The final resting place of Remmy Sheehan at St Mary’s Church, High Street, Brading, Isle of Wight. Photograph courtesy of Liz Manning
The Sheehan family of Dunstaffnage
Thomas Sheehan, a nursery and seed merchant of Patrick's Parade, Cork. He retired in 1827 and
put the shop up to let. They lived in Friar's Walk in the south suburbs. Thomas died in January
1844. Anne White, his wife died at Friars walk on 16 May 1850. The house at Friars Walk on 1.5
acres was put up for let in 1853.
1 Remegius Henry (Remmy) Sheehan born circa 1789 in Cork and according to himself he
attended the Diocesan school in Cork and renounced his Roman Catholic Religion. He
was admitted to the Kings Inns in October 1805 and practiced as an attorney in Cork
before becoming the editor of his brother’s newspaper the Dublin Evening Mail. In 1827
he went in search of Daniel O’Connell, who at a public meeting had denounced Remmy and
his brother Tom as 'miscreants and renegades'. He found O'Connell outside Morrissons
Hotel on Dawson Street and hit him with his umbrella. O’Connell had him arrested.
Remmy admitted to the assault but managed to get an affidavit read in court which
provided the background behind the assault. He was sentenced to 3 months in Newgate
prison despite the jury pressing for mitigating circumstances. He was granted freeman of
the city in 1828, and was proprietor of the Star of Brunswick newspaper in 1829. Remmy
lived at Dunstaffnage between 1833 and 1837 before he moved to Mespil House on Mespil
Road. Remy got ill in 1842 and by 1846 was living at the Isle of Wight. He died late of Mespil
House on 18 May 1847 at Shanklin on the Isle of Wight where he had gone to recover his
health. His brother George and Rev Theobald Matthew (the Apostle of Temperance)
attended him. *Remmy was buried on the Isle of Wight.
2 Thomas (Tom) Sheehan born circa 1791 at Cork. In 1824 he took over the Evening Mail
newspaper. He renamed it the Dublin evening mail and employed his elder brother Remmy
as editor. He was a granted a Freeman of the city in 1828. He sold the Newspaper in 1858
to Dr Maunsell of Landsend, Stillorgan. He died a bachelor at Mespil House on 25 Mar 1880
and was buried at Glasnevin, his brother George said the graveside prayers. He left 7K in
personal estate.
3 Daughter Sheehan was educated at Sr Mary de Sales Cooke’s school and joined the Ursuline
Convent in Waterford. Her mother donated a silver paten for communion to the convent.
4 Ellen Sheehan third daughter born circa 1794 late of Friar’s Walk, Cork died a spinster at
Inchiclough House, Bantry on 7 Sep 1866 and left 1K in personal estate.
5 Anne Sheehan born circa 1798 died a spinster at Bantry on 16 Sep 1869.
6 Rose Sheehan born circa 1799 lived at Bantry, at Adelaide Tce, and late of Wellington Road,
Cork City. She died a spinster at St Patricks Hospital, Cork on 16 May 1888 and left nearly 3K
in personal estate.
7 Henry Sheehan, fourth son born circa 1807 died at Lisbon in April 1833.
7 George Sheehan born circa 1810 joined the priesthood in 1833. He resigned his chaplaincy
of the Cork Union workhouse on being appointed parish priest of Bantry in 1853. He lived at
Inchiclough and sent about completing the Church in Bantry. In 1861 when the newly
appointed protestant Vicar R B Faulkner admonished him publicly for saying prayers at the
graveside without seeking permission, he rebuked him very eloquently, that while he was 'well
aware of the outmoded law, that protestant ascendancy was dead and only bigots mourned it
and that he should imitate his predecessor and realise that it is wiser and more Christian like
to conciliate those who differ in religion than to exasperate.' He gave lectures in aid of the
Society of St Vincent de Paul and campaigned for increased pay to National School teachers.
He contracted diphtheria in January 1868 and after a convalescence of nearly five months he
returned to Bantry to a warm reception by the townsfolk. He thanked his own flock and then
thanked those who were not of his flock who had prayed for his recovery. In 1878 he was
made Parish Priest of St Patricks in Cork. The Rt Rev Monsignor Sheehan, pp of St Patricks RC
Church died 27 Jun 1887 at 10 Adelaide Tce, Cork and left 2K in personal estate. His executor
was Rev Richard Alphonsus Sheehan (later Bishop of Waterford**).
* Additional information with thanks to Liz Manning, Isle of Wight.
