The Red Hand

The Red hand always has been the symbol of the O'Neill's of Ulster not to be confused with the Ui Neill. The Red hand has been borne on the battle standards of the O'Neill's of Ulster. The battle cry of the O'Neill's of Ulster is Lamh dearg an Uachtar ' the Red hand uppermost' and also Lamh dearg Aboo ' the Red hand forever’. This was always a exclusive symbol of the O'Neill's of Ulster. Legend has it that Heremon, son of Milesius , severed his right hand to obtain the lands of Ulster.
The resemblance among the Scandinavian and Germanic god Tyr, and the god Nuadu, chief of the Tuatha De Dannan, who lost his hand in battle and it was replaced by a silver one so he could reign once again. Nuadu was also the one handed god of the sun. Tyr, the one handed Germanic god of battle and patron of the sword was also called 'the shining one'.
Nowhere in Europe is there any mention of any men associated with loosing one hand, or the practice associated with one hand that is only among the Scandinavians. From the saga of the berserker Egil the one handed in the Saga Einhenda ok Asmundar berserkjabana.
There was the berserker practice of the Fountain of Tyr in which a berserker would cut his hand and use the blood of his spurting artery to blind an opponent.

The Goths would sacrifice their captives to the god Tyr, and would put the arms of their victims on branches of trees.

Theodoric is said to have cut off the right hand of his prisoners, who he took, so they might never be able to fight against him.

The practice of cutting one’s right or left hand in not known nowhere outside the O'Neill legend and among the Scandinavians. I have yet to see any accounts or legends other wise.

Some Scholars believe that Tyr, was the great god of the Teutonic peoples , the Southern Germans named him Ziu, the Northern Germans called him Tiuz, the Scandinavians called him Tyr , and the Anglo Saxons , by the name of Tiw.

Historic records show the Germanic soldiers who served in the Roman legions in Britain, in Northumberland, near the Hadrians wall, inscribed on a Roman Altar.

" Deo Marti Thincso et duabus Alaisiagis Bede et Fimmiline et numi augusti Germani cives Tuihanti U.S.L.M"

Translantion :

"To the God Mars Thincsus and to the goddesses Alaisiages Beda and Fimmilina and to the majesty of the divine Augustus the German citizens of Twenthe address their merited homage"

The province of Twenthe was north of the Rhine on the present frontiers of Holland and Germany.

The God Tyr was the symbol of concealment and the magic cup of invisibility, but also the rebirth of the sun god in Norse mythology. Tyr was the chief god of the ancient Germanic tribes the Suebi of southern Germany worshiped the god Tyr by the name Ziu.

“There is a god called Tyr. He is the boldest and most courageous, and has power over victory in battle; it is good for brave men to call upon him" - Magic of the Scandinavians.

Among the Anglo - Saxons, Tyr is referred as a star that " Keeps it's faith well with King’s, Princes, and Nobel’s, always in course through the dark of night, it never fails" The sailor's guiding star called “God’s Nail".

By M.A.O'Neill

The Various O'Neill Clans

The O'Neill clan has many dark mysteries involving their origin and ancestry. For many years the O'Neill's through Ireland, and abroad have believed that they all shared one common ancestor. There have always existed records of ancient clans in the south with the O'Neill surname and other various origins. Until the new Science of Y-DNA testing commercially the O'Neill's who tested saw the differences among the Clan.
The famous clans or "Royal" clans are the O'Neill's Mor of Tyrone, The Clannabuidhe of Antrim and the O'Neill's of the Fews of Co. Armagh. Within the O'Neill's of the Fews we have two different branches the O'Neill's of Sevilla and the O'Neill's of Asturias .

Then there are other clans of O'Neill's

• The O'Neill's of Clare
• The Asturia O'Neill's of the Fews ( True line of the O'Neill mor of the Fews and Marques del Norte)
• The Sevilla O'Neill's of the Fews
• The O'Neill's of Cor
• The O'Neill's of Magh da Chonn
• The O'Neill's of Puerto Rico
• The O'Neill's of Mayo
• The Nihill's of Clare
• The O'Neill's of Ivowen
• The O'Neill's of Thomond
• The O'Neill's of Meath
• The O'Neill's of Feevag
• The McNeill's of Barra
• The McNeill's of Gigha
• The McBaron's
• The McShane's
• The Nelson's
• The Neylon's
• The Nilsons or Nielson's
• The Johnston's Baronets of New York ( Also of the O'Neill's of the Fews)
• The Neely’s of Pennsylvania

Origins of Niell

Origins of Niell

The original Gaelic meaning of Neil is unclear, but Champion or Cloud.

