after this, and assumed the title of Earl of Tyrone, appears by a letter from him (dated from Madrid, 27 th October 1660) to the Marquis of Ormond, soliciting the restoration of his family to royal favour. This appeal was supported by the English Ambassador, Henry Bennett, in a letter in which he set forth Hugh's lineal succes- sion to the title. == ^ «= =-s ^19.
O'Neill, Arthur, a blind harper of " unrivalled skill," one of the last of the Irish bards, died in 1816, aged 89. He was remarkable for his antiquarian know- ledge, and is said to have been instru- mental in the preservation of many ancient Irish melodies. '^^
O'lTeill, Elizabeth (Lady Becher), a celebrated actress, was born in Drogheda in 1 79 r . Her father was manager of a small theatrical company. About 181 2, says the Athenaeum, "father and daughter were doing very ill in Dublin, half-starving, while they waited for luck, when it came to the latter all of a sudden. Miss Wald- stein, the theatrical heroine of the hour, refused to act unless at an advanced salary. The manager was in despair, when he heard of the priceless pearl that was to be had for nothing. Miss O'Neill was forth- with attached to the Dublin Theatre, where she excited such sensations of de- light, that the Irish capital was beside itself. Forthwith, Covent Garden ob- tained her services. In October 18 14, Miss O'Neill made her debut as 'Juliet,' and London acknowledged a new charm. Her grace, sweetness, delicacy, refinement, were things that London playgoers had long been strangers to. In her first season she ran through a line of characters which filled the town with admiration and poor Mrs. Siddons with disgust. . . She may be said to have united the old stage with the new. She played, as the great Mrs. Barry did, * Belvidera,' ' Isabella,' ' Mo- nimia,' and 'Calista.' She was also the ' Biauca' of Milman's ' Fazio,' and the original heroine of Shell's stilted and now forgotten plays, but plays which included in their caste Young, Charles Kemble, Macready, and Miss O'Neill. Her last season was the last in which Mrs. Siddons acted, that lady returning to the stage for a night, to play 'LadyKandolph' for her brother Charles's benefit." In December 1819, after a theatrical career as brief as it was brilliant, she relinquished a pro- fession at which she was said to be making £12,000 a year, and married Mr., after- wards Sir William W. Becher, of Bally- giblin. County of Cork. The statement that £ifter her marriage she was ashamed of her old calling, and never referred to it
— ignoring even the passages in plays in which she had been most effective — is pro- bably exaggei-ated. She died at Bally- giblin, 20th October 1872, aged 81, having survived her husband twenty-two years. In private life she was as remarkable for her benevolence and practical kindness as during her professional career she was for her talents. ? -s 39
O'Reilly, Alexander, Count, a Spanish General, was born at Baltrasna, in the County of Meath, in 1722. He en- tered the Spanish service as a lieutenant in the Irish Brigade, and served in Italy, where he received a wound which lamed him for life. In 1757 he passed into the Austrian army, and distinguished himself against the Prussians at Hochkirchen, in 1758. The following year he entered the French service and assisted at the battle of Bergen (i 759), and the taking of Min- den and Corbach. War having broken out between Spain and Portugal, he re-entered the Spanish service, was made a lieu- tenant-general, and defeated the Portu- guese before Chaves, in 1 762. The advent of an English army, under Burgoyne, checked the Spanish successes, and the Peace of Paris (February 1 763) deprived O'Reilly of active military employment. In 1 765 he saved the life of Charles III. in a popular tumult in Madrid. He re- modelled the Spanish army, and introduced the German discipline. Promoted to be Field-Marshal, he was sent to Havannah as second in command, and in June 1 768 took possession of Louisiana, which had been ceded to Spain by France. On his re- t urn he was made Governor of Madrid and Inspector-General of Infantry. His selec- tion for the command of an expedition against Algiers excited some jealousy amongst the Spanish officers, and caused the failure of the enterprise, Charles III. not daring to reinstate him in the govern- ment of Madrid, made him Governor of Cadiz and Captain-General of Andalusia. In April 1786 he was deprived of all his employments, and obliged to retire on a small pension. He must, however, have been still wealthy, as in 1 790 he paid an Irish gentleman 1,000 guineas for prepar- ing his pedigree. He died neai- Chinchilla, 23rd March 1794, aged 72, ^4 421 134
0'B.eilly, Andrew, Count, an Aus- trian Field-Marshal, was born in Ireland in 1740. When young he entered the Austrian service, and soon distinguished himself. Under Maria Theresa he served in the Seven Years' War, and under Joseph II., in the campaign against the Turks. He was a major when war broke out be- tween Austria and France, in April 1792
