In 1986 Hugh O'Neill went to the Belfast folk festival, in the Ulster hall there were 9 actsplaying all pure acoustic traditional folk music, with Paul Brady topping the bill. An act from Australia called Redgum were on tour in Europe at the time and were appearing that day although they were not even advertised and were playing for expenses. They did a fabulous show and announced at the end of their set they would be playing the next day in the Europa hotel and would be doing their full electric set.

Hugh was so impressed with their mixture of folk and rock that he decided to stop playing in rock bands and form his own celtic folk rock band. Hugh did not want to have a new horselip/Fairport etc. sound alike band, so he teamed up with guitarist and friend Larry McConnville and started writing original songs and tunes. They then recruited a fiddler, a flautist, bass player and drummer and hit the road in May 87 under the name Inchequin.1987 Inchequinreleased a single on vinyl "Clove Rock / City on the Lagan". It reached number 27 in the Belfast charts. The band played a hectic schedule of gigs in Ireland for the first few years including many festivals like Letterkenny International Folk Festival, Omagh, Glencolumbcille, Rostrevoir and the Flock to Crock to mention a few.

1991 the band made its first journey outside of Ireland to London. Inchequin played all the big Irish centers like National in Kilburn where the band pulled in crowds of up to 3000 people. The manager of this venue Rose Smithers has this to say about the group: "Inchequin are the band ever to grace the stage of the National, I just love them". The Top Hat in Ealing.The Greisham, Halloway Road. The Swan, Stockwell. THese venues were normally played by the top Irish & Country bands. When Inchequin arrived with their original and exciting celtic rock, they exploded onto the scene, reminiscent of the Horselips day in the seventies and eighties in Ireland. They were voted "Top Irish celtic rock band" in London in '92. Sadly these large venues for the Irish disappeared over the next couple of years with arrival of the "Irish Pub".

1993 Inchequin recorded their first CD "The Hair of the Dog". 1994 Inchequin released their highly acclaimed 2nd. CD "The Widows Cloak". The band played in Germany for the first time. 1997 "Land of our Clans" is released. By this time the band have  toured in Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and Germany. 1999 "Live Agus Nìos Mò". A live CD with six new studio tracks included. 2002 "On the Rocky Road" is released. Inchequin have now added Norway, Switzerland and U.S.A. to their list of tours with Italy, Austria and Canada all to come in the future.