We recently received this article (click on image to see larger image) which relates to an O'Shea family reunion held in Kerry in 1996. If you were one of the O'Sheas who were at the reunion, please get in touch.
Click on image for larger size
We also received a picture of one branch of this O'Shea Family: Pat, Jerry, Nora and Margaret which was published in a Milwaukee, WI newspaper when they were reunited in Milwaukee, WI.
Family Tree DNA has announced a sale in kits from the 5th June to the 25th June 2010. If you have been thinking about arranging yDNA testing for yourself, a relative or friend, this would be a very good time to do it.
Here are the details:
Y-DNA37 for $119 (Regular price would be $149)
Y-DNA67 for $199 (Regular price would be $239)
Y-DNA37+mtDNA for $159 (Combined test would cost $238)
The promotion will start June 5 and will end June 25. Kits need to be paid for by June 30, 2010.
The Clans of Ireland AGM was on the 17th April 2010. Brian O'Shea and Margaret Jordan were at it, representing the O'Shea Clan. Here is a photo of the Clan leaders/chiefs. Brian O'Shea is in the front row on the right hand side.
Clans of Ireland 2010, Chiefs and Leaders
Jocelyn Harvey contacted the O'Shea website with the following:
"Hello, I bought an old mandolin-banjo on ebay recently in Quebec. I think it's from 1920. There's about 30 signatures on the vellum and one is from Honoria O'Shea and another is from Liam O'Seadga."
"The seller is an antiquary near Montreal, Quebec. I don't know where he got the instrument."
Jocelyn also kindly sent photos of the mandolin-banjo and the vellum. Does anyone know who these O'Sheas are?
The Annals of Beara has recently been published by the O'Sullivan Clan. This is a comprehensive three volume set, representing an entire lifetime of work by the esteemed Irish genealogist, Riobard O'Dwyer. Volume I includes all of the parish records for Adrigole and Allihies, Volume II the records for Bere Island and Eyeries, Volume III the records for Castletownbere and Glengarriff, on the peninsula of Beara, each carefully translated and transcribed for posterity. These water stained and sun bleached manuscripts were very close to becoming illegible when Mr. O'Dwyer single handedly saved their precious information for generations to come. The Annals of Beara is, without a doubt, the most important genealogical work of the families of Beara, including many O'Sheas.
To purchase copies follow the links below:
Newsletter February 2010 Newsletter Spring 2010 Newsletter January 2010 Newsletter January 2010 Here is a link to the letter we sent to editor of The Kerryman newspaper in mid-January 2010 about the O'Shea yDNA Project. The Kerryman newspaper used the heading: "If you're an O'Shea, check your DNA". We had a great response to the article. Dick Shea, one of our O'Shea yDNA Project members has put together a very interesting article on his Shea Family History. We hope you enjoy reading it.
See Sharon Shea Bossard's article A Journey into the Past on www.visitcahersiveen.ie.
During 2009, three newsletters were sent to O'Shea yDNA Project members. These may be of interest to the O'Shea Clan so we providing links to them here on the News webpage:
The website Irish Genealogy has been launched with Kerry Catholic records. It is free and searchable.
Here is a photo of Brian O'Shea and Margaret Jordan presenting the O'Shea Surname Project display at the Cork Celebrating its Past Exhibition, held in the City Hall, Cork City on the 20th October 2009.
O'Shea Display at "Cork Celebrating its Past Exhibition"
The 1911 Census for all 32 counties of Ireland is online now. This combined with Griffith's Valuation is a great help in researching one's ancestors from anywhere in Ireland. It is always a pleasure to highlight the success of O'Sheas around the world. Professor John O'Shea is the 2009 recipient of the Irish Society for Immunology Public Lecture Award. Each year the society celebrates an outstanding immunologist in recognition of their contribution to the understanding of immunology. The recipient is always asked to deliver a free public talk, organised by the RDS and The Irish Times, in association with the Irish Society for Immunology. Professor O'Shea's presentation in the RDS, Dublin, on 21st May 2009, was entitled Learning from patients: how rare diseases inform immunology. Here is a link to the Irish Times article of the 30th April 2009: Leading US Immunologist to Talk at RDS.
