Shane O'Neill: son of Conn Bacach

In 1565 Sydney came again as Deputy, and endeavoured to negotiate with Shane with a view to a permanent peace, but he found him more exacting in his demands, and haughtier in speech, than ever. ” For the Queen, I confess she is my sovereign lady, yet I never made peace with her but by her own asking,” he said. ” My ancestors were Kings of Ulster. Ulster was theirs and shall be mine. . . . With this sword I won (the lands), and with this sword I shall keep them.” Sydney at once renewed the war, and marched northward into Tir Owen. Very little except cattle spoils was gained. Finally, Sydney returned homeward, and, more candid than Sussex, did not even pretend to have achieved any notable success.

Still, Shane’s position was a perilous one. Many of his neighbours were jealous of him, and his policy had ever been rather to crush than to conciliate those who opposed him. He now invaded the O’Donnell territory, and Hugh, the newly-elected O’Donnell chief, defeated his army with great slaughter at Farsetmore near Letterkenny. Shane and a small band of soldiers with difficulty crossed the Swilly and escaped.

Before leaving London, however, he had been required to sign certain conditions. Afterwards, he declared that, of his own free will, he never would have consented to them, and so did not hold himself bound to observe what he had subscribed. Yet the conditions seem far from dishonourable or derogatory to him. They place him in the position of a tributory prince ; confirming his authority over his sub-chiefs, and making him independent of the Deputy, except for the obligation of attending his ” hostings.” Shane did not linger in Dublin, which he reached on May 26th (1562). As fast as a fleet horse could carry him, he sped back to his native Ulster.

What reasons can have induced Shane to wish to embark in an enterprise, the dangers of which he must have known, it is impossible to say with anything like certainty ; but probable conjectures may be hazarded. It would be a manifest advantage to him to study on the spot the various intrigues of the Court, and to arrive at a just estimate of the policies and influence of the various ministers who surrounded the Queen.

Still more vital would it be to his interests to meet and interview foreign ambassadors in London, and to judge of the amount of support he could count on from their respective masters, should he, at any future time ,decide to try the chances of rebellion against England. To a man cradled and reared as Shane had been, danger was no deterrent. Still, he was too prudent not to take all possible precautions. He insisted that the five highest nobles in Ireland should be his sureties, and pledge their honours that he should safely go to England and safely return. His people should not be molested in his absence, nor his tributaries maintained against him.