Clanaboy

Clandeboye
Clann Aodha Buidhe  (Irish)
1283–1574
Coat of arms
O'Neill of Clandeboye c. 15th century.
Capital		Not specified
Languages		Irish
Government		Monarchy
King
•	1283-1295	Brian mac Aodha Buidhe Ó Néill (first)
•	1574	Brian Ó Néill (last)
History
•	Established	1283
•	Disestablished	1574
Preceded by Succeeded by Earldom of Ulster Tyrone Kingdom of Ireland

Clandeboye (from the Irish Clann Aodha Buí; the family of Hugh with the blonde hair), was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day south County Antrim and north County Down. The entity was relatively late in appearance and is associated partly with the Gaelic resurgence of the High Middle Ages. The Ó Néill Clann Aodha Buidhe who reigned in the territory descended from Aodh Buidhe Ó Néill, a King of Tír Eoghain. His descendants managed to move east and retrieve territories back from the Normans; the de Burgh's Earldom of Ulster.

The kingdom came to an end in ignominious circumstances in 1574; as the Kingdom of Ireland during the Elizabethan period was strengthening its grip on the island, the New English had begun to create settler-colonies within Ireland. The Ó Néill naturally opposed this and Brian Ó Néill met with the Earl of Essex to discuss matters. Subsequently, Essex had his men massacre up to 500 of the unsuspecting Gaels present; men, women and children; in what is known as the Betrayal of Clannabuidhe. Brian, his wife and brother-in-law were taken away and executed, Clandeboye was subsequently partitioned and later privately colonised under the Plantation of Ulster.

The spelling of the name has varied over the years, and had been written variously as Clandeboye, Claneboye, Clandyboy, Clannaboy, and Clanaboy. Clandeboye has also been adopted as the name of an electoral ward of North Down Borough Council. It has survived as a geographical location in modern times as an area of Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.