Phelim O'Neill, 2nd Baron Rathcavan

The Right Honourable The Lord Rathcavan PC (NI)

Leader of the Alliance Party
In office 1972–1972
Preceded by	Oliver Napier
Succeeded by	Oliver Napier

Personal details
Born	(1909-11-02)2 November 1909
Died	20 December 1994(1994-12-20) (aged 85) Castlebar, County Mayo
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Alliance (from 1972) Ulster Unionist (until 1972)
Spouse(s)	Clare Blow (m.1934–44, dissolved) Bridget Coke (m.1953)
Relations	Hugh O'Neill (father) Terence O'Neill (cousin)
Children	6
Alma mater	Eton College
Profession	Officer

Phelim Robert Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Baron Rathcavan, PC (NI) (2 November 1909 – 20 December 1994), was a politician in Northern Ireland and a hereditary peer in the British House of Lords.

The son of Hugh O'Neill, a unionist politician, Phelim studied at Eton College before joining the Royal Artillery. He became a major during World War II.

O'Neill was elected to Westminster for the Ulster Unionist Party at the 1952 North Antrim by-election, succeeding his father. He stood down at the 1959 general election. At the 1958 Stormont elections, he was elected, again to represent North Antrim. In 1969, he briefly served as Minister of Education before becoming the Minister of Agriculture. In 1958, he was appointed High Sheriff of Antrim.^[1]

O'Neill joined the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland in 1972, and acted as its leader at the Darlington Conference. At the 1973 Northern Ireland Assembly election, he was unsuccessful in North Antrim. In 1982, he succeeded his father as the second Baron Rathcavan.

References

^ "No. 1906". The Belfast Gazette. 3 January 1958. p. 2.

Biographies of Members of the Northern Ireland House of Commons

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Hugh O'Neill	Member of Parliament for North Antrim 1952–1959	Succeeded by Henry Clark
Parliament of Northern Ireland
Preceded by William McCleery	Member of Parliament for North Antrim 1958–1973	Parliament abolished
Political offices
Preceded by William Fitzsimmons	Minister of Education 1969	Succeeded by William Long
Preceded by James Chichester-Clark	Minister of Agriculture 1969–1971	Succeeded by Harry West
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Hugh O'Neill	Baron Rathcavan 1982–1994	Succeeded by Hugh O'Neill

Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Leadership

Leaders	Oliver Napier & Bob Cooper (1970–1972) Phelim O'Neill (1972, acting) Oliver Napier (1973–1984) John Cushnahan (1984–1987) John Alderdice (1987–1998) Séan Neeson (1998–2001) David Ford (2001–2016) Naomi Long (2016–present)
Deputy Leaders	Bob Cooper (1974–1976) Basil Glass (1976–1980) David Cook (1980–1984) Addie Morrow (1984–1987) Gordon Mawhinney (1987–1991) Seamus Close (1991–2001) Eileen Bell (2001–2006) Naomi Long (2006–2016) Stephen Farry (2016–present)
General Secretaries	Grace Wilson (1970–1972) Bob Cooper (1972–1974) John Cushnahan (1974–1982) Eileen Bell (1986–1990) David Ford (1990–1998) Richard Good (1998–2000) Stephen Farry (2000–2007) Stephen Douglas (2010–2011) Sharon Lowry (2011–present)

Elected
representatives

Members of Parliament	Stephen Farry
Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly	Kellie Armstrong John Blair Paula Bradshaw Stewart Dickson Danny Donnelly Sorcha Eastwood Connie Egan David Honeyford Naomi Long Chris Lyttle Nick Mathison Nuala McAllister Andrew McMurray Peter McReynolds Andrew Muir Sian Mulholland Kate Nicholl Eóin Tennyson

History

History and related organisations	New Ulster Movement Ulster Liberal Party Northern Ireland Peace Process Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats Alliance Youth
Other topics	Election results MPs