Portaferrys Captain Robert Curran & Killoughs Captain Richard McSherry (both later of Belfast from approximately 1867-1891)

I am the 2x great-granddaughter of Capt. Robert Curran of Portaferry (born abt. 1838 and died on 7 Jun 1890). Capt. Robert Curran was the son of Robert Curran, a Whitesmith (born about 1806 and died in approx. 1871) in Portaferry. My Curran family relatives resided at New Row in Portaferry in the 1800's, which has since been renamed "Shore Road" and was located directly across the street from Portaferry's Gas Work's (which no longer exists but used to be at or near the Saltpans Townhomes/estate).

I believe that Capt. Robert Curran, who was a Master Mariner, had at least 3 brothers (John, Thomas and Patrick Curran), who were also all sailors/seafaring men. In January of 1867 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Chapel (Diocese of Down & Connor), Capt. Robert Curran married the daughter of a Master Mariner/Ship Captain and Publican from Killough, named Capt. Richard McSherry (my 3x great-grandfather). Her name was Mary McSherry. Capt. Richard McSherry lived in/was associated with the McSherry residence located at Fisherman's Row in Killough, County Down during the early to mid-1800s before he moved his family up to Ballymacarrett, and then over to Belfast's Old Sailortown neighborhood in the late 1850's or early 1860's, operating Pubs and Distilleries called McSherry's and the Killough Tavern, which were at 20 Gamble Street, 58 Tomb Street, and then he purchased a 3-story Distillery, Hotel & Pub in a red brick building called The Harbor Hotel or The Harbor Arms Hotel and Alehouse, which was located at 15 Corporation Square in Belfast directly across the street from the Belfast Harbour Commissioner's Office, which he owned and operated with his family from at least 1867 until the mid-1890's.

For most of Capt. Robert Curran and Mary McSherry's marriage they lived and raised their 7-8 children in the Old Sailortown area of Belfast living in the 3rd floor of the McSherry/Curran Family Hotel, Distilleries and Public House, "The Harbour Arms" and/or "The Harbour Hotel" until Capt. Robert Curran's untimely death aboard his vessel The Lorena on the 8th of June of 1890, which had been moored in Sligo Quay, County Sligo.

Having lost her mother, Mary Adair McSherry, on 10 February 1887 and then her father, Capt. Richard McSherry, a few months later on 3 Sept. 1887, Capt. robert Curran's widow, Mary McSherry Curran, put the McSherry/Curran Home and Hotel/Distillery/Publican Business up for auction, sold it, and moved away from her home in Ireland to Liverpool to be closer to other family in search of support with raising their 8-9 children, after she and her children laid their father and her beloved husband to rest on 11 June 1890 in the Curran Family graveyard at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Churchyard in Portaferry, Co. Down, where Capt. robert Curran was born and raised.

Sadly, Mary McSherry Curran died a few years later, in August of 1894, in the West Derby area of Liverpool, leaving her then-eldest surviving daughter to care for and raise her younger siblings.

Capt. Robert Curran and Mary McSherry Curran's 2nd eldest daughter is/was my great-grandmother, Jane Elizabeth Curran (married name Oxton). I am told that every summer up until she immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, with her husband John Francis Oxton, Jr., and their 2 sons in May of 1924, my great-grandmother, Jane Elizabeth Curran Oxton, would return to the Killough and Portaferry areas of eastern County Down to visit her extended family, and to also ensure that her sons, Jack & Charlie Oxton (Charlie is my paternal grandfather), knew their Irish Roots and their Irish Relatives by being able to spent time in the beautiful part of Ireland where their mother and maternal grandparents grew up.

I am trying to connect with any remaining Curran and McSherry relatives (or anyone who happens to know of my Curran or McSherry relatives from these areas of eastern county Down or Belfast), some of whom may still remain in or around the Belfast, Portaferry and Killough areas,

Both my McSherry and Curran relatives were devout Roman Catholics, a majority of them were engaged in the Seafaring Trades i.e., Master Mariners/Ship Captains, and Publicans, who hailed from eastern County Down and Belfast throughout the 1800's.

I am also wondering if anyone has any old photographs (circa 19th century) of New Row/Shore Road in Portaferry, of 15 Corporation Square, 58 Tomb Street, 20 Gamble Street, 35 and 39 Dock Street, all in Belfast, or of Fisherman's Row in Killough, that they would be willing to share with me?

I have also been able to confirm that several of my direct McSherry Relatives, including my 3x great-grandfather Captain Richard McSherry and are least 3 of his daughters are all buried at Rossglass Catholic Graveyard.

PLEASE message me here, or send me an e-mail directly at joxtonlaw@gmail.com if you have any stories, photographs or information you are willing to share.

Thank you in advance for your time. Please feel free to pass this message along to anyone you believe may be interested in connecting with me, or may have information that may be of assistance to me in my search for relatives, stories and/or photographs of the places my great grandparents were born and raised.