James Horgan’s baptismal record shows that he was baptised on the 01/08/1829 at the Glenbeigh Catholic Parish co Kerry. His parents are shown as Denis Horgan and Mary Dinahy (Dennehy) and sponsors as … Roache and Ellena Shea. He arrived in Australia in January 1856 on the SS Bee. His shipping records state that he is from Glenbeigh co Kerry. His parents are shown as father Denis living and mother Mary deceased. James’s death certificate also shows that he was born in Cahirciveen co Kerry. The shipping records also indicate that he had a cousin Mary Shea living in Bathurst NSW.
Mary Shea’s mother Mary Horgan is a sister to James’s father Denis Horgan. Mary Horgan married Dennis Shea in Glenbeigh in 1818. In 1834 Dennis Shea was transported as a convict to Australia on the SS Blenheim and lived at Bathurst.
Dennis Shea was pardoned in 1846 and was then allowed to bring his wife Mary and children to Australia. Mary their eldest daughter had by then married John Murphy and remained in Ireland. Mary Shea Snr and the children arrived on the Panama in 1849. The shipping records of the SS Panama show Mary’s parents as Daniel and Grace Hagan (Horgan) both deceased. Her husband Dennis Shea is shown as a convict living in the colony at Bathurst NSW. Their daughter Mary, husband John Murphy and children then migrated to Australia and arrived in September 1853.
In 1857 at St Patrick’s Catholic Church Parramatta James Horgan married Ellen Mulvey born 1836 from Kilbeggan co Westmeath she is said to have arrived in Australia in 1856. Her parents are Patrick Mulvey and Ellen Shanley, details of Ellen’s arrival are not clear as her name does not appear on any shipping records.