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Shane O'Neill's Rebellion

Type Event Region Europe Time 1561–1567

From 1561 to 1567, Shane O'Neill, chieftain of the O'Neill clan in Ulster, Ireland, persistently resisted English royal conquest and colonization pol…

Timeline

  1. 1561–1562Tyrone · County TyroneAround 1561, Shane O'Neill established control over Tyrone through force and political maneuvering, refusing to recognize the overlordship of the English-invested Earl Matthew O'Neill and his son Brian, openly challenging English sovereignty over Ulster.
  2. 1563–1565Ulster · UlsterShane fought multiple armed engagements with the lord deputy, the Earl of Sussex, and later Sir Henry Sidney. In 1563 Shane traveled to London to meet Elizabeth I and received temporary recognition of his status, but conflict resumed after his return to Ireland, and English expeditions failed to subdue his followers.
  3. 1567Cushendun · County AntrimIn June 1567, Shane O'Neill sought support from the Scottish MacDonnell clan amid internal power struggles in Ulster, but was betrayed and killed by Scottish mercenaries near Cushendun. His head was sent to Dublin, marking the temporary end of this years-long resistance.

Sources