John Henry O'Neile was as far as I know the last Master of the Union Workhose in Lurgan. He and Emma had ten children, five of whom didn't draw their pension, one of them being my father Murray Eugene O'Neile who died in 1971. It so happens that yesterday 29th May 2010 I was standing on the grave plot owned by the workhouse in which, amongst others, are buried, John Henry, his wife Emma, my father Murray Eugene and his wife Aileen Victoria (Simpson - Cookstown) and another Emma O'Neile but due to the semi obliterated inscription I can't tell if she was a daughter or daughter in law of John Henry.
What I know of John Henry, other than him having been a fairly strict disciplinarian, was that he was a bit of an athlete. He played rugby and in 1910 took part in the IAAA championships in Dublin where he won a gold medal for tossing the 56 lbs without follow (22' 10"), a silver for the 220 yds and a bronze for the 100 yds. I have the gold and silver medals but the bronze was lent to a family member and never returned.
I'm told the photo doesn't do him justice and there was more humour in the man than the severe exterior suggests.
John Henry was also a freemason and my Worshipful Master Medal is in fact the one awarded to John Henry and subsequently my father and then me.