Brian O'Neill (died 1617)

Brian O'Neill (died 1617) was an Irish nobleman and chieftain of the O'Neill clan. He was a significant figure in the Nine Years' War (1594-1603) and the subsequent Plantation of Ulster.

Brian O'Neill was the son of Phelim O'Neill and a descendant of Aodh Buidhe O'Neill. His primary territory was in the Clandeboye area of County Down. He actively participated in the Nine Years' War, supporting Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, against English forces. His involvement included raiding English settlements and participating in various battles and skirmishes throughout the war.

Following the defeat of the Irish forces at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 and the subsequent surrender of Hugh O'Neill in 1603, Brian O'Neill submitted to English authority. Despite his submission, he was viewed with suspicion by the English administration, particularly due to his past rebellion and continuing influence in the region.

As a result of the Plantation of Ulster, a policy implemented by King James I to settle English and Scottish Protestants on confiscated Irish land, Brian O'Neill's lands were targeted for plantation. He was eventually dispossessed of a significant portion of his ancestral territory.

Brian O'Neill died in 1617. His descendants continued to play a role in Irish history, though their power and influence were diminished by the plantation and the subsequent changes in land ownership and political structures in Ulster. His life exemplifies the challenges faced by Gaelic Irish chieftains during the period of English expansion and colonization in Ireland.