page_title: Ó hAnluain
section_title: Sir Eochaidh "Oghy" Ó Hanlon
hierarchical_section_title: Ó hAnluain / Various branches of the O'Hanlon sept / Sir Eochaidh "Oghy" Ó Hanlon
context_page_description: The Ó h-Anluain family was an agnatic extended family comprising one of a string of dynasts along the Ulster-Leinster border. Depending on the advantage to the sept, the named leader—The O'Hanlon—supported either the Earl of Tyrone or authorities within the English Pale. During the 15th century, ties were close with the famed Earls of Kildare. Frequently, members of the sept would be on either side of a rebellion. Some would be outlawed; others pardoned; some ending up on the winning side.
  The heart of "O'Hanlon's Countrie" was centered on south central Ulster, much of it being in what is now the Republic of Ireland. The first O'Hanlon on record is Flaithbheartach Ua h-Anluain, lord of Ui Niallain, whose murder in the year 983 AD is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters.
  The modern version of the name is usually given as Hanlon or O'Hanlon, but there are many variants: Handlon, Handlan, Hanlan, Hanlen, Hanlin, Hanlyn etc. Occasionally some variants of the names Hanly, Hanley and Handly are also derived from Ó h-Anluain, although Hanly is usually the anglicised form of Ó h-Ainle, an ancient Roscommon sept.
context_section_description: The origins of the colonial O’Hanlons lay in two sons of Sean, The O’Hanlon (c. 1510–1575).  In addition to Sir Eochaidh O’Hanlon, last of the Name, there was also his brother, Feidliminh, and his four sons.  All supported the Tudor monarchy, more or less, during the Nine Years' War and were granted lands in south Armagh for their loyalty to the Crown.
  Eochaidh "Oghy" O'Hanlon, son of Shane Oge O'Hanlon, maintained his seat at Tandragee, near modern Poyntzpass, County Armagh. Oghy was lord of the baronies of Orior Lower and Orior Upper, and by Irish tradition (Brehon law) Chief of his name. In 1595, he married the sister of the Earl of Tyrone.  This made his son and heir, Eochaidh Óg O'Hanlon, great grandson to the Earl of Kildare. Young Oghy was also great grandson of Conn O'Neill, Prince of Ulster, and all the ties to the Gaelic aristocracy that entailed.  When he was exiled to service under the King of Sweden, he took the blood of Irish and English kings with him.
  Queen Elizabeth operated a policy of surrender and regrant to Irish nobles, where the Gaelic chiefs surrendered their lands, but were re-granted them with an English title after swearing allegiance to the Crown and promising to abide by English laws and customs. Amongst those who did was Hugh O'Neill in 1587 who was given the English title Earl of Tyrone. Eochaidh followed his example and had his lands re-granted by letters of patent in the same year. He became a Knight under English law, "Sir" Eochaidh Oghy O'Hanlon, hereditary royal standard bearer north of the River Boyne. Though an English peer, Eochaidh never made the cultural transition.  He kept his Gaelic ways. As John O'Donovan edited into O'Daly's Tribes of Ireland,
  The head of this family in our author's time was Sir Eochy O'Hanlon of Tandragee, who, though knighted, was considered so Irish, that the poet Spenser, in speaking of some great houses of the English in Ireland, who had so degenerated from their ancient dignities, "and are now growne as Irish, as O'Hanlon's breech, as the proverb there is."".
  Spenser was referring to the Gaelic proverb, applied when someone was heavily native in their appearance and actions.  Such people 
  were "as Irish as O'Hanlon's breech."  Spenser was not denigrating The O'Hanlon, as much as he was noting that erstwhile English families such as the Fitzsimons of counties Cavan and Down, had 'gone native' over the years.
caption: Sir Eochaidh was the last Royal Standard Bearer “north of the Boyne.” A Colonel Felix O’Hanlon of London petitioned to perform the same at the coronation of George IV in 1821.