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Mary Josephine Sheehy

LimerickShanagolden (Limerick)

My great grandmother Mary Josephine Sheehy was apparently born in Shanagolden in 1865 to parents Michael Sheehy and Catherine Hogan and had a brother called Martin.  Mary came out to Queensland Australia on the SS Almora in 1877 supposedly after quarraling with her parents.  On Mary's marriage certificate to my great grandfather William (Billy) Hallam in Queensland she stated her father was a farmer.  Despite extensive search from my end in Australia I haven't been able to find any birth record for Mary or marriage record of her parents. 

I haven found a record where a Catherine Hogan and Michael Sheehy were co-sponsors at a Baptism in 1853 for the child of John Scanlon and Joanna Harmon.  Parish/Church/Congregation - ABBEYDORNEY.  This is the only example that put Michael Sheehy and Catherine Hogan together, and they may also not be the same parents of my gr grandmother.  

I believer her brother Martin had joined the US Navy as he had sent a letter to Mary in 1892 giving his address as USS Atlanta Navy Yard New York.  By the 1980s when the letter was discussed by a family descendant, it so faded and very torn making it very difficult to piece together.'

If anyone can shed any light on Mary Josephine Sheehy or Martin Sheehy I'd be thrilled.  I'm attaching a photo of Mary Sheehy Hallam taken in 1900.

regards Christine

christineleona…

4 replies

Hi,

Is this your Martin?
 

Margot Secrette

It could be Margot,
I found other US Navy records and the facts fit in. I don't have any other corroborating evidence of Martin's date of birth but it seems likely to be him. The Martin I found has him retiring from the Navy whereas the family history story is he died or drowned at sea. I don't know how that news reached the family in Queensland though. But any pieces of the puzzle are gratefully received
Christine

christineleona…

Hello Christine, my name is Jennifer jean and I am a volunteer with IrelandXo; I was recently reading your message which I gather, you received a reply concerning Martin Sheehy. However as I cover the Shanagolden area , I am curious about the history of this name Sheehy and your mention of Abbeydorney which is in Kerry,

I have investigated the birth of Mary Josephine in every county in Ireland but like you, I have found numerous Mary Sheehy's baptismal records but the three from that period in the Co.Limerick coverage do not correspond with Hogan and or Sheey.

I have also investigated numerous parish marriage records and again there is absolutely no Sheehy-Hogan link...all very strange.

I wonder can you tell me how you know of the facts that you do have - ioe Mary's birth year? (although I looked 5 years either side) also where do you get the Shanagolden knowledge from?

I have several Martin Sheehy but again, none in Shanagolden area

If you have any further information, I would happily return to your query with the hope of contacting friends who may know a story or two from that area.

You can contact me on:-  killeedy1@irelandxo.com

Killeedy1 LimerickIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello again Christine, I was looking at your request again and have now found an entry in the Griffiths Valuation records (you will be able to see these free pages)  and I have noticed a Micahel Sheehy in Knocknagornagh, (parish of Kilmoylan) , the landlord shown as Patrick Kennedy page 102 and then a Catherine Hogan on the same page 102 - same parish but in a house in Ballhahill the landlord is Denis Cregan.

The Cregans have lived in and around this area, foynes, Glin, Shanid forever. It is just a co-incidence that the two names are living almost a field or two apart  but it is the only link with the two names anywhere on record. I have searched yet again, extensively for Mary Josephine and have one record but the parents Joannis Sheehy and Honora O'Brien - of Loughill, Ballyhahill, Shanid dob 4.2.1865 - could this mean anything? No Martin though, are we sure that this is a brother? (The Martin that you refer to ref: the war records came from Kerry and his father's name was Simon if I remember correctly as he received the son's pension)

Would be interested to know whether you have learnt anything further but meantime, I will revisit data

Jennifer Jean Volunteer   killeedy1@irelandxo.com

Killeedy1 LimerickIrelandXO Volunteer

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