I was born (1737) in Drumnistad in the County of Tyrone. My Father and Mother were named O'Neill. Their father and mother's names were O'Neill, and my Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother's names were O'Neill, and as far as I can learn their Ancestors both male and female were all named O'Neill, and at this day I have not a relation, either male or female, from the first to the last degree, to the best of my knowledge, but are all of the name of O'Neill.

In consequence of which there is a family pride amongst the O'Neill's, both rich and poor, of the County of Tyrone, conceiving themselves descended from Hugh, Con, and John O'Neill of the Tyrone family, who were in no manner allied with the O'Neill's of Shane's Castle, in the County of Antrim. . . .

Lord Kenmare, the principal proprietor of Killarney, the lake, and the surrounding country, took it into his head about this time to give a Milesian entertainment, that is, to entertain at Christmas every Milesian that could be found who bore the name of an Irish chieftain, which names O'Briens, McCarthys, O'Donoughues, the O'Neills, O'Driscolls, O'Connors, O'Donovans, O'Sullivans, O'Connors, Kerrys, McNamaras, O'Keefes, O'Meaghers, O'Learys, O'Callaghans, O'Connells, O'Mahonys, MacGillacuddys, and some others of the Milesian race, that my memory at present will not enable me to mention.

At the feast there were one or more of every name already mentioned present, except an O'Neill. This Lord Kenmare drew attention to. "Och," says my patron Murtagh MacOwen O'Sullivan, "upon my honour, I can soon fill up that gap for you, as I have now at my house a young blind man from the North who plays very well for his years, and from what I understand from his own lips he has a good claim to represent the O'Neills on this occasion." I was sent for accordingly, and without any ceremony, seated myself amongst them in the great hall. Hundreds of questions were asked me concerning my descent, and on my giving satisfactory answers, I was dubbed and deemed an O'Neill. They all said I had a good face.

When dinner was announced, very near a hundred of the O's and Macs took their seat. My poor self being blind, I did what blind men generally do, I groped a vacancy near the foot of the table. Such a noise arose of cutting carving, roaring, laughing, shaking hands, and such language as generally occurs between friends, who only see each other once a year.

While dinner was going on I was hobnobbed by nearly every gentleman present. When Lord Kenmare hobnobbed me, he was pleased to say, "O'Neill, you should be at the head of the table, as your ancestors were the original Milesians of this Kingdom." "My Lord," I replied "it's no matter where an O'Neill sits, let it be at any part of the table, wherever I am should be considered the head of it."

A universal burst of applause ensued, and my arm was almost shaken from my body by all present, and I believe it was in consequence of my reply to his Lordship, which they remarked, came by instinct to an O'Neill, and damn the O'Neill that ever was born, or ever will yet be born as well as myself, but was drank by all the Milesians then present.

The gentleman who represented the O'Connor Kerry's after dinner took my harp and to my astonishment played a few tunes in the first style I ever heard by a gentleman of fortune. He afterwards shifted the harp into my hands, I played several tunes for which I received some compliments. But if King David came down to the hall of Lord Kenmare and played his best tunes for that set of gentlemen, they would have made him stop the best tune he ever played to drink to the real Irish. Harmony was lost whenever the Port and Claret began to box each other in decanters at all parts of the table. Then the cloth was removed, and the carpet was generally the bed for the principal part of the visitors. At that time, too, it was a common thing to drink a dram in the morning, to fulfil the old saying "The dog that bit you, a lock of his hair will cure you."