(There is no mention of the name Niall or Neill before Niall of the Nine hostages in any of the Annals of Ulster and Annals of the Four Masters.)


English, Scottish, and Irish: from an Anglo-Scandinavian form of the Gaelic name Niall. It is assumed to have been adopted by the Scandinavians in the form Njal and was introduced into northern England and East Anglia by them, rather than being taken directly from Gaelic.

•NIEL: Norman French form of Scandinavian Njal, meaning "champion."
•NIELS: Danish form of Nicholas, meaning "victory of the people." Dutch form of Roman Cornelius, meaning "horn."
•NIGEL: English form of Latin Nigellus, meaning "champion."
•NIGELLUS: Latin form of Norman French Nihel "champion," but sometimes used as a diminutive form of the word Niger "black," thus "little black one."
•NIGUL: Estonian form of Nicholas, meaning "victory of the people."
•NIHEL: Variant of Norman French Neil, meaning "champion."
•NIILO: Finnish form of Nicholas, meaning "victory of the people."
•NJÅL: Norwegian form of Old Norse Njáll, meaning "champion."
•NJAL: Scandinavian form of Old Norse Njáll, meaning "champion."
•NJALL (Njáll): Old Norse form of Irish Niall, meaning "champion."

In Cornish British

The Surname Nell signifies power & might, ‘the powerful or mighty ‘. Neul or Nial, in the Gaelic, signifies a cloud or hue; figuratively, a dark complexion.


In Scotland


Nealcail: from Gaelic words meaning "victorious people".
Niall: an Old Irish name, prob. derived from Nel "cloud"; or "champion".
Neacal: meaning “victory of the people". Nicholas, Nicol, Niocal.

The Various O'Neill's

The Various O'Neill's.


The Nihill’s of Co. Clare origins the O Neighill Sept located in the barony of Bunratty of Thomond. O Neighill meaning clan or sept of the champion.


The Mac Neely’s or Neely’s of Co. Antrim origins the Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh ‘Son of a Poet’ The surname was anglicized to McAnelly, MacAnilly and McNeely.


The Nelson’s originally Nielson, ‘Neil’s son’ or ‘Nell’s son’. Nell was the English version of the Gaelic Niall or Norman French Njal.

1. On the Isle of Man the surname Nelson was originally MacNeill.

2. Neilson’ of Craigcaffe, Ayrshire descends from Neil the Earl of Carrick.
3. The Neilson’s the hereditary coroners of the Clan Stuart of Bute.
4. The Nielson’s a Sept of the Clan Gunn.
5. The Nielson’s a sept of the Clan MacKay descendants of Neill MacNeill MacKay.

Neilan or Neylan of Co. Clare : Origins in the Niallain Sept. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Phelim O'Niallain, which was dated 1093, died at Clonmacnois, County Clare, during the reign of No king of All Ireland from 1086 - 1172. The Gaelic O'Niallain 'The descendant of the son of Neil'. The 'English' name holders derive from the Olde English 'neu -landa', a pre 7th century term which in ancient times referred to lands recovered by the draining of the fen country of East Anglia, the name being first recorded in Cambridge in the 13th century. The surname Neilan can be easily changed to O’Neill or O’Neil by dropping of the ‘an’ suffix at the end of the surname.

The Nillson’s or Nilsson’s surname is from the Norse word Njal ‘Champion’ meaning of surname ‘Son of Champion’. The Nillson surname is of a Scandinavian origin mostly found in modern day Sweden. Origins could be Danish, Norse or Swedish.
The Neil’s Clan of Galloway, Scotland originally the MacNeille’s who shortened their surname to Neil.

The Mac Neil’s of Gigha and Barra this clan is of the Hebrides of Scotland.

