Looking for information on the Shea/O'Shea families from Windgap

My name is John Dawson and I am the great-grandson of Margaret Shea b.1862. I live in Sydney Australia.

Margaret  was one of 6 children to Patrick Shea and Margaret Phelan. She left Ireland in 1863 arriving in Sydney to join her brothers Michael, who arrived in 1881,and John, who arrived in 1880.

While working as a domestic, she met Michael Fitzgerald, a migrant from East Clare Hills, Ireland who arrived happened to arrive in sydney the same year as Margaret. The two married in 1889 and went on to produce 11 children, of whom 9 survived, including my grandmother, Bridget. On Margaret's wedding certificate, for reasons unknown, she chose to call herself O'Shea.

My grandmother Bridget b.1864 later married John Dawson and they produced 6 children, including my father, Francis.

In 1983, the relatives of Michael and Margaret held a centenary family reunion to celebrate the arrival in Australia of the pair. To mark the occasion, a relative, the well respected Canberra based jouranist, Alan Fitzgerald travelled to Ireland to further research the family. Upon his return, he produced a document outlining a brief history of the Fitzgerald and O'Shea families in Ireland and Australia and contains a wealth of information. I hold a copy.

I've attached a copy of a photo of Margaret and Michael Fitzgerald taken on their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1939. 

Hi John,

I stumbled on your post by accident and may be able to add to your family tree as I think my 2 sons are related to you (although I am only related by marriage and have been divorced and have remarried since). My sons are Michael and Sam Shannon and their father is David Shannon who would be your cousin. David’s mother was Marjorie Mary Shannon (née Dawson) and her parents were Bridget and John Dawson. I believe I met your father (was he known as Frank?). I also remember meeting John Dawson who would be your uncle and Kath who would be your aunt along with Marjorie. Sam and Michael grew up in Port Macquarie but now live in Melbourne and Newcastle. Marjorie passed away a few years ago. Hope that helps fill in some gaps. Cheers Jenny 

Ps I think you must have the incorrect dob for Bridget as if it was 1864 her mother would have been 2yo and her daughter Marjorie would have been born when she was 55! Perhaps you meant dob to be 1894? (Same year I have for John Dawson). 

Hi John

Like Ausjen I stumbled across your reply to this post even though I don't belong in this parish.

I am helping a NZ friend sort out her tree and she is a descended from Patrick's younger brother Edmond Shea who married Johanna O'Sullivan in New Zealand.  And like many Irish added back the O' to his Shea.  We had only found 4 of Patrick and Bridget's 6 children.

She would be very grateful for a copy of the history that Alan Fitzgerald put together.  She and her husband travelled to Ireland and I think spent at least around Whitesland near Callan where the Shea's had their farms.

Ausjen your sons would also be related to my friend although more distantly that John.

I also am descended from Kilkenny O'Shea's that migrated to Victoria Australia but my O'Shea are from around Muckalee.

cheers

Margaret’s death certificate 1945 states father as John Oshea, mother Mary HYNES. But Margaret’s 1889 marriage certificate states her father as Thomas Oshea mother as Mary Hoynes!

argyleplace

Hello how to I go about obtaining a copy of the following document?

 

To mark the occasion, a relative, the well respected Canberra based jouranist, Alan Fitzgerald travelled to Ireland to further research the family. Upon his return, he produced a document outlining a brief history of the Fitzgerald and O'Shea families in Ireland and Australia and contains a wealth of information. I hold a copy.

 

argyleplace

Kind Regards

Sandra