O'Neill has waited 20 months to taste success in the international arena, a period that has seen him oversee five draws and four defeats.
A 1-1 draw in Portugal earlier in the World Cup qualifying campaign hinted at potential but the lack of a victory and a string of disappointing home results was beginning to cast a long shadow over his tenure.
But the former Shamrock Rovers boss was able to reflect on a hugely satisfying performance in Belfast tonight, with Martin Paterson's 43rd-minute header ensuring a richly-deserved 1-0 win over opponents ranked 93 places higher than Northern Ireland.
"It was a great occasion for us and very satisfying for me personally. The players were magnificent from start to finish and deserved to win," he said.
"It was very sweet, very nice. I've had a few disappointments in the job so far, so to win makes it a very special night for me.
"I said in the past when you have so few games and such a long time between the defeats and the draws that you carry them around much longer than at club level.
"At least I've got a couple of weeks to carry this one around."
The unexpected win - Northern Ireland's first in 13 matches when Nigel Worthington's side claimed the rather lesser scalps of the Faroe Islands - was achieved without a number of senior players.
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans was a last-minute withdrawal with a stomach bug, Kyle Lafferty failed to travel with an Achilles problem, Chris Brunt was suspended and Chris Baird was not considered having yet to sort out a new club.
Source: PA
Source: PA