O’Connor family of No 1 Seapoint Avenue
James O’Connor married Mary Shanley
born 10 Feb 1836 25 Jan 1877 born circa 1856
died 12 Mar 1910 Dublin died 30 Jun 1890
18 Melifont Ave, Kingstown 1 Seapoint Avenue
James O'Connor was born 10 Feb 1836 in the Glen of Imaal, Co Wicklow, son of Patrick
O'Connor, a farmer, and his wife Miss Kearney. He was a Fenian, journalist, and politician,
his involvement as a bookkeeper with ‘The Irish People' led to his arrest with John O'Leary
and O'Donovan Rossa in September 1865 when the newspaper paper office was raided.
He was convicted of treason/felony and sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude, which
he served in Millbank and Portland prisons. He married Mary Jane Shanley on 25 Jan 1877
at St Laurence O’Toole Church, Seville Place, North Wall. Mary Jane was resident at 108
Seville Place and the daughter of Patrick Joseph Shanley, a printer and agent for the Victoria
Mutual Assurance Society. They lived at No 1 Seapoint Avenue from 1886 to 1890 and John
was sub editor of the United Ireland Newspaper.
On 30 Jun 1890 at about 6 pm Mary sent the girls off to collect mussels with their servant
Eliza Casey. She and four of their daughters died 3 hours later after eating contaminated
mussels gathered on the seashore near where they lived in what became known as the
Seapoint tragedy. John Semple of Seapoint House, a near neighbour went off to fetch Drs
Dixon and Finucane from Blackrock. His daughter Louise aged 12 had been playing with
the O’Connor children in the garden and went with them to the beach but hadn’t eaten any
of the mussels. He gave evidence at the coroners court as did his daughter Louisa. Mary
and all the children were treated but she along with four of their daughters succumbed to
the poison and died a few hours later and were buried at Glasnevin. An ornamental Celtic
cross was erected by public subscription during 1890.
1 Annie O’Connor born 12 Nov 1877 at George’s Place baptised at the Pro Cathedral
died after eating contaminated mussels on 30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
2 Helena (Aileen) O’Connor born 6 Jul 1879 at St John’s Terrace, Blackrock baptised at
St John the Baptist Church, Blackrock died after eating contaminated mussels on
30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
3 Mary Elizabeth (Moya) O'Connor, born 25 Mar 1881 at St John’s Terrace, Blackrock
baptised at St John the Baptist Church, Blackrock. Moya was violently ill, but survived
eating the contaminated mussels. By 1901 she was secretary to a Catholic institution
living in Hampstead. She married Crompton Llewelyn Davies on 8 Dec 1910.
Crompton was adviser to David Lloyd George and solicitor to the Post Office and the
son of the Rev John Llewelyn Davies. Moya wrote a number of books with her
husband and they used the pen-name 'Dalta'. It is said she became obsessed by
Michael Collins. She was involved in gun running from her house at Furry Park and
was court martialled on 14 Jun 1921 and a raid. She was released on condition she left
Ireland and returned in 1922. Compton died 23 Nov 1935 in London. Moya died on
28 Sep 1943 at late of Kiladreenan House, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow and
was buried at Deansgrange.
1 Richard Llewelyn Davies born 1913 in Kensington.
2 Katherine Llewelyn Davies born 1915 at East Grinstead.
4 Kathleen O’Connor born 9 Jul 1883 at 2 Montpelier Place died after eating contaminated
mussels on 30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
5 Norah O’Connor born 12 Aug 1885 at 2 Seapoint Avenue died after eating contaminated
mussels on 30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
James was living at 8 Lower Abbey Street and secondly married Jane McBride on 11 Oct 1892 at
Holycross, Dundrum. Jane was resident at Drummartin House and the daughter of Patrick McBride
a victualler. James was a MP for West Wicklow from 1892 to 1910. He died on 12 Mar 1910 at 18
Melifont Ave, Kingstown and was buried at Glasnevin with his first wife and children. Jane was living
with her brother Francis in 1911 Jane died aged 76 on 5 Nov 1922 at 39 Grosvenor Square, Elizabeth
O’Connor the informant. She was buried at Glasnevin.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - October 2024
Return to Seapoint Manor page
James O’Connor married Mary Shanley
born 10 Feb 1836 25 Jan 1877 born circa 1856
died 12 Mar 1910 Dublin died 30 Jun 1890
18 Melifont Ave, Kingstown 1 Seapoint Avenue
James O'Connor was born 10 Feb 1836 in the Glen of Imaal, Co Wicklow, son of Patrick
O'Connor, a farmer, and his wife Miss Kearney. He was a Fenian, journalist, and politician,
his involvement as a bookkeeper with ‘The Irish People' led to his arrest with John O'Leary
and O'Donovan Rossa in September 1865 when the newspaper paper office was raided.