**Son of Jeremiah Sheehan and Maria Hayes of Bantry born 1845 who may be related.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – April 2020/updated July 2022
Thomas Sheehan, a nursery and seed merchant of Patrick's Parade, Cork. He retired in 1827 and
put the shop up to let. They lived in Friar's Walk in the south suburbs. Thomas died in January
1844. Anne White, his wife died at Friars walk on 16 May 1850. The house at Friars Walk on 1.5
acres was put up for let in 1853.
1 Remegius Henry (Remmy) Sheehan born circa 1789 in Cork and according to himself he
attended the Diocesan school in Cork and renounced his Roman Catholic Religion. He
was admitted to the Kings Inns in October 1805 and practiced as an attorney in Cork
before becoming the editor of his brother’s newspaper the Dublin Evening Mail. In 1827
he went in search of Daniel O’Connell, who at a public meeting had denounced Remmy and
his brother Tom as 'miscreants and renegades'. He found O'Connell outside Morrissons
Hotel on Dawson Street and hit him with his umbrella. O’Connell had him arrested.
Remmy admitted to the assault but managed to get an affidavit read in court which
provided the background behind the assault. He was sentenced to 3 months in Newgate
prison despite the jury pressing for mitigating circumstances. He was granted freeman of
the city in 1828, and was proprietor of the Star of Brunswick newspaper in 1829. Remmy
lived at Dunstaffnage between 1833 and 1837 before he moved to Mespil House on Mespil
Road. Remy got ill in 1842 and by 1846 was living at the Isle of Wight. He died late of Mespil
House on 18 May 1847 at Shanklin on the Isle of Wight where he had gone to recover his
health. His brother George and Rev Theobald Matthew (the Apostle of Temperance)
attended him. *Remmy was buried on the Isle of Wight.
2 Thomas (Tom) Sheehan born circa 1791 at Cork. In 1824 he took over the Evening Mail
newspaper. He renamed it the Dublin evening mail and employed his elder brother Remmy
as editor. He was a granted a Freeman of the city in 1828. He sold the Newspaper in 1858
to Dr Maunsell of Landsend, Stillorgan. He died a bachelor at Mespil House on 25 Mar 1880
and was buried at Glasnevin, his brother George said the graveside prayers. He left 7K in
personal estate.
3 Daughter Sheehan was educated at Sr Mary de Sales Cooke’s school and joined the Ursuline
Convent in Waterford. Her mother donated a silver paten for communion to the convent.
4 Ellen Sheehan third daughter born circa 1794 late of Friar’s Walk, Cork died a spinster at
Inchiclough House, Bantry on 7 Sep 1866 and left 1K in personal estate.
5 Anne Sheehan born circa 1798 died a spinster at Bantry on 16 Sep 1869.
6 Rose Sheehan born circa 1799 lived at Bantry, at Adelaide Tce, and late of Wellington Road,
Cork City. She died a spinster at St Patricks Hospital, Cork on 16 May 1888 and left nearly 3K
in personal estate.
7 Henry Sheehan, fourth son born circa 1807 died at Lisbon in April 1833.
7 George Sheehan born circa 1810 joined the priesthood in 1833. He resigned his chaplaincy
of the Cork Union workhouse on being appointed parish priest of Bantry in 1853. He lived at
Inchiclough and sent about completing the Church in Bantry. In 1861 when the newly
appointed protestant Vicar R B Faulkner admonished him publicly for saying prayers at the
graveside without seeking permission, he rebuked him very eloquently, that while he was 'well
aware of the outmoded law, that protestant ascendancy was dead and only bigots mourned it
and that he should imitate his predecessor and realise that it is wiser and more Christian like
to conciliate those who differ in religion than to exasperate.' He gave lectures in aid of the
Society of St Vincent de Paul and campaigned for increased pay to National School teachers.
He contracted diphtheria in January 1868 and after a convalescence of nearly five months he
returned to Bantry to a warm reception by the townsfolk. He thanked his own flock and then
thanked those who were not of his flock who had prayed for his recovery. In 1878 he was
made Parish Priest of St Patricks in Cork. The Rt Rev Monsignor Sheehan, pp of St Patricks RC
Church died 27 Jun 1887 at 10 Adelaide Tce, Cork and left 2K in personal estate. His executor
was Rev Richard Alphonsus Sheehan (later Bishop of Waterford**).
* Additional information with thanks to Liz Manning, Isle of Wight.
**Son of Jeremiah Sheehan and Maria Hayes of Bantry born 1845 who may be related.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – April 2020/updated July 2022