Golf in O'Neill

O'Neill in Holt County is the self-proclaimed Irish capital of Nebraska, a community whose Irish Catholic heritage is displayed prominently and proudly — the large shamrock painted at the central intersection is an officially recognized landmark. Founded by Civil War general John J. O'Neill, who settled Irish immigrants on the northern Nebraska prairie, the city carries a cultural identity as distinct as any in the state. Holt County is one of Nebraska's largest by area and most cattle-intensive, and O'Neill Golf Club serves a community that anchors a vast ranch economy. The O'Neill shamrock tradition — begun in 1961 and officially recognized as a landmark — gives the city its most visible cultural marker. Holt County's cattle industry is one of Nebraska's most significant, and the golf club serves a community that has maintained its Irish cultural identity while managing a ranch economy of considerable scale.