Denis ‘Sonny’ O’Neill commemoration in Nenagh

75th anniversary of death man linked with Collins killing

On Sunday next, June 9, a non-party political commemoration in honour of the late Denis ‘Sonny’ O’Neill will take place in Tyone Graveyard, Nenagh.

Denis O’Neill collapsed and died at his residence, 51 Kenyon St (now the Ormond Hotel), Nenagh, on June 5, 1950 – 75 years ago this week. Since 1989, when he was named in an RTÉ documentary, O’Neill has been linked with the death of Michael Collins in the fatal ambush at Béalnabláth on August 22, 1922.

Denis O’Neill was born in Maryboro, Kilbrittain, Co Cork in 1888. In 1913 he joined the RIC, and later joined the South Irish Horse regiment, serving in the First World War. He returned to his native Cork in October 1919 and joined the IRA. In Cork he worked as an IRA intelligence operative in Victoria Barracks and in this capacity he moved to Dublin where he was attached to IRA Headquarters Intelligence branch.

Following the signing of the Treaty, O’Neill returned to Bandon and at the outbreak of the Civil War he took the anti-Treaty side. In preparation for a meeting of divisional commanders, O’Neill was ordered to Béalnabláth in August 1922 and was involved in the ambush on Collins’ convoy.

Later in December 1922 he moved to Tipperary as a divisional officer, where following the death of Matt Ryan at Foillduff, O’Neill was appointed O/C, 3rd Southern Division, anti-Treaty forces, a position he held until 1926.

In 1926 Denis O’Neill moved to Nenagh, where he joined the fledgling Fianna Fáil party in which he served as Cumann Secretary and joint Treasurer with Patrick McGrath. The following year he married Mary Anne Roughan, owner of the boarding house at 35 Mitchell St, where he lodged. In 1928 he served as Director of Elections for Fianna Fáil in the local elections held that year. In 1934 he was elected to Nenagh UDC and in 1937 was co-opted to Tipperary North Riding County Council, on which he served until his death in 1950. Whenever he spoke of events at Béalnabláth, Denis O’Neill always expressed his regret at his involvement in the death of Michael Collins and indeed his life would appear to have been devoted to attempting to make amends for that.

Sunday’s ceremony will be one of reconciliation as well as commemoration, at which relatives of both ‘Sonny’ O’Neill and Michael Collins will be in attendance as we remember both men and their service to their country. Members of Kilbrittain Historical Society are travelling to Nenagh for the ceremony, which commences in Tyone graveyard at 2pm. The event is open to all and, as stated above, is non-party political. It is hoped that local people will join us in remembering an adopted son of Nenagh.

Following the ceremony in Tyone, a guided tour of places associated with the life of Sonny O’Neill and with events in the Civil War will commence at 3.30 from outside 35 Mitchel St.