'Neill married Colonel John Comerford and were parents of a Jose Comerford y O'Neill. But time line of birth dates does not match nor the Y-DNA of the Comerfords.