Canon James Kearney O’Neill was a native of , County Antrim, Ireland, where his maternal uncle, Thomas J. Kearney, had previously been parish priest. The order of the Knights of Columbanus was founded in 1915 by Rev. O'Neill to promote and foster Catholic faith and education. He was born and raised at Carey House, , . He studied at the Classical School in Downpatrick, enrolled in St. Malachy's Diocesan College in February 1872 and entered Maynooth in September 1875. In 1906 he was appointed parish priest of the Sacred Heart Parish, Oldpark Rd., Belfast.