Historical Figures
O'NEILL FAMILY, BEALALAW
Myshall
has some unusual local traditions. One of these is the gift of bone setting. Back in the sixties some of the older people at the time
said it was the O’Neill family (probably) better known as Nail of Myshall
for four hundred years).
Through the generations it has been handed down from father to son or
daughter. In 1960 everyone around thought the end had come. Pat O’Neill died (R.I.P.). He had only one daughter, Sr. Teresa F.C.J. . His sister
Birdie O'Neill lived and practiced bone setting in Inistioge. None of her
children had the gift. Then people started coming to Hollybrook, Myshall
were Danny and Margaret O'Neill, nephew and niece of Pat, lived.
It
all began again slowly, one today and no one the next day. Slowly it
built up. Word of mouth spread the news and people were coming form all
parts of the country and even abroad. One Italian so pleased with Danny
brought himself and his wife Tess to Italy to see his sister who was
unable to travel. This was some experience as they lived in a village,
Rocasica, up in the hills some eighty miles from Rome. They were years
behind Ireland. They brought their shopping home on a donkey with two
bags on his back!
Thank God for such a great gift! Danny has seven children. Two boys and
five girls and with Gods help may the bone setting continue for future
generations.