The Story of Phelim O’Neill And Political Causes of the 1641 Rebellion
The Life of Sir Phelim O’Neill “I was sent to Lincoln’s Inn in London to train as a lawyer by my parents. Although I took the oath of supremacy, I maintained my Catholic faith. In the 1630s, I borrowed over £12,000 from creditors in Dublin and London. During this time I served as a Justice for the Peace and as a MP for Tyrone in the Irish Parliament. Despite contributing to Irish colonial life, my inability to practice my faith, the fact that I owed a lot of money and because my fellow Catholics lost their political clout forced me to take up arms.”
Sir Phelim O’Neill I want to be able to practice my religion freely. I want the plantation land settlement to be reversed. I owe £12,000. I have taken arms for the defence and liberty of ourselves and the Irish Natives of this kingdom.