Ormond Historical Society lecture on Sonny O'Neill
This Wednesday night, January 20th, there will be a local history talk in Toomevara Parish Hall entitled 'Denis (Sonny) O'Neill; One Man's War'.
In his youth he joined the RIC and also fought in World War One. Following the war Denis, like his brothers, joined the IRA in his native Cork and also served for a time in Dublin. With the advent of the Civil War he took the Republican side and was responsible for the formation of two mounted units in the Cork area.
In August 1922 he was involved in the ambush at Béal na mBláth, which resulted in the death of General Michael Collins. December of that year saw his arrival in Tipperary where he was involved in several engagements up to the end of the Civil War.
Marrying a Nenagh woman, 'Sonny' settled at 35 Mitchel St and became involved in the fledgling Fianna Fáil organisation. He served as a member of both Nenagh UDC and North Tipperary Co Council and was involved in local politics up to his death in June 1950. His funeral to Tyone cemetery in Nenagh was attended by both local and national figures of the time, testament to the high regard in which he was held.
The talk will discuss his remarkable life, examining these events - including a detailed look at his controversial part in the ambush at Béal na mBláth. The talk commences at 8.30pm.