Here is a link to the Wikipedia entry for Professor O'Shea: Wikipedia on John O'Shea (Scientific Director)
Here is a link to another interesting Youtube video filmed by Mark Shea, movie maker and intrepid traveller Mark Shea. He shot this in Co. Kerry on his visit to Ireland in 2006:
Kelly O'Shea, Queensland Rose 2009
Kelly O'Shea represented Queensland in the 2009 Rose of Tralee Festival. She is 21 years old and a 3rd year Biomedical Science student at the University of Southern Queensland. She is first generation Aussie.
Mark Shea, film maker, filmed this while on a visit to Cork in 2006. He interviewed Brian O'Shea, O'Shea yDNA Project Co-administrator in the following video:
Great News!
Sharon Shea Bosard got some good news on her Chicago Irish book. It won first prize in the Illinois Women's Press Association and went to the Nationals to be judged. The book also won as Finalist in the Indie Book Awards out of Michigan. Well done Sharon from the O'Shea Clan!!
Two Friends find they are related through yDNA
In 1992 Chip O'Shea & Tad Shay, pictured here with their wives, were all new friends and recent neighbors. In 2007-2008, they participated in the O'Shea Surname yDNA Project and were subsequently informed that they were an exact match (98% same blood line within 8 generations or 200 years). Also, Chip had previously served as witness for Tad's Irish citizen application. Since that time, both men have laughed and corresponded with many other O'Shea's who have participated as both Chip/Tad have five (5) other (-1) once removed (or 36 out of 37 chromosomes) matches (88% probability). Chip and Tad continue to research the "missing link" in their family history and suspect it might be a Timothy O'Shea who married twice - once in Co Kerry Ireland (unknown origin) and again in Ridgeway, New York state.
Sharon Shea Bossard and Margaret O'Shea Jordan at "O'Shea Pub" on Valentia Island?
Valentia, an island lying just off the Iveragh Peninsula of Kerry has been described as "one of the westernmost inhabited islands in Europe". See Wikipedia - Valentia. Note that Valentia was the eastern end of the first commercial transatlantic cable. The building situated on Valentia Island (in the photo above) featured in an ad for Guinness stout, some years ago and the house was dressed up to look like a pub
Presentation of yDNA Cert. to project member (on left)
Presentation of yDNA Cert. to project member (on right)
Sharon Shea Bossard of Chicago has written a very interesting account of her research into her Irish roots. This quest led her to her paternal Shea ancestors in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. Called Finding My Irish. The book also tracks the family's exploits as struggling immigrants in the US. Details of the book and author are available on Finding My Irish
The O'Shea Clan has renewed its membership with the Clans of Ireland for 2010.
The Irish Civil Records Index is online at Irish Civil Records.
As of 22nd December 2008, the Kerry, Antrim and Down 1911 Census returns are online at 1911 Census for Ireland. Other counties are to follow. Griffith's Valuation is online.
Here is a link to a video of Video of Victory March(duration: 8:18 minutes). Two brothers, Michael and John Shea, students at Notre Dame and residents at Notre Dame, wrote this famous Victory March. This link was sent in to us by Dave Shea.
The Irish Family History Foundation's Online Research Service is at www.irish-roots.ie It is an online paying site for genealogy. However, Kerry and several other Munster counties (or parts thereof) are not online. An article from the Army Times has kindly been sent to us by Joseph Shea who is a member of our yDNA Project. The article is about First Lt. Richard Shea of the 7th. Infantry Division of the American Army who fought bravely in the Korean War. Richard Shea was also a reknowned athlete. Here is the article on Richard Shea. Note you may need to click to enlarge the image if your browser shows a blurred image initially. Mark Shea, intrepid Australian traveller, is back in home in Australia after his exciting 2006 world trip to make movies. His movies! One man, one movie-camera! Thanks to Kerrie Shea for sending us the following letter written in 1864 by a Tipperary man, John Shea, to family members, who had emigrated to Australia.
Could Ballycarbery Castle, which is located near Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry originally have been an O'Shea Castle?