He was convicted of treason/felony and sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude, which
he served in Millbank and Portland prisons. He married Mary Jane Shanley on 25 Jan 1877
at St Laurence O’Toole Church, Seville Place, North Wall. Mary Jane was resident at 108
Seville Place and the daughter of Patrick Joseph Shanley, a printer and agent for the Victoria
Mutual Assurance Society. They lived at No 1 Seapoint Avenue from 1886 to 1890 and John
was sub editor of the United Ireland Newspaper.
On 30 Jun 1890 at about 6 pm Mary sent the girls off to collect mussels with their servant
Eliza Casey. She and four of their daughters died 3 hours later after eating contaminated
mussels gathered on the seashore near where they lived in what became known as the
Seapoint tragedy. John Semple of Seapoint House, a near neighbour went off to fetch Drs
Dixon and Finucane from Blackrock. His daughter Louise aged 12 had been playing with
the O’Connor children in the garden and went with them to the beach but hadn’t eaten any
of the mussels. He gave evidence at the coroners court as did his daughter Louisa. Mary
and all the children were treated but she along with four of their daughters succumbed to
the poison and died a few hours later and were buried at Glasnevin. An ornamental Celtic
cross was erected by public subscription during 1890.
1 Annie O’Connor born 12 Nov 1877 at George’s Place baptised at the Pro Cathedral
died after eating contaminated mussels on 30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
2 Helena (Aileen) O’Connor born 6 Jul 1879 at St John’s Terrace, Blackrock baptised at
St John the Baptist Church, Blackrock died after eating contaminated mussels on
30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
3 Mary Elizabeth (Moya) O'Connor, born 25 Mar 1881 at St John’s Terrace, Blackrock
baptised at St John the Baptist Church, Blackrock. Moya was violently ill, but survived
eating the contaminated mussels. By 1901 she was secretary to a Catholic institution
living in Hampstead. She married Crompton Llewelyn Davies on 8 Dec 1910.
Crompton was adviser to David Lloyd George and solicitor to the Post Office and the
son of the Rev John Llewelyn Davies. Moya wrote a number of books with her
husband and they used the pen-name 'Dalta'. It is said she became obsessed by
Michael Collins. She was involved in gun running from her house at Furry Park and
was court martialled on 14 Jun 1921 and a raid. She was released on condition she left
Ireland and returned in 1922. Compton died 23 Nov 1935 in London. Moya died on
28 Sep 1943 at late of Kiladreenan House, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow and
was buried at Deansgrange.
1 Richard Llewelyn Davies born 1913 in Kensington.
2 Katherine Llewelyn Davies born 1915 at East Grinstead.
4 Kathleen O’Connor born 9 Jul 1883 at 2 Montpelier Place died after eating contaminated
mussels on 30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
5 Norah O’Connor born 12 Aug 1885 at 2 Seapoint Avenue died after eating contaminated
mussels on 30 Jun 1890 and was buried at Glasnevin.
James was living at 8 Lower Abbey Street and secondly married Jane McBride on 11 Oct 1892 at
Holycross, Dundrum. Jane was resident at Drummartin House and the daughter of Patrick McBride
a victualler. James was a MP for West Wicklow from 1892 to 1910. He died on 12 Mar 1910 at 18
Melifont Ave, Kingstown and was buried at Glasnevin with his first wife and children. Jane was living
with her brother Francis in 1911 Jane died aged 76 on 5 Nov 1922 at 39 Grosvenor Square, Elizabeth
O’Connor the informant. She was buried at Glasnevin.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - October 2024
Return to Seapoint Manor page