The O'Neal Genealogy Association Newsletter

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TOGA NEWS Volume III, Issue 3, March, 2003

When I was a child my father told me the stories of the great Irish Kings of olde, of the barbarous battles they engaged in, the battles they won and the heroics they performed on a seemingly daily basis. My grandfather told me the story of the first King. How, in a contest to reach the shore of the Emerald Isle, my ancestor, on seeing that others were approaching the shoreline ahead of him, pulled his sword, cut off his hand and cast that same bloody red appendage ashore, becoming the first O'Neal to "lay hand" on Ireland, and thus becoming the King.

Of course, these stories played in my young mind, and I reveled in such a romantic, treacherous, adventure filled past. I whiled away the hours, with my little plastic sword, challenging my siblings, cousins and any soul brave enough to invade my kingdom (Or enter my yard, actually.)

But then, all good things come to pass, and as I grew and learned of worldly things, I began to think that not every single O'Neal child born in this world was descended from that King, so long ago. What about the Kings brothers and cousins who were probably on that same ship. Some of us must be descended from them, I reasoned. Thus, I discarded these stories my father and grandfather told me as childish, as fairy tales.

Now, as I approach a half century of existence on this ethereal orb, (and some say my second childhood) I find myself remembering those old stories. As a genealogist, I've learned to listen to what the old timers tell me. I've learned that they sometimes stretch the truth, sometimes they muddy the waters a little, but for the most part, they tell their stories to the best of their abilities. I've learned that while they sometimes can't remember the details accurately, they often nail the "Big Picture" with deadly accuracy. So, what about these stories of the old Irish Kings? Are they fairy tales? Are they psycho babble designed to promote self esteem and give a young child hope and pride and a sense of his ability to overcome obstacles?

Perhaps.

But then again, perhaps not. As I said, I thought my parents made up the stories. But they didn't. I've read the stories in many books, and I've seen many different versions of the Red Hand of O'Neill story. I've read many histories of the Irish and of Irish Kings. These were indeed real people, who fought real battles and died gloriously on the battlefields defending their homes and families.

But are we descended from them?

Perhaps.

Our family legend, passed down verbally through the generations says we are. I come from a very large close knit family. I have seven siblings. My father had several, his father had several and his father had even more, as did his father. I've talked to a lot of these folks, my cousins, aunts & uncles, great aunts & uncles, etc. They've all heard the story. Most believe it.  (Continued on Page 2.)