1. The McNeill’s of Barra served in Ireland during the 14th century with the Clan MacLean
2. In 1471 the MacNeill clan submitted to Con O’Neill.
3. The McNeil’s of North Antrim were followers of the MacDonnell’s of the Glen.
4. The MacNeill clan split into two affiliated entities, the "MacNeill’s" of Barra, and the "McNeill’s" of Gigha/Colonsay, under Torquil MacNeill in 1427.
The MacNeill's of Barra and the MacLeans of Duart were those who settled in Ulster and arrived originally as Gallowglass in the 14th century.
The MacNeill's of Barra were known as "the Last of the Vikings".
It was a Maurice MacNeill who killed with a stabbed in the heart, King Somerled , Lord of Argyll .
The MacNeill's were followers of the McDonnell's of the Glen in Co Antrim during the 17th century.
• The MacNeill motto: Vincere vel Mori (Conquer or Die).
• The MacNeill Battle Cry: No Buaidh Bas (Victory or Death).
While both assumed their own Crests and Tartans, for centuries the MacNeill of Gigha/Colonsay bore allegiance to the Chieftains of Barra. After 1493 the two branches of MacNeils took opposite sides in the long running feud between the MacDonald’s of Islay and the MacLean’s of Duart, Barra MacNeils sided with the Mac Leans while the Gigha MacNeils fought on the side of the Clan Donald.

The Mac Baron’s Origins of surname can be Irish, Scottish and English. The Gaelic Mac Baruin were an important branch of the O’Neill’s in Co. Armagh and Louth. Descendants of Sir. Art Mac Barron O’Neill.
The Scottish Mac Barron means ‘the son of Barron’, but did not denote noble blood.

The McGrail : a branch of the MacNeill’s that settled in Co. Armagh.

The McCougan : a branch of the MacNeill’s.

The Ballyneale Castle O’Neill’s Baile Uí Neill ‘land of the O’Neill’s’. Possible O’Neill’s of Ulster that settled in Ballyneale, Mollough, Ballycurkeen, Ballinamona and Lisadobber during the late 1100 A.D. The Ballyneale Castle is located in Carrick – on – Suir, Co. Tipperary.

The O’Neill’s of the Magh da Chonn or the O’Neill’s of Leinster. These O’Neill’s are a sept once known also as the Fearann Uí Neill. This sept was situated in the three parishes called Moyacomb, Co. Wexford, Co. Carlow and Co. Wicklow.

The Geoghegan's / O'Neill's of Bunowen, Co. Galway.

The Geoghegan's / O'Neill's of Bunowen, Co. Galway.


The Geoghegan's are originally from Meath of the ancient Kingdom of West Meath. In 1222 the year when Hugo de Lacy and Aedh Ui Neill joined forces the Geoghegans were one of their opponents in Meath. The Geoghegan sept claim to be descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages thru his son Fiacha. The Geoghegan sept in no point in history have any relation to the O'Neill's what history shows is an opposition to the O'Neill's. In 1657, the Cromwellian Commission transplanted Art Geoghegan of Castletown, Co. Weastmeath to the confiscated the lands of the O'Flaherty in Bunowen, Parish of Ballindoon, Barony of Ballynahinch, Co.Galway, obtaining 900 hundred acres.During this time the Geoghegan's became Protestants, and in 1807 a man named John Geoghegan, for whatever his reasons, envy ,or jealousy changed his surname to O'Neill in lieu of Geoghegan and his descendants. Outside William Chichester adopting the surname O'Neill this man John Geoghegan did the second a great disrespect and disservice to the O'Neill surname in history. Most important of all they have nothing to do with the Red Hand of the O'Neill's , or it's origins.

So, we have after the 1800's, many O'Neill's that are not O'Neill's , but are truly Geoghegan's in reality. In the United States, Australia, Ireland, and in various parts around the world there are O'Neill's that are truly Geoghegan’s. Yes, finding y-dna matches between Geoghegans and O'Neill's is important, and should be looked into, yet you do not hear much about this. I guess many O'Neill's don't want to find out that they are truly Geoghegans.

I see no effort by so called O'Neill and Geoghegan experts trying to find the differences and a common haplotype or Haplogroup between the O'Neill's and Geoghegans.

So, we will remain with O'Neill's that are Geoghegans, and will not find out the truth about their origins, but will remain believing that they are O'Neill's , or are the descendants of O'Neill's.