O'NEILL, OWEN ROE (Gael. Eoghan Ruadh, Red Owen) ( ?-1649). The eommander of the Irish forces in the against the English in the first half of the seventeenth century. He was the nephew of Hugh O'Neill, Lord of Tyrone, and on the flight of the northern chiefs in 1607 lie accompanied his uncle to the Continent, where he was carefully educated at Louvain. Like most of the exiles of that period, he selected the profession of arms, and rose to distinction as commander of the Irish troops in the service of Spain. In the meantime, the wholesale confisca tions in the north of Ireland. known in history as the •Plantation of Ulster,' led to a general rising of the Irish in 1641. On the invitation of a dele gation sent for that purpose, O'Neill crossed over to lreland, assumed eormnand of the forces levied by the General Assembly of the Irish nation, and for eight year held in check the whole power of England and the Scotch •planters! His most signal victory was won at Benburb on the Black water, in Tyrone, June 5, 1040, when with 5500 men he routed Mouroe's army of 7000. killing,
disabling, or taking nearly one-half the enemy, and capturing, all the artillery, baggage, and 1500 horses, after which, rapidly facing around, he put to 'light two other detachments of 2500 troops which were marching to effect a junction with Monroe. For two years more he continued to win one victory after another, in nearly every instance against superior force or equipment, until his death, November 6, 1049. after a brief illness. His removal deprived the Irish army of competent leadership, and the execution of King Charles I. and the overthrow of the Royalist Party in England left the way clear for the inva sion by Cromwell in the same year.