The O’Neill Hovenden link By M.O’Neill

I seem to be the only one who looks up these links, since the majority of O’Neill’s spend their time looking up, and following a dream of some Royal ancestry. This surname Hovenden, Ovington, de Ovenden, or Hovenedan was found among numerous families in Ireland in Ulster. In 1664 in Co. Armagh a Hovenden appears in the lists of Co. Armagh householders. Various records show the Hovendens circa the 1650’s in the counties Cork, Down, Tipperary, and Clare. The surname Hovenden as often been strongly associated with Leix, since the 1550’s their main seat had been at Tankardstown. It’s a very rare surname to find in Ireland, but its variants are still found in Yorkshire, England. Which is very interesting for the O’Neill’s of Puerto Rico that maybe these Hovendens could match us, since there is a cluster of people within the SNP L48 with similar haplotype mutations in Yorkshire. None to my knowledge and research have obtained a y-dna test, nor do they have a y-dna project. It will be of great interest, if any do match the majority of the O’Neill’s currently tested, or by some miracle the O’Neill’s of Puerto Rico.

 I would not be surprise; if the Hovenden tested their y-dna, and we would find many end up in the SNP L21 R1b1a2a1a1b4 which is very common among the population of England and Ireland, and the majority of O’Neill’s.

Some records show that a Roger de Hovenden, of Hovenden in England, held a place in the court of King Henry II during the 12^th century. A town of Hovenden in York was in existence prior to the reign of Edward the Confessor, and its location is twenty miles from the city of York, on the road from Beverley to Doncaster. The Hovenden surname has many variants such as Ovenden, Ovendon, de Ovenden, and Hovenden. It’s believed to be English locational surname. With origins from two villages one named “Ovenden" located in the former West Riding of Yorkshire, and the other from the village of Ovingdean in Sussex, England.

When Feardorcha “Matthew” O’Neill was killed by Shane “An Diomas” O’Neill, and his son Brian O’Neill, the 2nd Baron of Dungannon, were murdered by his cousin Turlough Leynagh O'Neill, depending on various accounts it’s believed at the order of Shane “The Proud”.

For the safety of Hugh O’Neill, he was adopted by the Hovenedan family and raised in England under Sir Henry Sidney at Ludlow, Shropshire, and at Penshurts in Kent. The adoptive father was Captain Giles Hovenden, he was said to have been involved in the lands granted to the sons of Conn “Baccach” O’Neill in Balgriffen, near Dublin during this time. The question that many do not see to know is why Giles did adopt Hugh O’Neill, and not a man like Sir. Henry Sidney?

Captain Giles Hovenden obtained the Lordship of Killaban in Queens County in 1549. He married Elizabeth Cheevers and they were the parents of one daughter and five sons. His 4th son was named Captain Walter Hovenden and he fought in Flanders under Sir William Stanley. In 1579 Walter Hovenden was slain in Maryborough by the O’Moore when Maryborough Fort and town were burnt down.

The sons of Giles Hovenden that were associated with the O’Neill’s were Giles’s 3^rd Richard Hovenden and 5^th Henry Hovenden who were both foster-brothers of Hugh O'Neill, 2^nd Earl of Tyrone. These two Hovendens were instrumental in capturing some 800 Spaniards of the ship "Trinidad Valencera" and various other vessels part of the Spanish Armada during 1588 on the coast of Donegal. According to all historical records Henry Hovenden was Hugh O'Neill's secretary for over 10 years, confidant, political tactician, messenger, ambassador and a Captain who went on to serve Henry O’Neill, son of Hugh O’Neill,  in Flanders.

Henry Hovenden had a son named Robert "Gentleman of Kenard" Hovenden, who married the widow Catherine O’Neill; she was the daughter of Turlough O'Neill, and the mother of Sir Phelim O'Neill, the leader in the Rebellion of 1641.

 “Grant from the King to Catherine ny Neale, late wife of Terence or Turlagh oge O'Neale, and now wife of Robert Hovenden, gent. - Tyrone Co. In Mointerbirne Territory. The towns and lands of Drommurre or Drominurre and Lisnaloghoge, 1 sessiogh each, Kinard, Carrickaconablie, and Edinadeenard, 1 hal. Kiltegawanagh and Tawnaghatallin, 1 bal. Annaghgawlen and Kiltecamue, I bal. Tullinashingan or Tullinashan, 1 bal. (Dirriecrantohan) 1 hal. Mollinnamanagh or Molleneveagh, and Kilsamsoge, 1 hal. Coologor, 1 bal. Laghtmcanab, 1 bal. Mollaghmosagh and Gower, 1 bal. (Ravickett) or Rathmakett, 1 bal. Aghenisheightragh, 1 hal. Aghenissowtragh, 1 bal. total, 760 acres - ARMAGH Co. In Towrany Territory. Corrafinghna or Carfeaghna, Coolekill, Killcanavan, Ratrelick, Dromgarne, Shantully, (Ardgonell), Finduff or (Feduffe), Nacknockbana and Shankill, Dromquoise or Dromgoose and Cluntyecraghlin, Gortfadda, Skyrre, Crosdalaitragh, Crosdalaoughtragh, (Raconmure), Glasdromen, each 1 balliboe; total, 1600 acres - To hold all the premises to her own use, for the term of ten years; remainder to Phelimy Roe O'Neale, son and heir of the said Tirlough and his heirs.”     - King James I, in 1614 granted Catherine O’Neill

 

The question is did any of the sons of Robert Hovenden and Catherine O’Neill assumed the O’Neill surname? Or did they even have any children?

The O’Neill’s are currently a big puzzle and full of mysteries the problem is that many O’Neill’s do not take their time to think objective and search for the truth. Those of the Hovenden surname may hold a clue to the puzzle of many of the O’Neill’s, but until they obtain y-dna samples we will know. Let’s see what the future holds and what we will find.