Hi,
Unless there were two families of Thomas Shanahan and Catherine Geoghegan living in the same place I am confused. I have an interest in the Geoghegans given it was my grandmother's name, and her family was living in Turraree. A gravestone inscription in Kilfergus was, in the 1970s and 80s, quite readable but could not be identified in 2016. It recorded "This is the burial ground of John Geoghegan of Upper Tullery in this parish, and that of his posterity. He departed this life on the 17th day of April 1844, aged 51 years". Although there were other Geoghegan families including near Ardagh, I suspect Catherine was one of the Turraree family and as such she is most likely to have been married in Glin church, long before records commenced in Oct 1851. In fact I suggest Catherine may not have been very truthful about her age nor of that of her children, with the exception of Honora.
The first baptism in the Shanagolden parish records I have located to Thomas Shanahan and Catherine Geoghegan was that of Michael on 9 April 1828 with sponsors Michael and Honora Shanahan. James came next on 12 Nov 1829 ( mother's name misspelt ) with James Flanagan and M White as sponsors. Brigid was baptised on 3 Jan 1833, sponsors Michael Heffernan and Margaret White. On 15 March 1835 the same couple baptised Mary with Timothy Shanahan and Mary Behane as sponsors, I also noted on 21 June 1834 Catherine , daughter of Roger Behane and Margaret Culhane was baptised and sponsors were Thomas Shanahan and Catherine Geoghegan (Geehagan).Denis' baptism followed on 13 Nov 1836 with Michael Heffernan and Margaret White sponsors again and also for the baptism of Catherine on 14 Sep 1839. On 27 July 1841 I have the baptism of Bernard whose sponsors were Michael Shanahan and Bridget Murphy. It is possible that Bridget was the wife of John Geoghegan whose grave I mentioned above. The record of a second Mary on or about 3 Nov with sponsors once again Michael Heffernan and Margaret White is rather confusing initially being recorded in Oct with parents Thomas Shanahan and Catherine White. A second registration around a week or so later with an approximation of Geoghegan. Then in Dec 1846 there is another baptism for Michael and sponsors Thomas Geoghegan and a Shanahan. Thomas Geoghegan I believe to have been an elder brother of my gt gt grandfather, John Geoghegan, b about 1824. That Thomas and Bridget Murphy both appear as sponsors to the Shanahan children suggests Catherine was closely related to the family at Turraree. The last of Thomas Shanahan and Catherine's family appears to have been Honora baptised 13 May 1849 when once more the posnsors were Michael Heffernan and Margaret White.
I hope this is of some interest to Leslie.
Regards
Anne M
