arvagh 1919-50

[Berni]

hi
looking for information on where my father grew up
his parents were master tailors and lived in arva from
approx 1919 to 1950
their names were CHRISTOPHER AND MARY (CADDEN) O'SHEA
my grandmother was born in cavan in 1894 and my grandad
was born in caherciveen county kerry my father was born in
granard.
berni

[Berni]

HI
please  could anyone give me some suggestions of places to check for info
my grandparents  were living  in  granard in 1931
from this time  until after ww2  i believe they lived in  ARVAGH  but  exact dates i don't know.  i dont have any relatives to  ask so any ideas would be appreciated
they were CHRISTOPHER  AND MARY ('JANIE') OSHEA
OCCUPATION TAILORS
many thanks for reading this
berni

[MEW53]

Hi Berni,
Just been talking to my Mother who was born in Killeshandra near Arvagh and I was showing her my photos on Rootschat for the other side of my family and we looked at your message.
My Mother told me that O'Shea made several coats for her and suits for her brothers when she was a child - The Wilsons of Coramahon near Rockfield, Killeshandra about 5 miles from Arvagh.
According to my mother there was 13 in the O'Shea family and their daughter Molly helped her father with the tailoring. Peggy was another daughter, but can't remember any more on her. They lived opposite the fair green in Arvagh where they stored the cattle on a 'fair day' possibly called Longford Road. Apparently he was a fantastic tailor and could cut out a pattern one day and have it ready for collection the following day.
A friend of my mother's called Annie Kelles (nee Morton) who is 94 had her wedding costume made by O'Shea. Annie lives in Bohora, Derrylane, Killeshandra. My mother has a painting of Arvagh Green with O'Shea's house on it.
 
Hope this helps
Margaret

 

[Berni]

hi margaret
many thanks for your reply
my father their eldest son
"sonny" is still alive 88
but has alzheimers all im working from
is bits of info hes said over the years
im so glad someone has memories of
the family.
in 1931i have them living in granard would
your mother know when they came to arva
my dad always said his mother was born in arva
but found her birth in granard
i believe johana went  to US
i dont know anything about them
any bits of info are so valuable
thank you very much
berni

[MEW53]

Hi Berni,
I am so pleased that my Mother was able to provide some important info for you. I will ask her again to see if there is anything else she remembers, you never know when the grey matter gets going, it is amazing what comes out. Next time I am at my Mother's I will have to look at the painting that has the O'Shea Tailors on it.
Watch this space !!

Margaret

 

[Berni]

hi margaret
again many thanks
if i hadnt paid attention to
tiny bits of info in my dads
childhood memories i wouldnt even
be this far!
the painting that your mother owns
sounds amazing
thanks again
berni

[MEW53]

Hi Berni,

I have just returned from visiting my parents and have more news for you.
My mother knew your father Sonny. She used to help her father on market day to sell chickens ( to Micky Ellis) and would then go and help Mrs O'Shea (your grandmother) cook dinner for the large family. She had a lot to tell me about the O'Sheas. I have now seen the landscape painting that she has which has the O'Sheas tailor shop in it it was quite big about 30 inches x 18 inches, the picture has never been framed, so I am going to work on this for her. The painting was painted by a local artist, Robert Scott who lived a couple of doors from the O'Sheas, his family ran the grocers shop called Scotts and my mother would take the eggs from the farm to his shop for selling. Will see if it is possible to take a photo and email it you you when I get a chance. My Mother is pretty sure that the O'Sheas were in Arvagh when she was very young at least 1931, when she about 4 years old but they may have been there longer. Other names she mentioned on the O'Sheas were Peggy, Joanna, Mehall, Bernadette.
Some of the Scott family are still alive and many still live in Ireland. My Mother and father moved form Ireland in 1950 to live in England.
My Mother really enjoyed reminiscing today, it brought back a lot of great memories, it was great to share old memories with my parents today.

Margaret
 

[Berni]

hi margaret
you are very kind for all this info
the names you mentioned i know apart from bernadette
that is my name and never knew where it was from
again huge thanks berni

[MEW53]

Hi Berni,
Visited my parents today, more memories to share.
 My Dad said that he lent his bicycle to Sonny your father when he was a lad, Sonny borrowed the bicycle go to Longford from the tailor's shop. My Dad did not realize how far Longford was from the tailor's shop (20 miles away), he was having a fitting for a suit so Sonny went on the bike and didn't come back till one o'clock in the morning.
My father told me that the O'Shea's would have known the Sheridans and the Fitzpatricks of Killeshandra who were also tailors. Perhaps you can check these names out.

You have really stirred my parents into action with old memories. There is another person that my Mother is going to contact who would have known Sonny.

Margaret