Clandeboye


Clandeboye or Clannaboy was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, comprising what is now south County Antrim, north County Down, and the barony of Loughinsholin, Northern Ireland. The entity was relatively late in appearance and is associated partly with the Gaelic resurgence of the High Middle Ages. The O'Neill Clandeboy who reigned in the territory descended from Hugh Boy O'Neill, a king of Tyrone. His descendants took advantage of the demise of the Earldom of Ulster during the latter 14th century and seized vast portions of territory. Clandeboye's main seats of power were Shane's Castle and Castle Reagh.
The kingdom came to an end at the dawn of the 17th century after Con O'Neill, the last head of the Clandeboye O'Neills of Upper Clandeboye, signed away two-thirds of his land to his close associates Hugh Montgomery and James Hamilton who proceeded to privately settle their land with settlers from Great Britain just prior to the larger Plantation of Ulster. Con died in 1618. James Hamilton became the first Viscount Claneboye in 1622.

Etymology

The spelling of the name has varied over the years, and had been written variously as Clandeboye, Claneboye, Clandyboy, Clannaboy, and Clanaboy.
Clandeboye has also been adopted as the name of an electoral ward of North Down Borough Council. It has survived as a geographical location in modern times as an area of Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Kings and lords of Clandeboye

Below is a list of the chiefs of the Clandeboy O'Neills:
...
English recognised chiefs along the junior line of Phelim Baccagh O'Neill, son of Niall Mor O'Neill, and ancestor of the Lords O'Neill of Shane's Castle:
Hereditary chiefs along the senior line:
The estates of Edenduffcarrick passed to the son of Shane MacBrian O'Neill, Sir Henry O'Neill, who obtained patents for them from King James I.

Modern